Diablo 4 closed beta coming soon, public tests in early 2023

Diablo 4 developer Blizzard Entertainment will host a closed beta for its new action role-playing game focused on the title’s end-game, it announced Monday. The “confidential” closed beta test will be playable in 2022 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. A public testing phase, open to all, is slated for early 2023, Blizzard said.

For the confidential text, Blizzard said it will choose a select number of players that have recently played lots of end-game content in Diablo 2: Resurrected and Diablo 3. Interested players have to opt into receiving communication updates from Blizzard by Oct. 11 to receive any potential invite. Blizzard hasn’t said exactly when the closed beta period begins. Invites will be sent out by Nov. 18. Detailed steps to opt in are outlined on the Diablo 4 developer’s blog.

Diablo 4 end-game content includes a nightmare difficulty event called Helltide, where players can fight more powerful enemies to get very valuable loot; Nightmare Dungeons, which are extra-hard dungeons with special modifiers for more specific challenges; Whispers of the Dead, quests with rewards for completing different tasks around the world; Fields of Hatred, cursed PvP zones; and Paragon Boards, a “character growth system” that unlocks after level 50.

Blizzard announced last year that Diablo 4 will be released in 2023; the game was officially revealed in 2019. It was delayed, and Blizzard has released two different Diablo titles, Diablo 2: Resurrected and Diablo Immortal, since its announcement.