Some observant fans have spotted the Diablo 4 beta on Battle.net. Although the beta isn’t visible on Blizzard’s launcher, the same cannot be said of Diablo 4‘s presence in the configuration files. This is a clear sign that Diablo 4 might be playable soon.
New data in Battle.net’s config files has added several entries under the name ‘Fenris,’ the codename that Blizzard has been using for Diablo 4. Some of these entries include install backgrounds, logos, launcher icons, and key art. These are all essential for creating an entry for a new game on Battle.net. Supporting assets like these are usually only added to launchers shortly before the game is added.
As a point of reference, Overwatch 2 beta files were first spotted on Battle.net in February, and the beta later released in April. Presuming we see a similar gap for the Diablo 4 beta, it could be playable as early as September. An August release isn’t out of the question, either.
The bad news is that this is unlikely to be a beta that everyone gets to play. Blizzard tends to limit its opening betas to a smaller pool of players. This can benefit the developer, as it lets them gather player feedback without having to invest in a lot of server space. Regardless, you’ll want to keep an eye on the Diablo 4 social media accounts. Sign-ups for the beta could go live soon.
Give us a real Diablo game
There is some skepticism in the Diablo community leading up to Diablo 4. We are coming off of the back of Diablo Immortal, which was so poorly executed it didn’t even feel like it needed to be on PC. Some might argue that it was just a mobile game and that Diablo 4 won’t be anything like it, but Blizzard hasn’t had a great track record as of late, and it’s not out the question that it will try milking players again.
Published: Jul 22, 2022 12:30 pm