You can return to Sanctuary on Friday! The alpha test for the remaster of Diablo 2 starts on April 9th - but don't expect the full game though.
Blizzard announced at short notice when the technical alpha for Diablo 2: Resurrected starts - this weekend.
In the official blog post on blizzard.com, the studio revealed the exact release times and announced what content you can expect.
Lets check the details togther!
The exact start times:
- When does it start? On Friday April 9th at 4:00 p.m.
- When is it over? On Monday April 12th at 7:00 p.m.
How far can you play?
The primary purpose of the alpha is to allow developers to collect some technical data they need for development and to get direct feedback from players.
The full game will not be available for the time being. Instead, you can play the first two acts of a total of five acts (including Lord of Destruction).
Act 1
In the first act of Diablo 2, your hero or heroine lands in the camp of the hunters, in the middle of a swampy forest landscape. This is where you need to gain the trust of the Sisterhood from the Hidden Eye. To do this, you scour the surrounding area, clean a cave, collect your first loot and defeat the renegade hunter Blood Raven.
Even a trip to Tristram from Diablo 1 is imminent. The final takes place in the fight against Andariel, the mistress of torment, in the abandoned monastery.
Act 2
As soon as all quests in the first area have been solved, you travel to Lut Gholein at the side of the merchant Warriv. A city in the middle of the desert.
Here you get the order from Deckard Cain to look for ancient artifacts of the Horadrim, you have to ventilate a magical darkness and finally advance into the tomb of Tal Rasha. At the end of this you will meet Andariel's brother Duriel, whom you have to fight back in a brutal battle.
How can I participate?
Registrations for the Alpha of Diablo 2 have been possible since the announcement. You can still register on the official website.
However, not all registered players are automatically admitted to the Alpha. First of all, the test takes place on a small scale.
- Check your email inbox on April 9th from 4:00 p.m., you may have received an invitation.
If you don't get one on the 9th, you won't be invited on the days after either.
But there should be at least one more alpha phase. It is possible that you will get access here. You can still take a look at Diablo 2 at the weekend.
The game can be streamed without restrictions. With selected streamers, the streams even start one day in advance. So on April 8th at 7 p.m.
Which classes are playable?
In the Alpha, you can only choose three of the seven classes for the time being. Practically, however, the decision was made for three classes that represent the typical Diablo style of play and also those that were all included in the original release in 2000.The Amazon: The Amazon is a skilful class that can use spears or arrows in long-range combat.
The Barbarian: The classic thug who pulls the fur over the ears in close combat of the demon brood.
The sorceress: The sorceress throws herself into battle with powerful, elemental magic. She can summon walls of flames, freeze enemies, or teleport.
In later test phases, the remaining classes (necromancer, paladin, assassin and druid) should also be playable.
What else is different in the Alpha?
In addition to the shorter playing time and the few classes, there will be a few more restrictions that you should come to terms with. First and foremost, of course, the remaster is technically not yet in the shape planned for the release. So be prepared for bugs.In addition, the following applies:
Single player only: You cannot start multiplayer in the alpha yet. The team is more focused on early game systems, the three classes, and client performance. In later Alphas, the multiplayer (co-op and PvP) is added. But be careful! In the Alpha, even the single player will only be playable with an active online connection. In the finished game you can also play offline alone.
No new cutscenes: Diablo 2: Resurrected should get completely revised cutscenes. In the Alpha you will still get to see the old cinematics. According to Blizzard, this is due to the fact that the right scenes are still being worked on.
PC only: Although Diablo 2 appears for the consoles as well as the PC, the first alpha will be reserved for the PC. Consoles will also have a chance at a later date. If you want, you can play Diablo 2 on the PC in the Alpha with a controller.
No Transferable Progress: If you take part in the Alpha of Diablo 2: Resurrected, you will not be able to carry over your progress into the finished game afterwards. So you have to start over with the release. It is also not possible to import saved games from the original Diablo 2.
I wish you good luck for receiving a key in the next days. And if you do so, ENJOY! :)