Diablo 4 Beta version

Server Slam server test weekend

After the success of Diablo 4's Early Access (March 17-20, 2023) and Open Beta weekends (March 24-27, 2023), Blizzard is giving players one last taste of D4 before launch: Server Slam weekend, meant to iron out any last bugs with server load.

Server Slam start and end dates

The Server Slam Beta will be shorter than the previous Betas, lasting 3 days instead of 4:

• Play times: May 12, 2023 12PM PDT - May 14, 2023 12 PM PDT
• Early download: May 10, 2023 12PM PDT

Character carry-over

Blizzard said that all Server Slam charcters will be fresh, meaning no characters will be:

• Used from previous Beta weekends
• Carried over to launch

Playable content

Like the Early Access and Open Beta weekends, Server Slam will allow players to experience the Prologue and Act 1 (Fractured Peaks region).

Level cap

This Beta will lower the level cap from Level 25 to Level 20.

Playable Classes

All 5 Classes will be available:

• Barbarian
• Druid
• Necromancer
• Rogue
• Sorceror

World Boss events

Ashava will spawn every 3 hours at the Crucible area in the Fractured Peaks. Because the level cap is Level 20, players will have an even harder time defeating her; however, players can drop down to World Tier 1: Adventurer to improve their chances.

Server Slam rewards

Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy

Players that defeat Ashava will receive a Mount Trophy, called: Cry of Ashava, which is a broken-off piece of Ashava's horn that's been decorated.

Baby Wolf Pack reward

For players that missed the Baby Wolf Pack reward from Early Access and Open Beta weekends by getting a character to Level 20, they have one last chance to secure the cosmetic item before launch.

Diablo 4 Open Beta details

Beta start and end dates

The Diablo 4 Beta is split into two weekends: the first is for those that pre-ordered the game (i.e., Early Access), and the second is for everyone (i.e., Open Beta).

• Early Access weekend: March 17, 2023, 9AM PDT - March 20, 12 PM PDT
• Open Beta weekend: March 24, 2023, 9AM PDT - March 27, 12 PM PDT

Preloading

Preloading allows players to immediately click 'Play' once the Beta begins. Players can begin early downloading the Beta via Battle.net, PlayStation Store, or Xbox Store on:

• Early Access weekend: March 15, 9AM PDT
• Open Beta weekend: March 22, 9AM PDT

Blizzard notes that players playing both weekends only need to download the file once, during the first weekend. The download will be 45GB.

Playing both weekends

Yes, players that pre-ordered the game can participate in both weekends. Those that don't pre-order can only play in the second weekend, Open Beta. For players playing both, their progress will be tracked across weekends. Note that all Beta characters are wiped before the game's official launch.

Available platforms

Both the Early Access and Open Beta weekends are available to all compatible platforms, which includes:

• PC/Windows
• PlayStation
• Xbox

Cross-platform play

Remember that the game is cross-platform, so players on the various supported platforms can see and party with each other (up to 4 players).

Playable content

Early Access and Open Beta players can explore the entirety of Diablo 4's Act I, which encompasses the Prologue and Fractured Peaks region.

Level cap

Blizzard instituted a character level cap for the Beta: Level 25. After hitting this level, players can continue playing the Beta (until the end of the weekend).

Playable Classes

The available Classes for the Early Access and Open Beta weekends differ. For the first weekend, Early Access, participating players can choose between 3 Classes:

• Barbarian
• Rogue
• Sorceror

For the second weekend, Open Beta, players can select between all Classes:

• Barbarian
• Druid
• Necromancer
• Rogue
• Sorceror

Note that the game allows players to create up to 10 characters.

World boss events

The world boss, Ashava: The Pestilent, will spawn 4 times over each of the weekends, with some times accomodating Asian and European time zones. Here's the exact times Blizzard says Ashava will spawn:

• Early Access weekend: March 18, 10AM, 12PM, 10PM, 12AM PDT
• Open Beta weekend: March 25, 10AM, 12PM, 10PM, 12AM PDT

Beta rewards

Players that have at least one character hit Level 20 will be rewarded with the following three rewards that carry over to the game's official launch:

Baby Wolf Pack cosmetic item

The standout reward for Beta is a backpack containing a sleeping wolf pup, which makes gentle movements as it slumbers on your back. Because the item is cosmetic, it adds nothing to your character's power, but it's a fun and creative reward.

Two unique titles

Players will also receive two titles, which are tracked under the game's Challenges system:

• Initial Casualty: rewarded for reaching Kyovashad town
• Early Voyager: rewarded for hitting Level 20

End-game Beta details

End-game Beta end

Those participating in the D4 End-game Beta reported that access ended on November 18, 2022, which is exactly one month after it began. We don't know how many players were let in, but they were chosen based on their play habits of past Diablo games. The public beta, coming "early 2023," should allow many more players in and in a more random selection process.

End-game Beta start

Players that were fortunate enough to receive Diablo 4 End-game Beta invite emails in early October have reported that they were able to download and play the beta client via Battle.net on October 18, 2022. The file was approximately 70GB.

End-game Beta criteria

If you're a frequent player of D2, D3, and/or Diablo Immortal, which is the key criteria to getting an End-game Beta key, you still have until November 18, 2022 to receive one.

Blizzard said they wanted the most experienced and serious players to (fittingly) provide feedback on Diablo 4's endgame. A few such players that got keys shared their playing profile on reddit [3], mentioning Hardcore Mode play and high season ladder rank:

End-game Beta content

In a surprise move, Blizzard announced that a closed End-game Beta [4] is beginning in September 2022, featuring content from the following end-game systems:

• Fields of Hatred
• Helltide
• Nightmare Dungeons
• Paragon Boards
• Whispers of the Dead

Some players that have spent considerable time recently playing Diablo 2: Resurrected, Diablo 3, and Diablo Immortal (the main way to get an invite) reported getting a beta invitation on September 28, 2022. These lucky players will be under an NDA (non-disclosure agreement), meaning they can't publicly share anything about the game.

Blizzard says that testers will begin the beta post-campaign (i.e., after the Lilith storyline), as to not spoil what happens, and to provide valuable late-game feedback to the team.

There will also be a final, challenging boss to defeat:

How to sign-up for Diablo 4 beta

On June 12, 2022, Blizzard uploaded a revamped official Diablo 4 website [5] that included a "Pre-register" button for beta sign-up:

Assuming you're logged into the site with your Battle.net account (this is required to sign up), upon clicking the button, you're zoomed to a form at the bottom of the page to enter your email address. Once you submit this, you're given a green "Thanks for signing up, Username!" message to let you know that your sign-up was a success:

Beta keys from tattoo promotion

There is one other way to secure an early beta key: get a Diablo-themed tattoo in Blizzard's Hell's Ink promotion [6]. Interested players can visit select tattoo shops in major cities, like London, New York, and Los Angeles, get inked, and receive a card that'll eventually provide beta access: