Diablo 4’s season four Public Test Realm (PTR) is sadly over, and while it’s been an incredible way to test all the upcoming item and system changes going live on May 14, it’s unlikely we’ll see another PTR any time soon.
The Diablo 4 devs introduced a PTR for season four because the team needed feedback on all the exciting changes in the next season, which includes new crafting systems, huge item changes and overhauls, and an improved Codex of Power. And while players enjoyed the testing platform and were eager for more in season five, Diablo producer Rod Fergusson has suggested future PTR runs are a “TBD” due to the many “pros and cons.”
One of the more prominent examples of a PTR con Fergusson gave while speaking on the topic in an interview with Windows Central was it was only on PC. That meant console gamers were frozen out of the season four tests and couldn’t give feedback, which means there could be minor (or even major) issues once this season drops.
Despite these cons, the response from Diablo 4 players to the PTR has been nearly overwhelmingly positive, with many admitting “season four is gonna bring me back” after they got the chance to test things early. Others agreed that had returned because of the chance to weigh in on things before they went live.
That shapes the Diablo team’s decision to leave PTRs as “TBD” as a little odd. Thankfully, the positive response suggests the Blizzard devs will likely take a second look in the future, especially if they need more wide-reaching feedback again.
Hopefully, any future seasonal PTRs will include console gamers—and the devs know this is a technical issue on the team’s end. Fergusson commented on this by saying that the team wants to ensure that “whoever wants to join and have that access” can access the PTR. So, it’s up to the devs to make that happen.
Diablo’s Season Four PTR is now closed in preparation for the full release.
