Diablo III has entered an open beta period as of 12:01 p.m. PDT, according to a post on Blizzard Entertainment’s website. Anyone with a valid Battle.net account can take the highly anticipated game for a spin all weekend long. The beta ends at 10 a.m. on April 23.

Registration for a Battle.net account is free for new players, and you’ll need to download the Diablo III client, of course. Once you’re set up, you can start hammering away at Blizzard’s servers by playing any of the five character classes up to level 13. The game publisher hopes to iron out the kinks before releasing the full version on May 15.

Fans of the Diablo series have been waiting nearly 12 years for the third installment of the acclaimed hack-and-slash adventure. The game boasts a revamped engine, robust online play, and a much-discussed online marketplace that will let players trade in-game loot for real money.

Did your weekend just evaporate? Let us know your game plan in the comments below.

Diablo III launches May 15

Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

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Images courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment.

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