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Diablo III Beta Coming Before October, Finished Game Might Arrive By Year's End [UPDATED]

Try to keep your composure. This is Blizzard we're talking about. Oh, screw it. We're excited.


 Diablo III by year's end? Be still my heart.
 Diablo III by year's end? Be still my heart.
UPDATE: There's been some confusion over Blizzard's reference to dropping the Diablo III beta during the third quarter of 2011. I'd assumed Blizzard meant the calendar year quarter, which meant July through September, but I wanted to confirm this with Blizzard. 

"The Q3 reference in today’s earning's call was a calendar quarter," said a company representative. "We're aiming to launch the Diablo III beta between July 1st and September 30th. Please keep in mind that it's our current goal, and of course that can change as development continues."

--


Let's keep this one short 'n sweet: a Diablo III beta is coming. It's coming in third quarter 2011, which means sometime before September 30, when Activision Blizzard's third quarter ends.

"We began internal, company-wide testing this week," said Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime on the Activision Blizzard quarterly call this afternoon.

Betas are important, but betas don't last forever. When are we going to play the finished thing?

"The development team is working hard to try and launch Diablo III this year," said Morhaime.

Unlike basically other game in Activision's lineup, however, Blizzard does not have to commit to release dates. Diablo III is no different, which is why Blizzard is non-committal about the release date.

"We will not compromise the quality of the game in order to hit a window," he concluded.    
Patrick Klepek on Google+

132 Comments

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sjupp

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Edited By sjupp

DIABLO THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

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Sniper_Fox

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Edited By Sniper_Fox

Diablo 2 was my favourite game ever. I am pretty sick of it now, but I used to play it until sunrise in my day. Can't wait for Diablo 3.


A console version would be nice for those who despise PC gaming.
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ReyGitano

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Edited By ReyGitano
@ChickenPants said:
" @gamefreak9 said:
" @SlashseveN303 said:
" I'll be there! I've been waiting for this game for the majority of my life. "
Its been in development for like 7 years? so your maximum age is 13? "
It's been in and out of development in various forms since 2000. "
Exactly, which means I've been waiting for this game 11 years now, and I'm 21.
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Rayeth

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Edited By Rayeth

Man, my clicking finger has very little life left after playing so much Starcraft 2, now they want me to play Diablo 3?  I dunno I can click that fast any more man.


I may be getting too old for videogames.
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phrosnite

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Edited By phrosnite

I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO not excited...

P.S. - Very, very disappointed by Diablo 2.

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WinterSnowblind

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Edited By WinterSnowblind
@Kombat said:
" @MattSchwabby said:
" Kinda sucks this is coming out around the same time as torchlight 2. The two games I really want to play and have been waiting for so long for, and I have to choose between them when they finally come out? "
Will Torchlight II even be released as a full-priced game? I'm not sure anyone has said yet. Hopefully not. "
I'm pretty sure it's still a £15 Steam title..  But it would easily be worth paying full price for.
It's also apparently coming July-ish.  Even if Diablo does make it this year (and it won't) that still gives you a few months to play through Torchlight.
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tzmhero

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Edited By tzmhero

It would be great if Diablo III came out soon, but we know Blizzard now, they go Big or go home. Much like portal 2, this will be tested like all hell and perfected before it ships. Asking them to ship it sooner just makes it that much less perfect.

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Crono

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Edited By Crono

This is both the best and worst news of the year for me. The best because I will be playing Diablo 3 very Soon©

The worst because I will soon be failing out of college.

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xpgamer7

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Edited By xpgamer7

MY HEART IS EXPLODING WITH HAPPINESS!

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Davin

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Edited By Davin

Can't freaking wait for this.

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gamefreak9

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Edited By gamefreak9

I just called the computer Union, i said, its time to update my computer... 

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gamefreak9

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Edited By gamefreak9
@SlashseveN303 said:
" @ChickenPants said:
" @gamefreak9 said:
" @SlashseveN303 said:
" I'll be there! I've been waiting for this game for the majority of my life. "
Its been in development for like 7 years? so your maximum age is 13? "
It's been in and out of development in various forms since 2000. "
Exactly, which means I've been waiting for this game 11 years now, and I'm 21. "
It might have been in development then, but saying you have been waiting for diablo 3 before diablo 2 expansion came out is kind of silly.
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Ghosthead84

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Edited By Ghosthead84

NEED!
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ReyGitano

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Edited By ReyGitano
@gamefreak9 said:
" @SlashseveN303 said:
" @ChickenPants said:
" @gamefreak9 said:
" @SlashseveN303 said:
" I'll be there! I've been waiting for this game for the majority of my life. "
Its been in development for like 7 years? so your maximum age is 13? "
It's been in and out of development in various forms since 2000. "
Exactly, which means I've been waiting for this game 11 years now, and I'm 21. "
It might have been in development then, but saying you have been waiting for diablo 3 before diablo 2 expansion came out is kind of silly. "
That expansion wasn't Diablo III, just more Diablo II with snow.
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Pop

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Edited By Pop

Just make it GOD DAMN IT!

