Blizzard Invites Players To Test ‘Diablo IV’ Beta Ahead of Public Release

Following early test trials of Blizzard’s Diablo IV, the company plans to extend a version of the game to some players in a closed beta. Announcing the news on its blog, Blizzard shared that invited players would be able to try out Diablo IV’s “robust end game offerings using specific gameplay data.”

Set in the aftermath of 2013's Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, the new title will see antagonist Lilith return to the world of Sanctuary after being banished by rogue angel Inarius.

Blizzard developers noted that the closed beta would take place in a post-campaign version of Sanctuary to avoid spoiling the storyline of Lilith’s return. Players will also be barred from publicly discussing their gameplay experiences.

Among the end game offerings players will have access to are Helltide and the Fields of Hatred. A player roaming Sanctuary may stumble into a Helltide. Available to those that have reached a World Tier Three: Nightmare difficulty level, Helltides are region-wide occurrences in which the servants of Lilith have increased in demonic activity, making them more difficult to take on. A silver lining, however, is that they may drop a new form of currency called Cinders, which can be used to open Helltide chests containing new items.

The Fields of Hatred, meanwhile, are PvP zones cursed by Mephisto. Players can employ demons to help collect Seeds of Hatred before pulverizing the seeds into Red Dust. The dust can then be spent on ornamental rewards.

Players anticipating the game’s release can preview the full list of end game offerings and learn how they can secure an invitation to the closed beta by visiting Blizzard’s announcement.

The Diablo IV beta will be available on PC and Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles.

In other gaming news, HyperX has announced a Naruto: Shippuden gaming collection.