May 12 is looking like a busy day for gamers of all types as two of the year’s biggest titles will be competing for players' attention. Not only isThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomreleasing that day, butDiablo 4is beginning its Server Slam beta as well, offering players one final chance to check out the game before it releases in June. With the proper launch of the highly anticipated sequel toZelda: Breath of the Wildclashing withDiablo4’s new Server Slam beta, the weekend of May 12-14 might give players a preview of 2023’s Game of the Year match-up.
While this won’t be the first chance fans will have had to check outDiablo 4prior to launch, it might be the most important opportunity to dive into Sanctuary as it will give players their closest look at how the game will play on launch. However, it unfortunately coincides with the release of Nintendo’s latest entry in its legendary franchise, and if previews are any indication,The Legend ofZelda: Tears of the Kingdomcould be the biggest entry in the series. Regardless of if players will be checking out one or both of these games, May 12 will mark a huge weekend for gaming as a whole.
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Diablo 4 and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Will Face Off on May 12
It’s going to be a tough undertaking for players who plan to split their attention across both games during the weekend of May 12, but it might just be worth it for players interested in bothDiablo 4andZelda: Tears of the Kingdom. TheDiablo 4Server Slam is the final chance players will have to claim beta rewards including the Initial Casualty and Early Voyager titles, Beta Wolf Pack Cosmetic Item, and theCry of Ashava Mount Trophy, which is exclusive to Server Slam players who defeat the World Boss Ashava with a level 20 character. Players can only receive these items during this beta period, so it’s worth trying to hit max level.
Additionally, theDiablo 4Server Slamis worth participating in for players looking to refine their builds ahead of launch as this beta will be more reflective of the final game. Blizzard has announced that the drop rate for Legendary items has been decreased to the level it will be at launch, and the five classes available during the previous beta have been rebalanced according to data gained from it. This means the Server Slam is the perfect chance for players to test out potential builds and refine their strategy for tacklingDiablo 4’s demon hordes ahead of the game’s official launch.
While slammingDiablo 4’s servers sounds appealing, it might be hard to pull players away from their Switches long enough for them to hit level 20. Since this is only a beta for the game, players looking to dive into the world ofHyrule inZelda: Tears of the Kingdomwill be getting to experience the launch of a full game instead. With how vast of a worldTears of the Kingdomseems to have, it may be hard for some players to split their time between Sanctuary and Hyrule.
It’s rare to see two of the year’s biggest games competing with each other on the same day when one isn’t even a full release, butDiablo 4’s Server Slam could be solid competition forZelda:Tears of the Kingdom’s release.Diablo 4’s Server Slam lasts through the weekend of May 12-14, but players may want to hop in the login queue while playing their Switch in order to effectively manage their time. With two potential Game of the Year contenders going head-to-head on the same weekend, May 12 will likely be one of the biggest days for gaming in 2023.
Diablo 4launches June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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