After announcing a raft of changes to Diablo IV earlier this week, Blizzard has announced a Server Slam beta. The upcoming ARPG will receive one last big open beta before it launches in June.
Called Server Slam, the final open beta is all about trying to break the game’s network infrastructure. If you fire up the beta and find the servers are completely cooked, that means everything is actually going to plan.
Blizzard explained how the Server Slam beta will work in a new blog post and clarified a few points of order. Like the previous open beta, players will have access to all of the game’s Prologue and Act 1 content. All five character classes — Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, and Sorcerer — will be available. You’ll have to start fresh characters, as the ones you created in the previous betas will not be available (I doubt the ARPG diehards will mind). The beta will be capped at Level 20, at which point you won’t earn any further XP or ability points, but you’ll be free to stay on the grind for better loot. The Legendary item drop rate has been “altered” to be more representative of the eventual release version of Diablo IV — Blizzard does not say whether that means it’s been buffed or nerfed, but I’d say it’s safe to assume the drop rate has been lowered.
You’ll be able to fight a new world boss, Ashava. You won’t be able to wander over and fight Ashava any time you like; you’ll need to work around her schedule (Sunday, May 14 at 2:00 AM AEST and every three hours thereafter until her final spawn at 2:00 AM AEST on Monday, May 15). Ashava is a world boss built for characters much higher than Level 20, so be aware that you’re going to have a fight on your hands. Take advantage of all the other players running around, and don’t be afraid to stacks on. It’s going to be the only way to bring her down.
Finally, the Diablo IV Server Slam beta will bring back all the previous beta rewards, giving you one last chance to earn these flexy cosmetics, and includes a new Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy for those that manage to crush the world boss with a Level 20 toon:
- 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.
The Diablo IV Server Slam beta will take place on the weekend of Saturday, May 13th, from 5:00 AM AEST to Monday, May 15th at 5:00 AM AEST. New Zealand players, you’ll obviously be on the same dates, with servers live from 7:00 AM NZST. See below for kick-off times in every ANZ timezone:
When to play the Diablo IV Server Slam beta
Begins: Saturday, May 13th
Ends: Monday, May 15th
ACT, NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS
5:00 AM AEST
NT, SA
4:30 AM ACS
WA
3:00 AM AWST
NZ
7:00 AM NZST
How to download the Diablo IV Server Slam beta
The Server Slam beta will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Couch co-op will be available for consoles, and online cross-play and cross-progression will be available for all platforms throughout the weekend.
The beta download won’t go live until May 11th at 5:00 AM AEST, so don’t go looking for it just yet! When the time comes, here’s how to download it:
On PC, you’ll be able to download the Server Slam beta via the Battle Net app. You’ll find it on the Diablo IV page, in the drop-down menu under Game Version. Select ‘Diablo IV – Server Slam”, and you’re away.
On Xbox, open the Store and search for Diablo IV Server Slam. Hit download.
On PlayStation, open the PlayStation Store and search for Diablo IV Server Slam. Hit download.
As a note, Australian and New Zealand players will not need a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription to participate in the beta.
If you played in the previous betas and have not yet uninstalled them, the game will simply update with the Server Slam beta.
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