I was lucky enough to get into the Diablo IV Open Beta. My initial experience with the Open Beta was frustrating because my Xbox | S thought I was trying to get into the Closed Beta (which had already ended). This was eventually worked out.
The Open Beta started on March 24, 2023. I started posting my initial thoughts about this beta into my Mastodon account. I did the same with the Diablo IV Closed Beta. One interesting difference between the two was that Xbox was now allowing players to take screenshots and clips. They were not immediately accessible after the Open Beta ended – but eventually showed up.
March 24
I’m trying to get into the Diablo IV Open Beta on Xbox. It is my understanding that the main purpose of this one – at least initially – was to stress the servers. I don’t know this from first hand experience because I can’t get into the game.
One thing consistently pops up: WARNING ! Online play is blocked. (Code 300031). It keeps giving me that error – all day long and now into the night. Frustrating!
Explanation: I was determined to find a way to fix this problem, and went hunting around online and in the Diablo IV forums to find a solution. Eventually, I found information that made things work.
I was unable to find the original source I used. PCGamesN posted a list of Diablo IV Open Beta error codes – and what each one means.
Error Code 300010 – this error code appears when you’re logging in, with users feeding back that it seems timed to Battle.Net accounts. Your best option is to reload the game and keep trying or wait for the account issue to resolve.
The solution turned out to be simple (but not immediately obvious). Turn off the Xbox | S. Pull out the plug. Put the plug back in. Turn on the Xbox | S and let it do an update. It worked for me!
March 25
New pop-up appears! “We are expecting exceptionally high player volume during Diablo IV’s Open Beta weekend. Login times may be longer during peak playtimes this weekend.”
Giving up on being able to play the Diablo IV open beta. Did everything I could think of and still can’t get in. Stuck in a “press any key” loop that pops up an error message. There does not appear to be anything resembling a queue.
March 26
Got into the Open Beta for Diablo IV early this morning. Made a second Barbarian. Today the pollen count is nine point something and I feel like the undead. So I’m playing a necromancer.
One of the nice things about Diablo IV is that some animals will walk through deep snow and leave behind a trail. The crows that do that are amusing.
Oh, no! My necromancer’s skeletons are clipping.
Today I learned that if you play a necromancer in Diablo IV, you will never run out of health.
Explanation: In the Open Beta, the necromancer can syphon health from corpses. The result was that this character class rarely – if ever – needed health potions (at least in the early game). I am not certain whether or not that ability got nerfed.
Here are a few of the screenshots I took while I was in the Open Beta. These are spoiler free.
This is a screenshot from a very interesting dungeon. There is a story that is given to the player in small bits as the dungeon is explored.
Every so often, it is possible to find a shrine that people have placed lit candles in front of. This one is located somewhere in the Anemic Falls.
My necromancer started with four skeletons (and got a fifth one later on). They are exploring the Abandoned Halls together.
Overall, I had a lot of fun in the Open Beta. At the time, I knew it was going to be hard to wait for the game to launch. This game is much larger than what players could access in the Closed Beta, and the Open Beta. There is a huge world to explore when Diablo IV launches!
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