Best answer: Right now, Diablo Immortal is not confirmed to have controller support. The developers are aware of player interest in the feature, but it not be added, especially in time for the game's launch.
Will controllers work with Diablo Immortal?
Diablo Immortal is an upcoming mobile take on the long-running Diablo franchise. Developed by Blizzard Entertainment in partnership with NetEase, it's the first-ever Diablo game explicitly designed for mobile devices. While the game is being developed primarily with touch controls in mind, it's understandable that many players would want to use one of the best mobile controllers to play instead.
Currently, controller support for Diablo Immortal may or may not be in the game at launch. That's directly from Blizzard Entertainment. Wyatt Cheng, Game Director on Diablo Immortal, has explained that the team knows players are interested but are trying to make sure the game works first and foremost with touch controls. He wrote on Reddit,
"The main challenge right now is that full controller support isn't just movement and skill usage, it's also menus, inventory management, paragon trees, NPC UIs, chat, etc. To set some expectations – we would love to see controller support but full controller support may not make the release version of the game."
We'd recommend players go in expecting touch controls only. That way, if Blizzard can provide dedicated controller support for Android players, it'll come as a nice surprise. At the very least, Blizzard noting player interest in the feature means it's likely to be added some point post-launch. As a mobile game, Diablo Immortal will have an incredibly long life, so more and more features can be added over time.
Unfortunately, despite clear signs that more and more complex mobile video games are being developed, controller support is still incredibly hit-or-miss. Some games natively support controllers with fluid alternative control schemes. Others technically allow controller support but don't address a lot of pain points players raise. Even some of the biggest games, like Genshin Impact, don't actually offer native controller support on Android devices.
When will Diablo Immortal be available?
While Diablo Immortal was originally slated to arrive in 2021, it's been pushed back to some point in early 2022 to polish the experience to be one of the best Android games available.
Diablo Immortal's timeline is set five years after the events of Diablo 2, 15 years before Diablo 3. The disappearance of the Archangel Tyrael and the shattering of the Worldstone present an opportunity for new forces of evil to emerge.
Diablo Immortal is a full Diablo game. Set between the events of Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, this title is a great way for fans to have fun exploring the world of Sanctuary while waiting for Diablo 4. You can pre-register today; just know that it might not get controller support at launch.
