Blizzard has announced that a closed beta test for Diablo 4 will be launching in November 2022, with an open beta to follow in 2023. Diablo 4 is the latest entry in Blizzard's epic fantasy action-RPG series, featuring five new classes and the continuation of the story. While Diablo 4 was delayed alongside Overwatch 2 last year, it seems that many fans are still excited for the top-down RPG experience, as it was recently found to be among the most hyped upcoming games.
Currently, Diablo 4 is expected to release some time in 2023, and while fans wait for a specific date to drop, Blizzard has been giving them more information about the game, including some gameplay reveals and even allowing some early tests to take place. An alpha version of Diablo 4 was playable for a select few who were a part of the Friends and Family test Blizzard ran earlier this year. Now that the game is further along in its development process, it appears that Blizzard is gearing up for the next stage of playtests.
Recently, in a blog post on Blizzard's website, the company announced that Diablo 4's closed beta will begin in November 2022. This beta will focus on the endgame of Diablo 4, according to Blizzard, which may seem strange to fans as it appears it may allow them to play through the final areas before the game is released. It is unlikely there will be any major spoilers for Diablo 4's story in the beta, though, and it is important to note that this test will only be available for those with extensive hours in Diablo 3 and Diablo 2: Resurrected.
This is to test the "complexities" of Diablo 4's endgame and see if it matches up to or surpasses those of the series' past. Players who meet the criteria can enable "News and Special Offers" on Battle.net to see if they could be selected for the closed beta tests. There is no guarantee that a player will be chosen, but even for those who miss the chance to play Diablo 4 in November, there will be the open beta launching some time in 2023.
In Blizzard's previous playtests for Diablo 4, while many praised the work on the game and how it looks, there have been leaks coming out about the game. Recently, over 40 minutes of early development footage of Diablo 4 leaked online. Before that, another leak took place just after the closed alpha testing went live, so it is possible that these beta tests will come with their own set of leaks as well.
Diablo 4 will launch in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Blizzard