How to join Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR

The Diablo 4 Season 9 Public Test Realm (PTR) is set to begin in a few days, offering you an early opportunity to experience new content, mechanics, and features before the season officially launches. From May 27 to June 3, 2025, players on PC can join the 2.3.0 PTR to explore the upcoming Season of the Horadrim and test some early features tied to the Vessel of Hatred expansion.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the exact schedule and testing highlights to how to install the PTR client and provide meaningful feedback to the developers.

Also Read: Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR patch notes (update 2.3.0)

Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR schedule

The Diablo 4 2.3.0 PTR will run from May 27 to June 3, 2025, acting as a one-week testing window before the launch of Season 9: Sins of the Horadrim. During this period, you can preview upcoming content and provide feedback to help polish the game mechanics even further.

Here are the PTR servers that will be active in key regions to ensure that you have a fluid gameplay and low-latency experience across the board :

North America
Europe
Korea and Japan
South America
Australia

The 2.3.0 PTR is primarily focused on the next season and preliminary content for Vessel of Hatred. You will be able to explore the new Horadric Strongrooms, test the Horadric Spellcraft system, and brave the new Escalating Nightmares — a challenging endgame activity. The fan-favorite boss Astaroth also makes a return in this PTR phase.

This is a testing environment, and the changes here are not final. Blizzard will use feedback collected during this week to adjust game balance, squash bugs, and fine-tune mechanics before Season 9 officially launches globally.

How to join the PTR for Diablo 4 Season 9

Accessing the Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR is quite easy, and all PC users, including Game Pass players, can join up. Just follow the instructions below to dive into the test realm and preview upcoming content.

Launch your Battle.net client and navigate to Diablo IV in your games library (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Step-by-step installation guide:

Launch your Battle.net client and navigate to Diablo IV in your games library.
Above the Play button, click the drop-down menu for game versions and select Public Test Realm.
Click Install to download and install the PTR client. Once completed, the button will change to Play.
Hit Play, choose one of the available test servers, and create a new test character.

Tip: To test seasonal content like Horadric Spellcraft, create a Seasonal character during the character creation process.

For PC Game Pass users

PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate users can access the PTR through the Xbox app. Launch the Battle.net client from the app and follow the same steps as above to install and play the game.

Features available in the Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR

You can choose to unlock specific features or apply "Apply All Boosts" to receive everything instantly (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Blizzard makes testing easier and more efficient with a dedicated NPC named Mrak, located near the main waypoint in Kyovashad. Mrak acts as a PTR Boost Vendor, giving you access to segmented power-ups and game content to accelerate the testing process.

Here’s what you can unlock using PTR Boosts

Crafting & resources

Unlimited Gold and Obols
All crafting materials
Unlock Masterworking
All Temper Manuals
Lair keys, tributes, and infernal compasses
Nightmare Escalation Sigils

Gear & equipment

All Runes
Max out all Aspects
Random Legendary gear
All Unique items

Paragon & character progression

All Paragon Glyphs (maxed)
Set character to Level 50 or 60
Full campaign and stronghold completion
Unlock all waypoints in the map
Receive all Renown rewards
Max Potion upgrades
Access to all Torment Tiers
Set Paragon Level to 300

Seasonal enhancements

Horadric Spellcraft
Horadric Phials
Horadric Jewels

You can choose to unlock specific features or apply "Apply All Boosts" to receive everything instantly. This allows for a more focused testing of seasonal content or specific game systems like Escalating Nightmares or Spellcraft.

How to provide feedback during the PTR

Blizzard considers your feedback a core part of the PTR process. The data collected helps developers eliminate bugs, adjust balance changes, and improve new features before the official launch of the season.

Ways to submit feedback:

In-Game Feedback Tool

Press ESC while in-game.
Click Report a Bug from the menu.
Use the dropdown to select In-Game Feedback Tool.
Share your doubts and opinions without having to leave the game environment.

Official PTR Forums

Participate in forum discussions and leave detailed feedback for developers and other testers on the Diablo IV PTR Forums.

Join Blizzard Research

Want to have an even bigger impact? Sign up for Blizzard Research to be invited to future playtests, exclusive previews, and feedback surveys across all Blizzard games.

What to expect in the 2.3.0 PTR

The PTR isn't just a sneak peek — it's a vital testbed for what’s coming in Season 9.

Face off against Astaroth with new twists and turns (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

You will get hands-on access to:

Horadric Strongrooms: A new form of dungeon with new challenges.
Horadric Spellcraft: A fresh system to further enhance seasonal gameplay.
Escalating Nightmares: A high-difficulty endgame mode surpassing the current Nightmare Dungeons.
Astaroth’s Return: A face-off against a familiar enemy with new twists and turns.
Early Vessel of Hatred Content: Preview elements from Diablo 4’s first expansion.

Blizzard will refine these systems using community feedback gathered throughout the testing week.

The Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR is your chance to help shape the game’s next chapter. Whether you're testing builds with Mrak’s boosts, exploring the mysteries of Horadric magic, or diving into the new and improved nightmare dungeons, your feedback will have a big impact on the full release.

May 27 to June 3, 2025, is your window to enter the 2.3.0 PTR, preview Season 9 content, and make your voice heard. Download the PTR, jump into Sanctuary, and be a part of Diablo 4’s evolving future.

Also Read: 5 ways Diablo 4 innovates accessibility features in ARPGs

Stay tuned for more Diablo 4 news and updates on Sportskeeda

About the author

Jagaran is an MMO and ARPG writer at Sportskeeda. His involvement in the gaming industry also includes working as a concept artist and as a narrative designer.
At age of nine, Halo: Combat Evolved kicked off his love for the medium. He looks back fondly on the times he visited cyber cafes, watching the older boys playing the game and shouting, "Master Chief!"
If given a chance to inhabit a game world, he would eagerly jump into the breathtaking world of Halo.
He admires Ben "CohhCarnage" Cassell for his engaging dialogue and gameplay as well as his critical thinking regardless of how much he loves the game, which encouraged him to spend countless hours in games and technically analyze them.
In his free time, he enjoys writing books, cooking, sketching, and the occasional game of football.

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Edited by Abhishek Manikandan