A previous version of this guide to Diablo 4's early access time implied that early access to the game would be given to all players who pre-order. Early Access to Diablo 4 is only available for players who pre-order upgraded editions of the game, not the Standard edition.
After years of teasers and information dumps, Diablo 4 is finally almost upon us. Fans have been looking forward to this fourth entry in the longstanding ARPG series since it was first announced in November 2019 alongside a horrifying short, By Three They Come, that revealed Diablo 4's big bad: Lilith – the Daughter of Hatred, in reference to Lord of Hatred Mephisto, and one of the two beings who created Sanctuary.
Much of the story and gameplay of Diablo 4 has already been revealed through several betas and a server slam weekend when players got to check out The Fractured Peaks and Act I. Though these early access builds of the game are now unavailable, the full game's release is coming soon – and even sooner for those who have pre-ordered the Deluxe and Ultimate editions of this brutal return to Diablo.
Diablo 4's Release Time
From March 17 to 19, 2023, Diablo 4 fans who pre-ordered the title could access a limited beta test build. The following weekend, from March 24 to 26, this beta build of the game was opened up to all interested players, whether they had already purchased Diablo 4 or not. Then, the final beta test arrived from May 12 to 14 as part of a test of Blizzard's servers and their capability to handle a massive influx of players all at once – Diablo 3 had a pretty messy launch, after all.
Blizzard seems to be taking a similar approach with the actual release date of Diablo 4, too, in that players who have pre-ordered the game can play it before players who wait until release. It's a significant early access period, too, and not to be missed for any big fan of the ARPG franchise. However, there is a cost to enter: early access is only available for players who pre-order Diablo 4 Deluxe or Ultimate edition, not the Standard edition.
Standard Edition
For players who have pre-ordered the game's Standard edition, the game will release as normal on June 5, 2023, on all available platforms – PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Series X|S. It should launch at around 4 p.m. PDT / 6 p.m. EST in the U.S. and at 12 a.m. GMT (midnight) on June 6 in the UK. Players who wait to purchase the game until it comes out will not be able to pre-load to get in faster, though players who pre-order the Standard edition digitally should still be able to load assets before Diablo 4 becomes playable.
Pre-ordering any edition of the game comes with the expected array of digital bonuses and cosmetics and the ability to pre-load before Diablo 4 launches. This saves a lot of time the day of, giving players more time to max out their character and hunt down Lilith across all the game's Acts.
Pre-Order Early Access
Players who pre-order the Deluxe or Ultimate editions of Diablo 4 will be granted special access to the game five days earlier than others on June 1, 2023. The Deluxe edition will set players back $89.99 but also comes with a unique mount, mount armor, and the first Season's battle pass. The Ultimate edition, which costs $99.99, tacks on a unique emote and an accelerated Battle Pass, plus everything that came before. Pre-ordering the Standard edition comes with cosmetic bonuses, too, but won't be playable until June 5.
Diablo 4 releases June 6, 2023, on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.