Last month, Blizzard opened pre-registration for the Diablo IV closed beta. The company didn’t announce a planned start date for the test, but new files discovered within the Battle.net launcher imply that lucky players won’t be waiting long.
While the Diablo IV beta isn’t currently visible on Blizzard’s launcher, Wowhead has confirmed that new data has been added to the launcher’s Catalog configuration files. These additions indicate that the beta is preparing for launch. While nothing can be downloaded at this time, the website posted an image of the installation window, which can be seen below.
Blizzard has confirmed that Diablo IV will be coming to PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The title will not be playable offline. Many familiar aspects of the series will be making a return, such as procedurally generated dungeons and loot-focused character building. Players will be able to choose between Barbarian, Sorceress, Druid, Rogue, and Necromancer, all of which have appeared in previous Diablo titles.
New additions to the franchise include a large open-world layout, character customization, and PvP content. Those performing well in PvP will be flagged as “champions,” designating them as targets for other players. Thankfully, those who aren’t interested in this new aspect of the title will be able to easily avoid it, as PvP will only be available in dedicated zones. The game will also introduce eight-player world bosses and will feature over 150 dungeons.
Diablo IV‘s development team has continued to release quarterly updates detailing the highly-anticipated title. Last month, they released in-depth information regarding the Necromancer class. Previously, in March, more information about the game’s setting was revealed. A video showing three locations–the Scosglen Coast, Orbei Monastery, and Kyovoshad–was posted to YouTube.
In a June interview, Diablo GM Rod Fergusson made his vision for the game clear. “We are committed to delivering an incredible breadth of content after launch, for years to come, anchored around optional cosmetic items and full story-driven expansions,” he stated in a Tweet.
Blizzard still has not announced a date for the closed test, nor have they announced a concrete release date for the game itself. First announced at BlizzCon 2019, Diablo IV is currently scheduled to release in 2023.
