Xbox adds new games every month to its subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, and today is a big day as Diablo 4 joins the service. This is the first Activision Blizzard game to join the service after Microsoft acquired the company last year.
Players would be happy to know that Diablo 4 has added a much-needed feature with its launch on the Game Pass that will make for an amazing experience. However, one thing has been made mandatory for PC players, which could very well kill the excitement for them.
Diablo 4 Arrives on Xbox Game Pass with Console Raytracing
Blizzard has released 1.3.5 update patch notes for Diablo 4, and it brings “raytracing to all supported platforms” as well as some visual enhancements and improvements. This latest patch update that was released on March 26 has added ray-traced shadows and reflections, as well as ambient occlusion improvements and changes to ‘contact shadows.’
The ambient occlusion improvements can be seen on all quality settings on all platforms, but PC players with a pre-set Graphics option with “Ultra Quality’ notice the change the most. The contact shadows now apply to more characters in the sanctuary, including shadows for all player characters, NPCs, and monsters, whereas previously they applied to shadows only around the player.
The raytracing feature is now available to apply and upgrade the visuals on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, but there is no mention of the Xbox Series S. Moreover, given the less powerful console’s history of missing out on game features, it’s safe to say that raytracing would not be available on it. Some bug fixes have also been made, just in time for its Game Pass debut.
Diablo 4 Will Still Be Unavailable on One Key Xbox Service Thanks to Activision Blizzard and Ubisoft
Diablo 4 players can enable raytracing via the options section from the in-game menu, and this will provide visual improvements to the game. The changes include an increase in the quality of textures such as fur, hair, and fog. Shadows with a more realistic response to light at various distances and enhanced reflections. However, the feature is locked at 30 fps for best performance.
Diablo 4 Players on PC Will Need Battle.net to Play the Game
Diablo 4, upon joining Xbox Game Pass, will be available for PC players as part of the PC Game Pass, but playing the game will not be as seamless as players would have expected. Microsoft has released a step-by-step guide explaining how PC players can get the game set up, and it will require them to install Blizzard’s digital distribution service, Battle.net.
Players first have to go to the Xbox app, search for the game, and install it. The players will see a prompt to install Battle.net and then will need to connect the Battle.net account to their Microsoft account. Next, they will need to log in, complete connecting the accounts, and install the game, following which they can play the game.
This is not what players would have hoped to see to play the game, but it is what they are getting now. Are you looking forward to playing Diablo 4 via Game Pass? Let us know in the comments.
