Diablo Immortal Whales Speak: Account Buying, Mercenaries & More

TL;DR: A high-spending Diablo Immortal player (a "whale") discusses account trading, mercenaries, Blessed Rains, and the politics of the game's high-tier community, revealing a complex picture beyond common rumors and suggesting a regulated marketplace solution.

Why Speak Out Now?

The recent surge of controversy surrounding whales has prompted Mr. W to step forward. He explains that he and his community felt the narratives circulating were often "misinformed" and filled with "inaccurate details and false narratives." Mr. W emphasizes his intent is not to point fingers but to offer a transparent perspective from within the whale community, tackling the larger issues at play, and aiming for productive solutions that could help Diablo Immortal move forward.

Account Buying and Selling: A Reality Check

Is account buying and selling in Diablo Immortal real? According to Mr. W, the answer is a definitive yes. However, he urges players not to be "shocked and appalled" but to understand the context. He points out that this practice has been a "part and parcel of the gaming environment" across many Blizzard titles for over a decade, spanning all levels of play from low to high, and that Diablo 2 had it back in the day with players selling Level 99 characters or grinding to order for other players.

"It's pretty ubiquitous for basically all online games in general," he notes. This activity isn't unique to whales, but it does become more visible (and costly) at the higher tiers of play.

Mr. W explains that accounts, particularly those with high resonance, secondary attributes, and other desirable features, can fetch prices ranging from $10,000 to $30,000. These accounts aren't just being discarded when players are finished with them; they’re being sold to other whales or "dolphins"—players who are willing to spend a significant amount to advance their gameplay and who in turn will continue to be active spenders. He also notes that Blizzard is fully aware of the amount of time and money spent on each account, and how much is projected for the lifecycle of a player’s use of said account.

The Whale Perspective on Spending

Mr. W highlights the fact that heavy spenders are the main revenue stream that keeps the game afloat. He makes a point that it's that revenue which supports the developers and ensures future updates, content, and bug fixes for the game. In this respect, for a player to spend $100,000 or $200,000 on an account is not new, nor is it something he passes judgment on. He points out that a large purchase like this is not something that a whale is going to "throw away" so they are going to sell it.

Addressing the Problem: A Marketplace Solution?

Mr. W proposes that banning accounts isn’t a practical long term solution. Rather than "combatting the symptoms" by arbitrarily banning accounts, he suggests that Blizzard should consider a more realistic approach. He draws an analogy to the legalization of marijuana in California: rather than policing and expending resources on something that cannot be completely policed or shut down, they embraced it by legalizing, regulating, monitoring, and taxing it. He suggests a similar approach for Diablo Immortal with a regulated and official in-game marketplace.

An official marketplace would allow for safer transactions and would also provide Blizzard with an opportunity to take a commission, similar to the commission they make from platinum sales, from these account sales. This would not only address the issue of backroom dealings but could also potentially create a revenue stream for the company.

The $20,000 Blessed Rain Myth

One of the more sensational rumors that Mr. W addresses is the claim that players are paying $20,000 for a guaranteed Blessed Rain. He emphatically calls this "100 percent patently false," citing the logistical nightmare of coordinating this in practice.

He states that, "You barely ever get 300 people active for the entire rain." It is nearly impossible to gather 600 players to get a blessed rain and ensure that they are all paying a fee for it, he adds.

What is true though, is that "beef occurs between two whales, or multiple whales," and those whales "compete" with one another as a "D measuring contest." The $20,000 number likely stemmed from a situation where one whale hired mercenaries to assist in a fight for a Blessed Rain. This is a one-off event, rather than a widespread service.

The Truth About Arranged Blessed Rains and "Win Trading"

Arranged Blessed Rains, or what some players call "win trading," also exist, according to Mr. W. He states that it happens on "almost every single server." He explains that "the collusion and the politics...was 100% by design because it motivated folks to spend to get stronger, to dominate the cycles."

He argues that recent changes to how Blessed Rains are won make it easy for six clans to dominate a server and rotate the reigns with each other, three at a time, punting matches in Reign of Fire to each other, cementing the reality of a six clan server hierarchy. He also argues that removing the whales from this equation won’t change the dynamics: "Those six vacant spots...will immediately be filled by the next six strongest clans," which in turn will then work together through the same political landscape. This is the natural selection and survival of the fittest in his opinion, and it is inevitable.

He also adds that most whales don't want conflict and that the "win trading" exists as a way for the whale community to maintain harmony and be able to continue to enjoy playing the game with each other. Most of the whales want "fun rivalries and healthy competition," not continuous war.

Hired Mercenaries and Server Transfers: Is it Malicious?

Mr. W makes the case that while server transfers have enabled players to team up with friends, a practice that has been vital to revitalize competition, they have also been misused for some "hostile takeovers." He notes that there are toxic clans out there that simply want to "watch the world burn", but these are not the norm, and the end goal for doing that is difficult to see or make sense of.

He also uses the analogy of the movie Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, to make the point that the story of a battle can be told differently depending on the perspective one has of that battle. It is true that some people are negatively impacted by a server take over or what appears to be an attack from other clans, but also it is true that for those who won that battle, it's all about saving their server from a hostile takeover, and they are going to want a celebration. This makes it impossible to establish if who is right and who is wrong in this equation.

He also adds that even with the mercenary accounts, if that's the problem, then Blizzard should "legalize it and make it an actual thing," creating a regulated market for it, since it will happen regardless.

The Mass Reporting Issue

Mr. W also tackles the mass reporting issue. He agrees that the current system is being "weaponized" and that a human being is needed to filter through reports and determine if they are valid or not. He adds that it should be flagged when there is an excessive amount of reports, then looked into by a real person, rather than an automatic ban. Because of the use of bots now running rampant, it is too easy to weaponize the mass reporting system and ban any account without any real oversight.

Closing Thoughts

Mr. W’s final plea is to urge the community to "come together" and to "be rational" about solving problems within Diablo Immortal. He emphasizes that the game is "a complex game with complex politics and complex problems" and that solutions will have to be "multiple shades of gray" rather than black and white.

He adds that the truth will reveal itself in time and that "you don't have to worry about sugarcoating,".

He concludes by noting the fact that he and his community continue to spend money in the game because they love the game and its community and they are very competitive.

Why Diablo Immortal?

When asked why whales, with so much to spend, invest in Diablo Immortal rather than titles like Diablo IV or Path of Exile 2, Mr. W answered that for him it's more about the community than the game itself. He has never experienced this type of community before and feels the need to support the game to support his friends and his community. He also added that there are things that Diablo Immortal offers that other games don't, like this whole mechanic. He then also added that he has not played Diablo IV.

This interview provides a rare, transparent look into the world of high-spending Diablo Immortal players, offering insight into the practices and dynamics of this often-misunderstood community, and gives potential solutions to the many concerns raised by all members of the community.