Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung’s Exynos-powered phones can’t run Diablo Immortal.
- Blizzard is working on a fix “as soon as possible” and may disable downloads for impacted devices.
- The issue is the latest evidence of the Exynos’ inferiority compared to other SoCs.
Samsung users eager to play Diablo Immortal are in for a disappointment…at least those whose devices are powered by the Exynos chip.
Diablo Immortal is the mobile take on the popular Blizzard game franchise. Unfortunately for users, it appears that many Exynos-powered devices can’t play the game, while even the newest devices with the chipset display so many graphical errors that the game is virtually unplayable.
The Exynos is Samsung’s homegrown system-on-chip (SoC) that it uses to power its phones in some markets. The Exynos is based on Arm designs, like most other mobile chips, but Samsung has complete control over its design and manufacture. This is an appealing option, as opposed to licensing Qualcomm’s or Mediatek’s chips. Samsung even powered some of its flagship S22 phones with the Exynos, much to Diablo fans’ chagrin.
Here is a list of Exynos-powered devices known to be incompatible with Diablo Immortal. The list was provided in a Reddit thread by Blizzard Community Lead PezRadar:
- Galaxy A12, A13, A21s, A51 5G, and Galaxy A Quantum
- Galaxy S10 series
- Galaxy Note 10
- Galaxy F12, and F62
- Galaxy M12, M13, and M62
- Galaxy XCover 5
In addition, SamMobile is reporting that even the newest Exynos-powered S22 Plus has issues playing Diablo Immortal, with graphics issues and glitches that make the game unplayable.
See also: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 vs Exynos 2200
According to PezRadar, the company may suspend downloads for the impacted devices until a fix can be issued. The company is likely worried about the impact of negative reviews from the countless users running affected devices. PezRadar says Blizzard is working on a fix “as soon as possible,” but there is little recourse for users in the meantime.
There have already been rumors that Samsung could be working on a major overhaul of its SoC strategy, with a new processor aimed at taking on Apple’s M1 by 2025. Given the problems the company has had with the Exynos, this latest issue might just be the nail in the coffin for Samsung’s homegrown SoC.
In the meantime, users looking for one of the company’s latest devices would do well to get their hands on one powered by Qualcomm’s chipset.
