Diablo Immortal postponed in China just days before launch

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The delay comes right after Blizzard's Weibo account was suspended

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(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

Diablo Immortal has reportedly been delayed in China just three days before launch.

Writing for Reuters earlier today on June 20, Hong Kong-based reporter Josh Ye writes that NetEase, the Chinese publisher of the game, has pulled the launch of Diablo Immortal throughout China. The game was apparently meant to launch yesterday on Sunday, June 19, but the launch was actually pulled by Blizzard back on Thursday, June 16, just three days before release on PC and mobile platforms.

This apparently comes hot on the heels of Diablo Immortal's Weibo social media account being banned from making new posts on the Chinese social media website. Neither Blizzard nor NetEase has commented on the suspension of the account or revealed why it was banned in the first place.

NetEase claims that Diablo Immortal was delayed to make gameplay adjustments and improvements, such as "multiple optimization adjustments." NetEase shares actually fell more than 9% earlier today on Monday, June 20, and it's not hard to imagine this as a fallout of the last-minute delay to Diablo Immortal in China. 

Looking to the wider internet, there's been plenty of speculation as to why Diablo Immortal's launch has been postponed. Some ResetEra users claim the official Diablo Weibo account made a reference to Winnie the Pooh (something that got Detention developer Red Candle Games in hot water years ago), and could've resulted in the account being banned. 

Head over to our guide on the Diablo Immortal Shadow Lottery, Shadows and Immortals explained for more. 

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.