(Image credit: Activision Blizzard)
What you need to know
- Preloads for Diablo 4’s upcoming Server Slam event are now live on Xbox, Windows PC, and the game’s other platforms. The Server Slam is scheduled to go live on May 12 at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET and run until the same time on May 14.
- Everyone can download and play the Server Slam, regardless of whether or not they’ve preordered Diablo 4. On Xbox, it can be downloaded from the Xbox Store, while PC players will need to install it through the Battle.net Desktop App.
- Like past betas, the Server Slam gives fans a chance to try out Diablo 4’s Prologue and Act 1 of its campaign ahead of the full game’s release.
- Players will be able to use any of Diablo 4’s five classes, level to Level 20, explore the Fractured Peaks, earn several rewards, and fight the Ashava the Pestilent world boss.
Preloads for Diablo 4’s upcoming Server Slam event are now live on Xbox consoles, Windows PC, PS5, and PS4, giving players an opportunity to install it ahead of its scheduled 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET start time on May 12. By preloading, fans will ensure that they’ll be able to jump right in without having to wait for a download, which will be particularly beneficial to those with a slow internet connection.
On Xbox, the Server Slam build can be downloaded from the Xbox Store. PC players will need to install the Battle.net Desktop App if they don’t already have it, then add Diablo 4 to their Favorites tab and download the game there. Like the Open Beta, the Server Slam is free and available to everyone, regardless of whether or not you’ve preordered the game.
The Diablo 4 Server Slam is slated to run until May 14 at 12:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. ET, and it’s the final opportunity players will have to try developer Blizzard’s upcoming action RPG before it launches on June 6. Like the Early Access and Open Beta tests before it, the Server Slam allows its participants to play through the Prologue and Act 1 of Diablo 4’s story campaign, as well as the various dungeons and side quests available in the Fractured Peaks region that the early game takes place in. Throughout the Server Slam weekend, all five of Diablo 4’s classes will be playable, and you’ll be able to progress up to Level 20 (five levels fewer than you could in previous betas).
Notably, the Server Slam will feature Blizzard’s Diablo 4 beta feedback changes, including big buffs to the survivability and skill uptime of the Barbarian and Druid, some nerfs for the Necromancer’s minions and Corpse Explosion skill, and sizable reworks for many gameplay encounters, boss fights, and dungeon layouts. If you played during one of the game’s betas in March and plan on getting the full game, participating in the Server Slam to get a feel for these tweaks is a good idea.
While campaign and character progress made during the event won’t carry over to the full game, there are several cosmetic rewards you can earn that will. These include the Initial Casualty Title that you get for reaching Kyovashad with one character, the Early Voyager Title and Beta Wolf Pack accessory that you get for reaching Level 20 on one character, and the Cry of Ashava Mount Trophy that you’ll receive if you defeat the Ashava the Pestilent world boss with one Level 20 character. Note that Ashava’s location and spawn times are fixed, as she’s programmed to appear in The Crucible area every three hours starting on May 13 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.
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 Server Slam beta.