The long wait for Diablo 3 may be almost over as Blizzard Entertainment has launched the closed beta version of the legendary hack-and-slash game.

The developer of the Warcraft and Starcraft series has already sent e-mail and Battle.net invites to test out Diablo III. But only 1,000 gamers plus employees and their families will be able to join in beta testing, only a fraction of the more than 10 million users of online gaming service Battle.net.

Blizzard said in its Web site, "Countless hours of consulting the ancient prophecies and poring over dusty tomes have resulted in the unearthing of new information about Diablo III. The upcoming Diablo III beta test will introduce a treasure trove of exciting new features, including a new Auction House that will provide a powerful new way for your characters to acquire the implements of war. Prepare yourselves!"

Blizzard has not hinted a release date for the successor of the 10-year old Diablo II, but the beta release is a sign that the new action RPG could be unleashed sooner than people think.

In the Diablo III closed beta test, participants will be able to fight their way through part of Act I as any of the five available player classes: barbarian, wizard, witch doctor, demon hunter or monk, and take the Skeleton King. They'll also get to meet up with some of the artisans, followers, and other key characters from Sanctuary, and try out the game's skill and crafting systems.

"This closed beta test is an important milestone for us as we enter the final stages of development on 'Diablo III,'" said Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said in a press release. "Our goal is to create the best action role-playing game experience to date, building on everything we've learned since the release of 'Diablo II' and incorporating the powerful features of the new Battle.net platform. We hope players enjoy participating in the beta test and we look forward to hearing their feedback."

Initial Reviews

Feedback from participants have started to trickle in.

Some users have complained that Diablo 3 is a little too easy, and said that users will spend more time -- thus potentially discovering bugs -- if the level of difficulty for the beta version is heightened. A user named Acaelus said in a post, "I can see Blizzard wanting to make a game that has a fair learning curve, but this is a little too far, in my opinion. The game should not be starting out so mind-numbingly easy, especially if it has any intention of becoming difficult. Diablo 2 was not difficult in Act 1, but it was possible to die, even with experience, if you made mistakes."

But the majority disputed the concerns, and said that quickly regenerating mana pool and the infinite resources are appropriate in the early stages. Blizzard community manager Zarhym explained, "As far as beta content goes, we more or less want your grandmother to be able to pick a class and have reasonable success up to the Skeleton King (I mean no disrespect to grandmothers! I'm just using a stereotypical illustration in jest to put some perspective on the learning curve for the beginning of the game.)"

Sked for Invites

According to Blizzard, e-mail invites will roll out in waves. Invites will be sent between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday.

"There is no predetermined schedule for the rate at which players get invited to test the game," a post on the Diablo 3's community page said.

"The Blizzard folk who are monitoring the concurrency trend of people online and playing, as well as the stability of the game servers, will do waves of invites as needed."

PCMag has warned of phishing scams in the form of beta invites for Diablo III.

Click on the slide-show tab for an early look into Diablo III.

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