Diablo 4 beta progress: Can you keep Server Slam progression?

Can you keep Diablo 4 beta progress that you earned during Server Slam? The quick answer to this is no, but certain editions of Diablo 4 will grant you early access to the game to play it before Blizzard releases it to the general public. If you choose to pay for one of these, any XP and loot you earn during the early access period will roll over to the game's actual launch. These special editions also include some other perks, and while Blizzard is adamant they include no "pay to power" mechanics, they are signficiantly more expensive than the base game. It's worth considering whether a few early days of playtime are worth the fee.

Here's what to know about keeping your progress prior to the Diablo 4 release date.

Can you keep your Diablo 4 beta progress earned during Server Slam?

Diablo 4 Server Slam was a free open beta over the weekend of May 12-14. During the event, the game was free for anyone who wanted to try it, allowing Blizzard to test its servers against the massive influx of players they're expecting on the game's forthcoming launch.

Unfortunately, players cannot keep progress earned during the Diablo 4 Server Slam or other betas.

"Any character progress made during the Early Access and Open Beta weekends will not carry over to Server Slam. Additionally, any character progress made during Server Slam will not carry over to launch," Blizzard shared in a blog post dated April 20.

By Blizzard's admission, these betas are designed to test server issues and target any significant gameplay issues players may encounter at launch. Specifically, the Server Slam was designed to test the server load throughout the weekend as thousands of players tuned in for the game's free weekend.

While that experience gave players plenty of time to test core gameplay features and mechanics, Blizzard have clearly expressed that any progression earned during the event will not roll over to the game's launch. This may be partially due to balance tweaks that the Blizzard team hopes to incorporate prior to launch and logistical complications that may make it difficult to transfer the final game build to servers before its launch without completely wiping player progress.

How can I play Diablo 4 early and transfer any progress I make?

Diablo 4 officially launches June 6, but if you choose to pre-order the Digital Deluxe or Ultimate Edition, you can play it before launch and keep everything you earn.

Too play the game early, you can pay for the Diablo 4 Deluxe Edition, priced at $89.99 ($20 more than the standard edition of the game). This will allow you to play the game during the Diablo 4 early access period starting on June 1 (June 2 if in Europe or Asia), a full four days ahead of the game's actual release on June 6. You can also get this perk with the Diablo 4 Ultimate Edition, which costs $99.99.

Unlike the betas, this is considered an early access preorder bonus. The Deluxe and Ultimate editions contain cosmetic additional preorder bonuses.

Note that if you purchase either the Diablo 4 Deluxe Edition or Ultimate Edition but want to take advantage of cross-progression so you can play on a different platform, all cosmetics and exclusives you earn as preorder bonuses will apply account-wide. Therefore, you can purchase the Standard Edition on the other platforms, and your battle pass progression and pre-order bonus cosmetics will still apply to those platforms. However, if you want to play early access, you must purchase the Deluxe or Ultimate version of the game on the platform you wish to play the game on before its release. Put another way, purchasing the Diablo 4 Deluxe Edition or the Diablo 4 Ultimate Edition will not grant you early access on platforms where you do not also own the Deluxe Edition or the Ultimate Edition. For more information, check out our Diablo 4 crossplay and cross-progression guide.

That's everything you need to know about Diablo 4 beta progress and how to earn early access to the game. If you're as excited for this long-awaited sequel as we are, be sure to check out our best Diablo 4 Barbarian build, best Diablo 4 Rogue build, and best Diablo 4 Sorcerer build guides to give yourself a head start on creating the best character possible in the forthcoming Blizzard game. We've also got an interactive Diablo 4 map to help you get around the world of Sanctuary.

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