Diablo 4 keeps breaking its concurrency records as dev gets ready for "expected surge" this weekend

Diablo 4 official keyart showing Lillith — (Image credit: Blizzard)

Diablo 4 keeps breaking its concurrency records as Blizzard gears up for an "expected surge" in player numbers this weekend.

Following a brief early access period, Diablo 4 released in full on June 5, and since then, players have been delving into Sanctuary in droves, so much so that it's setting a new concurrency record "every day".

That's according to Diablo franchise general manager Rod Fergusson who, yesterday, took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the game's immense popularity. "Thank you to all of our players!" he said. "Every day is a new concurrency record for us and can't wait to see what happens this weekend!"

Thank you to all of our players! Every day is a new concurrency record for us and can’t wait to see what happens this weekend! #DiabloIV https://t.co/ha5e1QEyfrJune 8, 2023

In a Tweet earlier today, Fergusson acknowledged the server issues that have seen Diablo 4 taken offline multiple times since its initial launch last week. But far from being put off by the teething problems, players have continued to flock to the latest entry in the acclaimed action-RPG series in record numbers. This weekend marks the first that Diablo 4 will be playable for all, regardless of what version you own, and naturally, Blizzard expects the player numbers to rise even further over the next few days. "Really appreciate your patience as we continue to hit record highs for concurrency and prepare for the expected surge this weekend," Fergusson said.

I apologize again for the downtime but we should be good to go again. Really appreciate your patience as we continue to hit record highs for concurrency and prepare for the expected surge this weekend. Thank you!June 8, 2023

Although we don't have the figures for how many are currently getting to grips with Diablo 4, its rising player count is hardly surprising given that it's officially the fastest-selling Blizzard game of all time, having grossed the "highest pre-launch unit sales ever on both console and PC" in just four days.

Of course, increased numbers could lead to more server downtime, and should this be the case, fans are asking Blizzard to give proper warning before servers go offline so they have time to prepare and save their progress.

Need XP but not got the time? Check out our guide on how to level up fast in Diablo 4.

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.