Diablo Immortal has been out in the wild for several weeks now, and in that time the verdict has become clear--in addition to being heavily monetized, Diablo Immortal is, without a doubt, pay-to-win.

Ahead of release, fans knew Diablo Immortal would have microtransactions. After all, the game is free-to-play, and none of the story content or main features are locked behind a paywall. Blizzard needs to make money on Diablo Immortal somehow, but it wasn't clear to what extent the studio would monetize what it heralded as the most "ambitious" Diablo game to date. Fans assumed it would include a premium currency, paid cosmetics, and a battle pass, and it includes all that and more. What was less clear, and what Blizzard failed to disclose, was how heavy a role money plays when it comes to progressing your character in Diablo Immortal's endgame and the advantage doing so gives you over other players.

At the heart of the issue is Legendary Crests and Legendary Gems. You see, not all Legendary Gems are created equal–some are incredibly rare and powerful. These 5-Star Legendary Gems are miles above 1- or 2-Star Legendary Gems, granting more powerful effects, but also higher stats in the form of more Resonance, a stat which boosts the life and damage value of items. As a player, you want as many of these powerful gems, and as much Resonance, as possible. You also want to upgrade them as many times as possible to further increase their power. Gems are upgraded by salvaging unwanted Legendary Gems, and higher level gems not only require the leftover scraps of unwanted gems but also require dozens of gems of the same type in order to be upgraded.