Blizzard confirms: Diablo 4 launch will not repeat connection issues from beta testing
Rod Fergusson, General Manager of Diablo 4, discusses the issues that arose on the beta server and how their discovery led to a better launch of the game in June. Finally, last weekend, early access to the beta version took place, which fans of Diablo had been waiting for so long. Players who received a promo code from KFC or pre-ordered the game gained access to the first act and three classes that could be leveled up to 25.
While most players enjoyed what was on offer, the beta testing over the weekend was not without its problems. On Friday, March 17, many fans attempted to connect to the servers, but they were quickly overloaded. Players faced long queues to access the game, and many who did so encountered connectivity issues and other errors. Although this was undoubtedly disappointing for players, this data was invaluable to Blizzard, which was able to fix and adapt, ensuring a better product at launch. In a recent interview, Rod Fergusson discussed the issues with beta testing and how the test helped identify problems that would have been difficult to detect within the studio. Fergusson clarified that the word “beta” had even become somewhat distorted, with many assuming it was more like a demo version, although for Blizzard, this first technical beta was a way to test the technology that Diablo 4 is built on and to identify various issues well before launch. Ultimately, the first beta testing session accomplished its task, uncovering dozens of issues, both big and small. Blizzard was able to respond by releasing six fixes to address queue and server-related issues.
In addition to emphasizing the importance of technical beta testing, Fergusson expressed his gratitude to players for their patience and support during the beta. The Blizzard team is confident that the experience and knowledge gained will help them create a better gaming product and provide Diablo fans with a new exciting game universe.
Meanwhile, many players hope that Blizzard’s past mistakes will not be repeated, and they will be able to enjoy flawless server performance at the game’s launch. However, no one is immune to unforeseen circumstances, but this is only an additional motivation for the Blizzard team to work on improving the gameplay before the release date.
We can only wait and hope that the release date of Diablo 4 remains unchanged, and the game will live up to the fans’ expectations.
It is worth noting that the release date of Diablo 4 is planned for June 6, 2023, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
