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Diablo Immortal, Blizzard's controversial new free-to-play MMO in the Diablo series, will reportedly not be launching in two countries due to restrictions on lootboxes. Dutch news outlet Tweakers reports that pre-load on iOS and Android went live in the Netherlands and Belgium in late April, but the pre-load options were taken down shortly afterwards. After reaching out for comment, a community manager for Blizzard told Tweakers that it would not be launching there due to "current operating conditions for games" in those countries, likely referring to the laws against lootboxes in Belgium and the Netherlands.

A post was also shared on the r/DiabloImmortal subreddit from a Blizzard employee sharing a similar sentiment. "The lootboxes in the game are against the law in your country, so unless the gambling restrictions change, the game will not be released in the Netherlands and Belgium," the post read. "If you manage to run the game I cannot guarantee that you will not be banned for it."

Diablo Immortal will launch this Thursday, June 2, for iOS and Android with an open beta for the PC version launching the same day.

 

[Deleted member 194275]

Here too, but you see
First, in canada, there two taxes, one that goes to the province, one to the federal, and i think only the federal one is applied on online purchases
Secondly, here in canada, online purchases being taxed is fairly new. Justin Trudeau introduced this law and he's been elected for the first time in 2015, so...

interesting Canada is taxing online straight away, it is a hard enforcement I believe. Here it is more old fashioned, they tax the credit/debit cards, and the tax is very low nation wide, and quite expansive for international purchases (like above 6%), that's the way they found to make people who are buying on China or USA be taxed without annoy a regular person who is buying rice, flour or whatever using a credit card. Europe for the most part is a tax heavy place, that's why I'm assuming that candy crush gems do earn Nederlands and Belgium some taxes.

 

[SexiestManAlive]

they probably just don't have phones, lmfao

 

[Winduss]

they probably just don't have phones, lmfao

I know this is some low quality bait, but sometimes I wish that were the case though.

 

[Noctosphere]

interesting Canada is taxing online straight away, it is a hard enforcement I believe. Here it is more old fashioned, they tax the credit/debit cards, and the tax is very low nation wide, and quite expansive for international purchases (like above 6%), that's the way they found to make people who are buying on China or USA be taxed without annoy a regular person who is buying rice, flour or whatever using a credit card. Europe for the most part is a tax heavy place, that's why I'm assuming that candy crush gems do earn Nederlands and Belgium some taxes.

Well, i don't think they tax international purchases
Websites like bestbuy.ca or walmart.ca always had both provincial and federal taxes because products came directly from stores (i guess?)
But sites like amazon.ca or netflix canada or nintendo stores and such, you didn't have to pay any taxes until very few years ago
Btw, you say that 6% is a big tax?
Here in quebec, the taxes are about 5% to the federal and an additional 10% to the provincial

 

[SexiestManAlive]

I know this is some low quality bait, but sometimes I wish that were the case though.

actually its a meme

 

[Deleted member 590102]

I'm sure you could bypass the geoblocking by sideloading the app and using a VPN to spoof geolocation, though in-app purchases won't work.

 

[DoctorBagPhD]

I know this is some low quality bait, but sometimes I wish that were the case though.

It's not bait, they're referencing what was actually said by the guys on stage at Blizzcon when fans were rightly pissed off with the reveal. They straight up couldn't understand that every person in that room knew that this would be a shitty cashgrab riddled with lootboxes etc, and failed to recognise that announcing the mobile game instead of a genuine Diablo title would obviously upset fans who'd been waiting a very long time for news on a sequel.

 

[Skelletonike]

Well, i don't think they tax international purchases
Websites like bestbuy.ca or walmart.ca always had both provincial and federal taxes because products came directly from stores (i guess?)
But sites like amazon.ca or netflix canada or nintendo stores and such, you didn't have to pay any taxes until very few years ago
Btw, you say that 6% is a big tax?
Here in quebec, the taxes are about 5% to the federal and an additional 10% to the provincial

We have 23% on everything that isn't food or meds. Fast food is also 23%. Game subs have 23% tax, in-app purchases have 23%, etc, etc.


Anyway, just put the game downloading and I'll check it out once I get home. Apparently the game is pretty good from what I've read.

 

[nomnaut]

As a huge arpg fan with tens of thousands of hours in all the great arpgs from the past three decades, I completely forgot about this game's release. And I'm equal parts disheartened and not surprised by its outcome. At least we have other great arpgs carrying the torch (Grim Dawn, Path of Exile, soon Last Epoch).