The Diablo Immortal closed beta has gone live alongside multiple significant changes and gameplay additions made to the game that drastically alter the experience those invited to the beta will have. These changes include a new Necromancer class, some new PvE game modes, an PvP mode that pits groups of players against immortals, and controller support. This beta is set to last for “just under three months”.
The Necromancer is a newly added class to Diablo Immortal, one of the six that will be available on launch. This returning class was first introduced in Diablo 2, and allows players to control the forces of the dead and use them to ravage enemies in their path.
Then there’s the Cycle of Strife update. In this update, players will be able to come together to form a Dark House and battle against other player-made Dark Houses in the Rite of Exile. Those who win the Rite of Exile are able to proceed to a large PvP battle where one player takes the form of a powerful immortal who must fend off 30 other players, all looking to take them out.
There’s also an additional PvP update coming in the form of the Battleground Ladder, which will act as a ranking system where competitive players will be able to see how they fare versus the rest of the community. Alongside these PvP changes, there’s a wave of new general gameplay additions meant to further provide goals for those in the end-game, such as item sets and enhanced item drops for those who progress their paragon level.
In terms of PvE updates, there’s a new mode called The Helliquary where eight players can team up to take on challenging raid bosses. The rewards previously available from bounties have been transferred over to the battle pass, so that players who previously felt they were missing out by not completing them can be rewarded through completing other content.
Finally, the Diablo Immortal closed beta will feature an early version of controller support, a feature that has been requested for a while by those invested in the title. Controllers that are supported include:
- Xbox One Wireless Bluetooth Controller
- Xbox Series X/S Bluetooth Controller
- Xbox Elite Controller Series 2
- Xbox Adaptive Controller
- Sony Dualshock 4
- Razer Kishi
Activision Blizzard, the company creating Diablo Immortal, is currently under heavy scrutiny following accounts of sexual harassment and misconduct. Earlier this week, CEO Bobby Kotick announced his intention to reduce his pay to the California legal minimum.