Diablo 4 – and you shall be called the fellowship of the- what do you mean that’s already taken? (pic: Blizzard Entertainment)

Two beta sessions for Diablo 4 will go live this month, with the first set to start on Friday evening.

It’s been nearly four years since Diablo 4 was properly announced during BlizzCon 2019, and Blizzard Entertainment is finally poised to launch it in just a few more months.

Before that, though, those of you who are especially eager to start playing can check out two beta sessions that are taking place during March.

To help you better prepare for both the beta and the game’s full launch, we’ve put together a simple guide that shares all the important Diablo 4 details.

Diablo 4 – when does the early access beta begin?

The beta session starts at 4pm GMT on Friday, March 17 and will run through the weekend until Sunday, March 19 at 7pm GMT. However, it’s only available for those who have pre-ordered the game.

Diablo 4 – when does the open beta begin?

Fortunately, the second beta will open for everyone the weekend after on Friday, March 24 and run until Sunday, March 26. The start and end times are exactly the same as the early access beta.

Diablo 4 – will my progress in the beta carry over?

If you play the early access beta and decide to continue with the open beta, you’ll be pleased to know that any progress made will carry over.

The same can’t be said for the full game, though. All your progress will be deleted once both betas end, so you’ll need to start fresh with the full release.

Diablo 4 – what platforms is the beta available on?

Both beta sessions can be played on every platform Diablo 4 will launch for. So that’s Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Diablo 4 – what content is available in the beta?

Both betas will share the same content and cover the early hours of the game, which includes the prologue and the entirety of the first chapter.

You can create up to 10 characters, but you can only level them up to level 25 and you’ll only have access to three classes: barbarian, rogue, and sorcerer.

You’ll also be able to partake in couch co-op, side quests, exploring dungeons, randomised world events that are described as ‘smaller experiences,’ and optional but challenging legion events which can be replayed as many times as you want.

There’ll be a boss fight against a big monster called Ashava as well, but it’ll only appear at set times during both betas.

Those times are Saturday, March 18 at 5pm and 7pm GMT, Sunday, March 19 at 5am and 7am GMT, Saturday, March 25 at 5pm and 7pm GMT, and Sunday, March 26 at 5am and 7am GMT.

Diablo 4 – will I unlock any exclusive content by playing the beta?

Yes, regardless of whether you play the early access beta or the open beta, you can unlock three rewards that you’ll receive once the full game launches.

The rewards are the Initial Casualty title for reaching the town of Kyovashad, the Early Voyager title for reaching level 20 with one character, and the Beta Wolf Pack cosmetic item, which you also get for reaching level 20.

Diablo 4 – can I start downloading the beta early?

Yes, the early access beta is already available for download and once you’ve done that, you won’t need to download the open beta separately.

The open beta won’t be available to download separately until Wednesday, March 22 at 4pm GMT.

For Xbox and PlayStation owners, just open the appropriate digital storefront, search for Diablo 4 Open Beta, and select the download option.

For PC owners, you need to launch Battle.net and search for Diablo 4. Click the dropdown menu under Game Version and select the beta option. Then click the button that says install.

More: Gaming

Diablo 4 – do I need PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live to play the beta?

For the purposes of the beta, no, you won’t need a subscription to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live to access it. One will be necessary to access some of the multiplayer features in the full game though.

An Internet connection is also required to access the beta.

Diablo 4 – when does the full game release?

Diablo 4 launches on June 6. There’s a standard edition for £69.99, a deluxe edition for £89.99, and an ultimate edition for £99.99.

For any further information, you can check the official website.

Email [email protected], leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter.

MORE : Diablo 4 will not be on Game Pass day one says Blizzard

MORE : Diablo Immortal review – devilishly tempting

MORE : Blizzard promises Diablo 4 will be the opposite of Diablo Immortal

Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at [email protected]

To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.

For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

Two beta sessions for Diablo 4 will go live this month, with the first set to launch in just a few hours.