Blizzard has announced the open beta and early access dates for its upcoming action RPGDiablo 4to be March 24 to March 26. The news arrived with just under four months to go until the full release ofDiablo 4, and it comes at a bit of an awkward and chaotic time for Blizzard lately.
During an all-hands meeting on Zoom with Blizzard President Mike Ybarra,many of the company’s employees left feeling demoralizedand outraged. Some employees took to social media to air their grievances and criticized both Ybarra and other Activision Blizzard brass for being out of touch. Given that the release ofDiablo 4is just months away, and given the success of projects such asWorld of Warcraft: Dragonflightthat have come from work-from-home environments, it remains to be seen how the backlash will affect both the company and the imminent beta and early access periods forDiablo 4.
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TheDiablo 4open beta is planned to last from March 24 through 26. However, those who pre-purchased the game will be granted exclusive early access to the open beta, from March 17 through 19. The news was revealed during day two of IGN Fan Fest, which waspreviously alluded to by Rod Fergusson, the general manager for theDiabloseries. The news was accompanied by a suspenseful new trailer that gives a glimpse of what the Horadrim face in the wake of Lilith’s return. Lilith is the main antagonist ofDiablo 4and the daughter of Mephisto, one of the Prime Evils that last appeared inDiablo 2. Players that participate in the open beta will be able to experience the prologue and the first act of the game, with a level cap of 25. Additional details about the game’s systems and the open beta will be revealed during aDiablo 4developer stream at 11:00 AM PST on Tuesday, February 28.
Diablo 4 Open Beta Dates
Given thatDiablo 4itself is still slated for full release on June 6, the open beta period will take place with just over two months to go until launch. With stiff competition coming fromother June releases such asFinal Fantasy 16, it raises questions on whether Blizzard will stick to that release date or change it at the last possible moment. Only time and player feedback during the beta will tell.
However,Diabloplayers that are waiting for the open beta will soon have some content to sink their teeth into.Season 28 ofDiablo 3begins next Friday, February 24, which may be the last full season ahead ofDiablo 4’s release. With loot to grab and demons to slay,Diablofans will soon have plenty to do across two games.
Diablo 4will release on June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
