While the Early Access is seeing high success in the community, many are having issues with the game. Their main concerns involve constant disconnections and long queues, affecting their Sanctuary experience. As we approach the closing hours of the first set of Open Beta, many players wonder if we will get an extension for Diablo IV Early Access.
No Extension for March 18 to 20 Early Access
Sadly, we are not getting one for players hoping for an extension for the current Open Beta schedule. There have yet to be any announcements from Blizzard indicating that they will add more hours to the existing Early Access due to the community’s issues. This suggests that the original timetable will push through, so those with access to the current Open Beta will only have a few more hours.
Early Access is only set to run from March 18 to 12 PM PDT on March 20. Many fans still hope for a last-minute change from Blizzard that would extend the playthrough for another day. Fortunately, even if we still do not get an extension, we could try our luck playing the game during the subsequent Open Beta next week.
Diablo IV Disconnection Loop and Long Queues
Many players were excited to try out the Early Access of Diablo IV. Some fans have bought the pre-purchase to try the game ahead of its Open Beta. Blizzard has stated that players should not expect too much from the current version since this is barely the finished product. While the community understands bugs, UI, and other features in the game, many have been irked about the constant disconnection and long queues.
It is still being determined what causes players to be disconnected from the game constantly, but it has become a great nuisance for fans, especially those running dungeons. Characters who get booted out of the game while doing chamber runs will have to redo the sequences since they will be teleported back to the main city. This situation can be frustrating for players about to finish their dungeons.
While constant disconnection is a huge problem, it worsens when you pair it with long queues. Players have complained that they are met with long lines after getting booted. There is no prioritization for those who were disconnected and immediately logged back in, so gamers are placed at the back of the line.
Since these two problems are out of the players’ control, many are wondering if the current beta schedule will be extended. It seems reasonable for fans to get additional play time since the disconnection loop and long queues prevent them from trying out the game entirely. Unfortunately, we are not getting the extension we hoped for. However, we can still try the game when it returns next week.
Second Open Beta March 25 to 27
For those unaware, Diablo IV is getting another Open Beta runs from March 25 until March 27. Unlike the current one, which is only available for those who pre-purchased the game, the next one will be available to everyone. If you still need to buy Diablo IV, you can try it out and experience Sanctuary next week to help you decide whether to get it.
If you did buy the game and made some progress during the current Early Access, you can still enjoy the characters you have created. Progression made during the first Beta will carry over to the second, so everything you have achieved will remain available next week. However, players should note that their Open Beta progress will not be included during the game’s release, so they should stay attached and invest in their current status.
Potential Problems for Next Early Access
Similar to the current Early Access, players might experience the same issue next week. While we might see improvements regarding several bugs and glitches reported, other things like UI, Dungeon content, and design adjustments might not happen. However, fans should worry about the potential DC loop and long queues next week.
Since it is still being determined what causes the constant disconnection, we should expect it to happen frequently during the next Open Beta. Considering that more people will try out the game, this issue might worsen. On top of this, the long queues are guaranteed to happen since next week will be open to all playthroughs. If you had trouble connecting to the game during the first run, expect it to get worse during the March 25 to 27 schedules.
Since these issues will likely occur next week, players should prepare and get into the queue as soon as possible. Blizzard should add a prioritization feature for those who get booted out of the game due to disconnections. If Diablo IV becomes troublesome to get into the next Open Beta, we can only hope to get a few days’ extension to try out everything.