During previous alpha test phases, Diablo Immortal added a large-scale end-game PVP system called the Cycle of Strife, which is basically an optional “Guild War” of sorts that spans the entire server which will pit 2 factions – The Immortals and The Shadows – in battle. At the very end of the cycle, one faction will remain or rise above everyone else.

Diablo Immortal’s Cycle of Strife is about to get a big boost because starting in the closed beta, a new feature called the “Challenge of the Immortal” will be introduced. Production Director Caleb Arseneaux explains the mode, saying that the mode is a scheduled event once per week that will pit the top “Immortal” player against 30 of the top “Shadows” in a battle will see the Immortal player transformed into a giant raid boss of sorts, fitted with powerful new abilities to defend and extend his reign.

The top Immortal must show dedication to his status, as they automatically lose the challenge if they are not online during the contest.

Game Director Wyatt Cheng add that both factions will have certain daily objectives that they can do to “power up” as a faction which will affect the challenge, making it a social activity that players will want to be part of.

Being an Immortal is something players will want to strive for because Immortals will be able to equip certain cosmetic items that are exclusive to these players to show off their status. An exclusive 48-player raid will be open to these top players as well.

In the event that the top Immortal is defeated by the participating Shadows, something called The Final Battle will commence, which will then see the 30 Shadows duke it out in an all-out battle royale that only ends with one player standing and claiming the Immortal crown for themselves.

The whole Cycle of Strife feature is purely optional, so Diablo Immortal players can choose to go on their merry ways finding more loot without having to worry about participating in the PVP battles.

Diablo Immortal will have its closed beta test starting October 28 for android devices only and is scheduled to launch in 2022.