We’re inching closer and closer to Diablo 4’s June release, and now the team at Blizzard is revealing the open beta dates. For those who pre-order, Diablo 4’s open beta kicks off on March 17-19. Everyone else can play a week later on March 24-26.
So, what part of the game will we be playing? Don’t expect to get into the meat of the game like the recent closed endgame beta.
With next month’s beta, the developers will keep us in the very beginning of the game. We’ll be able to play through the Prologue and Act 1. There’s also a cap at level 25.
While it might seem like a demo, it’ll live up to its open beta moniker, according to comments from the developer. “The experience is not finalized and you may encounter performance issues, outages, and come across things that simply don’t work. After the Open Beta concludes, we’ll evaluate all feedback we’ve received and will make changes as needed.”
Diablo fans have waited more than a decade for the next entry into the franchise, and the wait is almost over. Diablo 3 had its missteps at launch, but it’s still one of my favorite loot games of all time. Hopefully, Diablo 4 can launch in a better state and live up to fans’ always lofty expectations for the franchise.
Before next month’s beta, we’ll also hear directly from a trio of Diablo 4 developers in the studio’s first livestream of 2023. Blizzard’s Art Peshkov (lead world designer), Meng Song (lead systems designer), and Joe Shely (game director) will dive into deeper detail about the game’s Stronghold and Armor systems as well as touch on the Open Beta a little more.
Here’s how Strongholds have been described by Blizzard:
“Heroic adventures can clear out Strongholds such as this one, claiming them once again for the citizens of Sanctuary. The town will never be the same, but victory here can leave a lasting mark and transform this hostile region into a safe haven.”
Sounds like a more in-depth adventure than the average mission. Maybe we’ll see the devs take us through one during their next livestream on February 28 at 11 am PST.
Diablo 4 hits PC, Xbox, and PlayStation on June 6 (June 2 if you get the ultimate edition).