Diablo III closed beta has begun

Diablo III really can't be that far off now. Blizzard has just announced that the closed beta test for the game has kicked off - meaning you can start checking your inboxes for an invitation ...now.

The first wave of invitations has begun, with the company "planning to add more participants" over the course of the test. In order to be eligible, you'll need to have a current, valid Battle.net account, and don't forget to opt-in!

It's not all fun and games, though - obviously you will get a chance to play one of the most eagerly-anticipated click-fests in recent history, but you'll also be providing Blizzard with some valuable feedback when it comes to server stability and hardware.

The Diablo III beta includes part of Act I, which you can play through as any of the hero classes - demon hunter, monk, wizard, witch doctor or barbarian - before going "head-to-skull" against the dreaded Skeleton King. The choice is yours - do it alone, or take him on in co-op mode with a band of merry men.

As you progress, you'll get a taste for the game's skillset and crafting systems, plus meet up with followers, artisans and other key Sanctuary denizens.

Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment has a few words to say:

This closed beta test is an important milestone for us as we enter the final stages of development on Diablo III. Our goal is to create the best action role-playing game experience to date, building on everything we've learned since the release of Diablo II and incorporating the powerful features of the new Battle.net platform. We hope players enjoy participating in the beta test and we look forward to hearing their feedback.

Even though the finished game will be released in a bunch of different languages, the beta itself will be English-only, sorry. And while we were all squinting at the fine print to see if there were any extra hints accidentally dropped, "Release timing and region-specific details such as pricing and supported languages will be announced at a later date."

Sigh.

...for more information, as usual, head to the official Diablo III website.

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This story was featured in Episode 32, Season 2 of GamePron News:

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4 Responses to “Diablo III closed beta has begun”

1. Jeremy says:

   September 21, 2011 at 5:11 am

   Please DO NOT check your In Box. Any invitation you see in your e-mail is almost certainly a phishing scam. To see if you are in the beta, please visit battle.net, login to your battle.net account and see if it’s in your game list. DO NOT CLICK ON LINKS IN YOUR IN BOX!

   Reply
2. Diablo 3 officially delayed into early 2012 « GamePron says:

   September 23, 2011 at 5:47 am

   [...] additional time will be poured instead into the Diablo III closed beta test, which kicked off earlier this week, the company considering adding more players than initially planned. Any additional testing phases [...]

   Reply
3. GamePron News Season 2, Episode 32 « GamePron says:

   September 23, 2011 at 10:57 pm

   [...] News this week is full of betas. Testing plans have been revealed for Diablo 3, Battlefield 3, Glitch and Unstoppable Gorg – and that’s just the tip of the [...]

   Reply
4. Charlotte-the-diablo-fangirl says:

   October 1, 2011 at 4:30 pm

   O! O! It’s coming! BRO! ONLY PLAY D2 A BIT LONGER NOW~! *squee* I can’t wait~ *sniffle*

   Reply

Article Details

• published: September 20th, 2011
• by: Jessica Citizen
• in: Battle.net, Closed Beta, Company: Blizzard, Game: Diablo III
• comments: 4

Author Bio:

I like video games, fishing, Depeche Mode, long walks on the beach, writing discussion papers and cups of tea. Not necessarily in that order.

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