Diablo Immortal finally set for July release in China after month's delay

After a month-long delay that even rumors that the game was entirely banned, Diablo Immortal will finally be released in China. The latest iteration of the popular franchise has faced a barrage of criticism, especially on its progression system and microtransactions.

The news of its June release in China being delayed further caused Blizzard headaches.

Sportskeeda's review of the title praised the game for the player experience it provides and that it was a worthy entry in the Diablo franchise while being trapped within an annoying system of microtransactions that did affect progression.

The latter has been a central point of criticism that has drawn massive flak from critics and players alike, resulting in a 0.4 user score on Metacritic.

Nevertheless, users were disappointed when Diablo Immortal's release into one of the biggest gaming markets got delayed, though the latest news is sure to put a smile on their faces.

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NetEase plans to release Diablo Immortal in China later in July

According to a report, NetEase Inc. is set to release Diablo Immortal in China on July 25, although the date may receive some last-minute changes. The report also stated that NetEase finally won the go-ahead after a controversial post on one of their social media handles had seen the game being delayed.

The latest Diablo was set to be released on June 23 before NetEase, who co-developed the title with Activision Blizzard, announced a stay on the release, mentioning a need to enhance certain parts and "multiple optimization adjustments" to provide players with a fuller experience.

Those in the know-how noted that the game's official Weibo account was banned from making posts. It was speculated that this was because of a post mocking Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China.

A Reddit user explained that the official social media account of the title had posted "熊怎么还不下台," which roughly translates to "Why doesn't the bear step down?"

The bear refers to the current leader of the Chinese government. For some time now, netizens have been comparing him with the cartoon character Winnie the Pooh.

The Redditor stated that the post "exploded on the Chinese internet" and led to a halt in the game's marketing in China.

Numerous speculations further ensued, with one being that Diablo Immortal has been outright banned in China for the time being and a lengthy delay in store. Thankfully, that has not been the case, and Chinese Diablo fans will finally get to enjoy the Diablo game come July 25, barring any further changes.