Diablo 4 open beta coming in May to purposely try to break the servers
Come one, come all, and show those servers who's boss.
Blizzard has announced another open beta for Diablo 4 , the purpose of which is to test the server infrastructure.
The open beta, dubbed "Server Slam" by Blizzard, takes place May 12-14 and starts at 12pm PT, 3pm ET, 8pm BEST, and 9pm CEST. During this time, everyone on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4 can join - you can even play couch co-op for consoles. Cross-play and cross-progression for all platforms will be enabled.
It's all to test the servers to ensure the game's release goes as smoothly as possible.
Server Slam will feature the Prologue and entirety of Act I. This gives you access to the first Zone, Fractured Peaks, and you can play as any of the five classes.
For those who played during the Early Access and open beta weekends, you should know any character progress made during those test weekends will not carry over to Server Slam. Additionally any character progress made during Server Slam will not carry over to launch.
You will level up your characters to Level 20, after which you will cease to gain Ability Points but can continue to play and earn gear. Think of it as a practice run ahead of release.
The Legendary Item drop rate has been altered to reflect the drop rate that will be present in the launch version of Diablo 4, and the version of the game includes all recent bug fixes and updates.
A variety of activities will be available, and there are also main and side quests alongside World and Legion Events. You'll also go up against Ashava, a behemoth with two razor-sharp arm blades, scales stronger than plate mail, and hell-bent on ripping you apart.
You can combat her on May 13 starting at 9am PT and every three hours thereafter, until the final spawn on May 14 at 9am PT.
Rewards will also e earned while you play. Felling Ashava comes with a new earnable reward, the Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy. The rewards from the Early Access and open beta weekends are back, giving you another chance at unlocking these rewards, which you will receive once Diablo 4 releases.
Titles to gain are the Initial Casualty Title, earned by reaching Kyovashad with one character, and the Early Voyager Title, earned by reaching Level 20 on one character. You will earn the Ashava mount trophy previously noted, and the adorable Wolf Pack Cosmetic Item is earned by reaching Level 20 on one character. It's a backpack featuring a sleeping wolf puppy curled up inside of it. Dawwww!