Blizzard has just opened the gates to the game’s first-ever Public Test Realm (PTR) for Diablo 4. This gives PC Battle.net account holders a chance to preview Season 4. Players can report bugs and help out in development before an official release.
The public test realm (PTR) will be available for a limited time and will end on April 9th, 2024. This gives players a week to try out the changes and offer feedback to influence the final release.
Season 4 was set to start on April 16th, 2024, but it’s been pushed back to May 14th, 2024. Blizzard decided to delay the launch and make adjustments based on feedback from the PTR. Season 4 is expected to be a major update for Diablo 4, with a complete revamp of the item system and several other important changes.
The PTR currently offers several key features for testing:
- Itemization Overhaul: Streamlined affixes, more powerful options, and new crafting systems like “Tempering” aim to make loot more impactful and customizable.
- Revamped Helltide Events: Tiered difficulty brings bigger challenges and better rewards, including special boss encounters.
- The Pit: A new endgame dungeon challenges players to slay waves of enemies within a time limit, unlocking Masterworking materials for item upgrades.
- Boss Ladder Updates: Andariel joins the roster, and players can summon Tormented Echoes of bosses for even greater challenges and rewards.
To access the PTR, you just need to choose the “Public Test Realm” option in the version dropdown menu of the Battle.net client. Don’t worry if you’re not at the level you need to be. Blizzard has introduced an in-game NPC that can immediately raise characters to level 100 and supply gear and currency for accessing the new content immediately.
Obviously, as part of the test, you should share your thoughts on the PTR experience using the in-game feedback tool and the Diablo IV PTR forums.