Diablo IV Is Getting a Surprise Final Open Beta With Gameplay Updates Before Launch

Diablo IV is getting a surprise, final open beta play session next month. During their developer live stream, held early Friday, Blizzard Entertainment confirmed that it is opening the gates to Fractured Peaks for the third time on May 13 at 12:30 am IST/ May 12 at 12pm PT in the US. Dubbed the ‘Server Slam' weekend, the event will run until May 15 at 12:30am IST/ May 14 at 12pm PT, and is meant to test Diablo 4's server infrastructure and durability. Same as before, access will be open to all players, across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X, with support for cross-play and cross-progression enabled.

Any progress made during Server Slam will not carry over to the full Diablo IV launch, so this might be a good time to try a new class or build. Players will be dropped back into the snowy tundras of Fractured Peaks — the first zone — to once again experience the Prologue and Act 1 in its entirety, with levelling capped at 20. Pick from any five classes: Barbarian, Druid, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Necromancer, and explore the lands at will, hunting down any demons that prowl in the dark. It is worth noting that the Legendary Item drop rate will be reduced during this period, in order to reflect the drop rates at lower levels. Its effects were inflated during the previous beta, so players get a taste of what to eventually expect in Diablo IV.

Content-wise, it's the same beta as before, featuring several quests and the town of Kyovashad where one could repair and purchase new gear, upgrade potions, and more. However, this version will include a range of bug fixes and updates to balance out the experience before launch day. Expect buffs and nerfs to certain classes — the former for Barbarians and Druids, who underperformed at lower levels during previous beta sessions. Meanwhile, the Necromancers will receive nerfs to their undead minions and corpse explosion, which will now inflict less damage.

Furthermore, 24 hours into the beta, starting May 13 at 9am PT/ 9:30pm IST in India, the world boss Ashava will spawn every three hours. Defeating this monstrosity will grant players a ‘Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy,' which appears like a horn. Participating in the Diablo 4 open beta also offers other rewards upon completing certain goals. For instance, reaching Kyovashad with one character grants you the ‘Initial Casualty' title, while reaching Level 20 earns you the ‘Early Voyager' title. The Server Slam weekend also comes with support for couch co-op on consoles.

After a few delays, Diablo IV finally went gold earlier this week, meaning production on it has ended and it's ready for release. Earlier this month, the studio explained its endgame progression, which brings back the Nightmare version, in addition to global launch timings for both Standard and early access.

Diablo IV releases June 6 on PC (via Battle.net), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X. As mentioned before, the open beta begins May 13 at 12:30 am IST/ May 12 at 12pm PT in the US.