Update 14/10/24 14:23 BST: Mike Ybarra was incorrectly attributed as the originator of this quote, which is instead from Schreier's own analysis of the situation. Ybarra is not interviewed by Schreier in Play Nice, nor are any quotes within it attributed to him. The article has been corrected to make this clear.

In Jason Schreier's new book, Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment, Schreier reveals that former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra "planned to cut down on microtransactions in Diablo 4 and reboot Overwatch" prior to his departure.

As noted by PC Gamer, Schreier notes Ybarra apparently wanted to "pivot away from the live service model" altogether before he left the company earlier this year amidst the Microsoft layoffs. Diablo 4 has been the subject of much backlash since its launch due to its grindy, seasonal battle passes and incredibly expensive cosmetics, so this would no doubt have proven popular with players.

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However, it's unclear what this would have looked like in practice, or how such a change would even be approved given that Diablo 4 has made over $150 million from microtransactions in just over a year. Perhaps it speaks more to internal concerns about the sustainability of live-service, MTX-driven models, especially given the countless high-profile disasters we continue to see, from Concord to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

We Don't Know These Plans Would Have Worked

We have no idea how this reboot would have impacted Overwatch, or how it might have looked. The sequel only launched two years ago, replacing the original with a free-to-play, live-service model that swapped loot boxes for a dedicated storefront and seasonal battle passes.

It has proven wildly controversial since it debuted, especially after Blizzard walked back PvE plans following numerous delays, but rebooting the game entirely would have only added more fuel to the fire. Removing microtransactions and some of the more egregious live-service elements is one thing, but a total reboot would most likely mean losing all of the progress made and money spent over the years.

Maybe one day we'll find out more about what a conceptual, rebooted Overwatch might have looked like, and how Diablo 4 could have winded down on its lucrative, live-service model, but Ybarra has yet to shed any light on exactly how he'd pull these plans off.

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    Overwatch 2

    Shooter 8.0/10 Released August 10, 2023 ESRB T For Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence Developer(s) Blizzard Publisher(s) Blizzard Engine Proprietary Engine Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Cross-Platform Play PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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    The sequel to Blizzard's popular team-based hero shooter, Overwatch 2 features a roster of over 35 fighters and over 20 maps. It features team sizes reduced to five, aiming to create faster and more action-oriented matches, while PvE elements add to the options available.

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    Diablo 4

    Action RPG Hack and Slash 4.5/5 Released June 6, 2023 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language Developer(s) Blizzard Publisher(s) Blizzard Engine Proprietary Engine Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Cross-Platform Play PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
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    PHYSICAL

    An action RPG from Blizzard, Diablo 4 follows on from Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls, taking place 30 years later. Lilith has returned, and as a Nephalem, you must prevent further destruction.

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