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blueduck

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Edited By blueduck

No Caption Provided
Diablo what is best in life!?
To Crush Console Gamers
See Them Driven Before You
And To Hear the Lamentations of Their Women!
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wizzrobe

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Edited By wizzrobe

As a fan of the series, I hope they take all the time they need to develop a game which will entertain us for many years to come. Sure, the graphics may look outdated in 2012, but Blizzard games are never cutting-edge in terms of visuals. On the contrary, that company is all about gameplay, just like Nintendo.

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Azteck

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Edited By Azteck

Oh Blizzard, you just foolin'

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pr1mus

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Edited By pr1mus

In blizz speech this means Beta in 2013 and the game in 2015!!  Can't wait!:D

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ChickenPants

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Edited By ChickenPants
@blueduck:
Powerful post old sprout!
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John1912

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Edited By John1912

God I hope its out this year.  I REALLY need a mindless time sink with some depth to it.  

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chilipeppersman

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Edited By chilipeppersman
@Crono said:
" This is both the best and worst news of the year for me. The best because I will be playing Diablo 3 very Soon©

The worst because I will soon be failing out of college.
"
yeeeep me too. at least we will get more time to play videogames, eh? I have so much to catch up on, I havent even played through Dragon age or the Witcher. Not including all the other games that have come out that I havent been able to play on my laptop. :(
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siln

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Edited By siln

Didn't Blizzard already release a game this decade?

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mesklinite

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Edited By mesklinite

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

finaly finaly finaly!!!!!!!

I my fingers will die and my mouse disintegrate, but it will pure bliss!

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SockLobster

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Edited By SockLobster

Yessssssssss

I'm gonna be playing this shit all the way through Uni baby. I FUCKING LOVE LOOTS.

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OrderInChaos

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Edited By OrderInChaos

Damn, pretty excited about this - cant wait!

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zityz

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Edited By zityz

That's cool and all. I'll still play the hell out of some torchlight 2 as well. Problem is they don't make many of these top down loot whore games much as they used to anymore. Usually it's 1 good one every XX amount of years and then 3 or 4 no one cares about because they're garbage.


There is PLENTY of room for diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 to ride the ski lift to the top.
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Fish_Bulb

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Edited By Fish_Bulb

Who do I have to mail my left testicle to in order to get in the beta?

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deactivated-5f90eabee6bba

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Remember how that one game was delayed and was really good and now no one remembers how long it took to come out? Then remember that game that came out on time but was really rushed and uninished? ITLL BE BAD FOREVER

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MrGetBonus

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Edited By MrGetBonus

Oh, man. I just finished playing a whole mess load a Diablo 2 again a few months ago. So excite.

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dvorak

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Edited By dvorak

I've got my spare mice lined up.

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deactivated-5d8bd173e1e3b

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They really just need to poop this game out already. I really want it!

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Althox

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Edited By Althox

I WANT SLAUGHTER!!!! *roars*

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Cincaid

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Edited By Cincaid

This is the game I'll upgrade my computer for.

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Ravenlight

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Edited By Ravenlight

"We will not compromise the quality of the game in order to hit a window"


This is why I love Blizzard.
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valiantgoat

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Edited By valiantgoat

I'm not going to get my hopes up for a 2011 release, that way if they actually do finish it this year I can be pleasantly surprised.

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teh_destroyer

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Edited By teh_destroyer

My heart is not still.

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Brake

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Edited By Brake

I'm sure my current scrap box would be able to run this somehow, but this coincides with me planning on getting a new comp round December pretty nicely. Personally I'm hoping for an early 2012 release, because goddamit, there are so many great games coming out late 2011 and I have to buy all of them. I am not made of money video game industry!

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Bwast

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Edited By Bwast

Got into the Cataclysm and SC2 betas pretty early. Let's hope the same happens with Diablo. But please don't invite me to the beta then launch it when I go on vacation in August.

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fox01313

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Edited By fox01313

At least this year between Daggerfall, Torchlight2 & Dungeon Siege3, I can put up with the weak as hell idea of putting it out when it's ready. Considering all blizzard's games get out only on the PC/Mac & updated extensively, the idea of putting it out when it's ready is just silly as they are going to keep patching/nerfing things constantly after it comes out.

Which is why I'll probably get D3 but I'll probably be much more happier with the other 3 titles I listed as those are pretty much set to come out this year & not like Diablo3's imaginary magic 8-ball of maybe? when trying to find out when it's coming out in the most vaguest sense beyond coming out this century.

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JJWeatherman

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Edited By JJWeatherman

Diablo 3 will piece together my fractured soul.


Maybe that was a bit overdramatic, but whatever. I want Diablo 3!
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iDarktread

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Edited By iDarktread
My head *asplode*
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risseless

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Edited By risseless

If it's still PC only, I'm still not interested.

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Kyle

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Edited By Kyle

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.


Fucking finally. It's only been four damn years since the game was announced, let alone how long they had been working on it before announcing it.

@SockLobster said: 
" I FUCKING LOVE LOOTS. "
We all do, SockLobster... we all do.
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Lukeweizer

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Edited By Lukeweizer

YES, PLEASE!

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ajamafalous

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Edited By ajamafalous

So, Diablo III beta confirmed for April 2012

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yorro

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Edited By yorro

Does pre-ordering will get me into the beta?

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Malakhii

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Edited By Malakhii

I think it's quite fitting to just say HELL YEAH. 

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SirOptimusPrime

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Edited By SirOptimusPrime
AHH FUCK.

My "life" will have extreme conflicts with this.