05 May 2023 , 11:47
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Following two successful beta periods that saw in excess of two million players jump into the game, your final chance to check our Diablo 4 prior to its release is almost upon us.
Diablo 4 is just weeks away from release and after the last two beta weekends, we weren't sure if we'd get another chance to play the game ahead of its launch on June 6, 2023. But the folks over at Activision Blizzard graced us with the news that there will be one more opportunity to experience the game’s first act during the Diablo 4 server slam.
Blizzard released a trailer showing players what they can expect from the upcoming beta test including a peek at some of the bosses included, what the exclusive items that will carry over to the full game look like, and the Quad City DJ's 1996 classic song 'Space Jam' (which sadly, probably won't be in the beta).
Essentially it'll function similarly to the Diablo 4 beta, in that players across PlayStation, Xbox and PC can check out an early part of the game as any one of the five classes available at launch. But it's more of a stress test on the servers – hence the name – rather than a beta, as the game has already gone gold.
Diablo 4 Server Slam: start times and end date
The final Diablo 4 Server Slam been confirmed to take place on the weekend of May 12 and will feature all of the changes made based on feedback from the last beta. The purpose of the Diablo 4 Sever Slam is to put the servers to the servers and you can pick up the same rewards that were on offer during the beta.
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Players can hop in from 10pm BST / 5pm EDT / 2pm PDT on Friday, May 12to8pm BST / 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT on Sunday, May 14.
Diablo 4 Server Slam: preload and platforms
Activision Blizzard is offering a preload for the Diablo 4 Server Slam from 8pm BST / 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT on Wednesday, May 10.
Just like the last open beta weekend, the Diablo 4 Server Slam will be available PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Console players needs to visit their platform's respective digital storefronts and search for (and download) the Diablo 4 Server Slam from there. PC players need to launch the Battle.net client to find the game page, then click the dropdown menu under Game Version and select the Diablo 4 – Server Slam option.
If you participated in the Diablo 4 beta and still have it downloaded, an update will be available for you to download, so keep an eye out.
As before, it'll be totally free of charge to participate – you don't need a Diablo 4 pre-order in the bag to take part. There's also couch co-op for console, and crossplay and cross-progression for all platforms. And the icing on the cake is that you don't need an Xbox Live Gold or PS Plus subscription to take part.
Diablo 4 Server Slam: rewards
The Diablo 4 Server Slam is offering the same rewards as the Diablo 4 beta, letting you bag rewards for completing the relevant challenges that'll carry over to the main game:
- Initial Casualty Title: earned by reaching Kyovashad with one character.
- Early Voyager Title: earned by reaching Level 20 on one character.
- Beta Wolf Pack Cosmetic Item: earned by reaching Level 20 on one character.
- Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy: earned by defeating Ashava with one Level 20 character.
Diablo 4 Server Slam: what's included?
As detailed on the blog, the Diablo 4 Server Slam offers access to the Prologue and entirety of Act 1. You can travel through Fractured Peaks, the first Zone. using Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, or Sorcerer classes. You can also visit Kyovashad to repair and buy new gear, access your stash, upgrade your healing potion and more. You can delve into Main and Side Quests as well as World and Legion Events.
if you hit level 20 you can take on the world boss, Ashava, at particular times during the Diablo 4 Server Slam. Ashava will appear on May 13 starting at 5pm BST / 12pm EDT / 9am PDT and every 3 hours thereafter until the final spawn on May 14 at 5pm BST / 12pm EDT / 9am PDT.
There are a few other differences between the Diablo 4 Server Slam and the beta to note:
- Any character progress made during the Early Access and Open Beta weekends will not carry over to Server Slam. Additionally, any character progress made during Server Slam will not carry over to launch.
- Players may level up their characters to Level 20, after which you will cease to gain Ability Points, but can continue to slay demons and earn alluring gear.
- The Legendary Item drop rate has been altered to reflect the drop rate that will be present in the launch version of Diablo IV.
- The version of Diablo 4 available during Server Slam will include all the bug fixes and updates detailed in our Open Beta Retrospective blog.
Diablo 4 Server Slam: changes from the beta
This Diablo 4 Server Slam may not serve any functional purpose in terms of taking and implementing player feedback, but the last one provided some valuable insight for developers. Here's what Activision Blizzard is rolling out in the game proper following player feedback, with full details over on the blog:
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- Cellars will now consistently reward a chest upon completion and the chance for a dungeon Event to occur has increased.
- All character classes have received adjustments to various skills
- Multiple dungeons have been optimized across all zones to minimize the need for backtracking. Dungeon Events now also have an increased chance to spawn
- Bosses such as T’chort, Malnok, Vhenard, and others were re-evaluated for melee character difficulty, resulting in changes to attacks and fight mechanics. The Butcher was also re-evaluated for difficulty and will present a greater challenge in World Tiers 3 and 4
- Several quality-of-life fixes were implemented, and all classes now have access to crowd control breaking skills with appropriate cooldowns
- Various issues were fixed regarding UI including the chat now displaying on the left side of the screen and the sans serif font to be replaced with a new serif font
Basically, the Diablo 4 Server Slam is a close to a demo as you're going to get. Given that it's free and nets you in-game rewards to carry over to the full game, it's well worth hopping in.