What you need to know
- During a Diablo 4 Developer Update livestream, Blizzard has announced a second Diablo 4 open beta called a "Server Slam."
- The second beta's release date is May 12-14, and will include all of the content from the original beta along with a level cap of 20.
- This content includes the Prologue and Act 1 of the campaign, all of the Fractured Peaks area, all five of the game's playable classes, and earnable cosmetics like titles and the "Beta Wolf Pack" item. Additionally, players can also earn a special Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy by killing the Ashava world boss with a level 20 character.
- Notably, the second beta also features the balance changes that Blizzard said it was making based on player feedback, including buffs for the Barbarian and Druid, nerfs to the Necromancer, and some reworked dungeon and boss fight mechanics.
Developer Blizzard has announced a surprise second open beta called a "Server Slam" for Diablo 4, the latest entry in its beloved dungeon crawler action RPG franchise. This news comes about a month after the original open beta concluded on March 27, which proved to be a popular taste of the experience that the full game is expected to offer later this year.
The existence of a second beta was announced during Blizzard's latest official Diablo 4 Developer Update livestream. In this stream, details about the game's endgame content were discussed as well, as were the recently announced Diablo 4 beta feedback-driven changes.
The release date for the second Diablo 4 beta is May 12-14. Like the original beta, this new one will allow players to enjoy both the Prologue and Act 1 of the campaign and explore the Fractured Peaks area, though the level cap will be 20 instead of 25. Additionally, since all five Diablo 4 classes will once again be available to choose from, players will have the opportunity to get familiar with classes they weren't able to try in the previous beta.
The Ashava the Pestilent world boss will also be returning during the 48-hour Server Slam event, and by defeating her with a level 20 character, fans can earn the unique Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy. Ashava is slated to spawn on May 13 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET, and will spawn every three hours after that until her final spawn at May 14 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.
Notably, the Server Slam beta will also include the aforementioned balance changes that were announced for the complete game coming June 6. These include some sizable buffs to the Barbarian's survivability and Druid's skills, a nerf to the Necromancer's minions and Corpse Explosion skill, and some fixes and reworks for dungeon mechanics and boss fights.
Like the first beta, characters and story progress made in this one won't carry over to the full game. However, players can earn some unique cosmetic titles and items that will. This includes the “Initial Casualty” title for reaching Kyovashad, the "Early Voyager" title for reaching level 20, and the adorable and wearable "Beta Wolf Pack" cosmetic that you also get for level 20.
Diablo 4 is slated to fully launch on June 6, 2023. It has the potential to be one of the best Xbox games for fans of dungeon crawlers and hack-and-slash combat, and we can't wait to jump back in during the second beta.
