As a fellow gaming enthusiast, I‘m sure you‘ve been eagerly awaiting the chance to finally get your hands on Diablo 4! With its open beta launching soon, I know you must be wondering: is Diablo 4‘s open beta completely free to play? Or will you need to drop some cash first for early access?
Not to worry my friend, I‘ve got you covered. I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to get access to the Diablo 4 open beta and start slaying demons – without spending a single cent!
Can You Play the Diablo 4 Open Beta For Free?
The awesome news is – yes, you can dive into the Diablo 4 open beta 100% free! Blizzard has confirmed that the open beta will be completely free and open to all players on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. No preorder or Blizzard account required.
This means you don‘t have to worry about preordering or being selected for early access. When the open beta goes live on March 24th, you‘ll be able to simply download it directly through Battle.net or your console‘s digital store and immediately start playing. Free demon-slaying fun for all!
Believe me, I was just as pleased to find out the open beta won‘t be locked behind a paywall. As much as I love the Diablo franchise, it would have been a letdown if Blizzard went the route of charging fans for early access.
Thankfully, we can enjoy the open beta for free and get a good feel for the game before deciding if we want to purchase the full version at launch. It‘s a big win for us gamers!
What‘s the Schedule for the Open Beta?
Now, let‘s talk about the exact schedule so you can mark those calendars and prepare. Here‘s the timeline you need to know:
- Early Access Begins: March 24 at 8AM PT / 11AM ET
- Open Beta for All: March 24 at 11AM PT / 2PM ET
- Beta Ends: March 27 at 11AM PT / 2PM ET
So you‘ll have right around 3 full days to explore everything the open beta has to offer, which should give us a meaty sampling of the game.
If you‘re craving even more, preordering will grant 24 hours of early access. But more on that later!
How Do You Actually Access the Open Beta?
Since you won‘t need a code or invitation, getting into the open beta will be smooth sailing.
Here‘s exactly how to download it:
For PC:
- Open up the Battle.net app
- Head to the Diablo 4 page
- Hit that glorious "Install" button
- Let the download commence!
- Once it‘s ready, smash "Play" to get your lootin‘ on
For Consoles:
- Turn on your PlayStation or Xbox
- Open up the store
- Search for "Diablo IV Open Beta"
- Select the beta and hit download
- Kick back until it‘s ready
- Find it in your library and start playing!
With just a few clicks, you‘ll be all set for free open beta access. No hurdles or hassle required – just instant demonic gratification.
What About Early Access?
Now, let‘s discuss how to get in on the action 24 hours early via early access.
The only thing you need to do is pre-order a digital copy of Diablo 4 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X|S. Doesn‘t matter which edition – standard preorders will also grant early access.
Once you pre-purchase, you‘ll be able to dive into the open beta starting at 8AM PT on March 24th rather than waiting until 11AM.
So if you‘re dying to play it ASAP, a preorder will get you in a few hours early! But again, completely optional. You can always join when it opens up for free the next day.
Will Your Progress Carry Over?
I know you‘re probably wondering if all the hard work you put into the open beta will transfer over once Diablo 4 officially drops.
The tough news is that unfortunately, no – Blizzard has confirmed our beta progress will not carry over. Everything including our character builds, loot, levels, etc will be wiped once the beta concludes.
I‘m bummed about it too, but try not to fret! Look at the open beta as a fresh canvas to experiment with different classes and builds without worrying about min-maxing.
When the full game releases, we‘ll be able to dive in and craft our perfect long-term characters. And armed with knowledge from the beta, we‘ll know exactly how we want to play!
What Platforms Will Be Supported?
For all you multiplayer fans, you‘ll be happy to know that Diablo 4‘s open beta includes full cross-play support.
You‘ll be able to party up and loot with friends no matter what platform they‘re on – whether PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. Our adventures won‘t be limited by what systems we own!
Cross-progression will also be enabled, allowing you to switch between platforms while carrying over quest progress, loot, character builds, etc.
So feel free to play on PC, then pick up later on where you left off on console. Or team up with a buddy who owns a different system – no obstacles at all.
Just How Big Is This Beta Download?
Now for the question on everyone‘s mind: how much space will the open beta gobble up on our hard drives?
Official details haven‘t been shared, but based on the technical alpha, experts estimate the download will be 70 – 80GB.
That‘s no small chunk! My advice is to clear up as much room as possible on the drive where you plan to install it. AND begin preloading the second it becomes available to minimize waiting when servers get slammed.
Trust me, we‘ll all be rushing to dive in immediately at launch time. So preloading is a must for the most seamless experience!
Any Level or Class Limitations?
While the technical alpha allowed characters up to level 55, Blizzard has now confirmed the open beta will cap at level 25.
So once you hit level 25 on a class, you‘ll stop earning any more XP to restrict how much of the game is revealed pre-launch.
In terms of classes, all five announced so far will be opened up in the beta:
- Barbarian
- Sorceress
- Druid
- Rogue
- Necromancer
This gives us a solid chance to experiment with each one and experience their skills and mechanics first-hand before committing for the long haul!
Key Takeaways:
Let‘s recap the essential stuff one more time:
- Access is 100% free – no preorder needed
- Runs from March 24 – 27
- Available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- Preorder for early access March 24
- Progress won‘t carry over
- Level cap at 25, all 5 classes playable
- Crossplay fully supported
- Download and preload ASAP!
- Size estimated around 70 – 80GB
Well, that covers everything you could need to know for accessing the Diablo 4 open beta! Let me know if you have any other questions.
But for now, I‘m hype. The open beta can‘t come soon enough. Time to grind some epic gear and slay some demons! See you in Sanctuary, my friend!
