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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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bovilexic

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Edited By bovilexic

Can I enter my plea now for Blizzard to please, please, PUUHHHHHLLLEEEEEZZZZZZZZZ not kill the fun to be had in this game through the "balancing" (aka FUN SUCKING) of PVP.


Oh hey there PVP.  DIAFF!
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DekuSword

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Edited By DekuSword
@MattSchwabby: Isn't Torchlight 2 coming out around june/july?
It's true that the D3 beta will be close but the complete game is still a couple of months off after the release of Torchlight 2.
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DekuSword

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Edited By DekuSword

Can't friggin WAIT!

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sandwich_adjustment

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here is to hoping for a BETA LEAK..mmm *getting BBS client ready*

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afrokola

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Edited By afrokola

Awesome, definitely wanna get in on this!

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StrikeALight

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Edited By StrikeALight

Liking me some Darkspore at the moment, but it's no Diablo.

Think I'm gonna install D2+Expansion (again) in anticipation for this. It's been a while...

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grilledcheez

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Edited By grilledcheez

Fucking a bros

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dirtydata

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Edited By dirtydata

YES!

Getting in the Diablo 3 beta is one of the reasons I'm buying BlizzCon tickets. I hope it pays off.

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ChickenPants

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Edited By ChickenPants
@Jumbs said:
" Hey Patrick, you impress me because you actually research your stories! "
The line that he included after having ''got in contact'' with Blizzard is word-for-word what Bashiok, the Diablo CM, posted on the official forums after the question regarding fiscal quarters arose.

Not saying he didn't get in contact with them. Maybe it's just the company line or perhaps he contacted Bashiok. Just thought it was interesting...
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Jumbs

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Edited By Jumbs

Hey Patrick, you impress me because you actually research your stories!

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mesklinite

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Edited By mesklinite
@MarioBoza: I'd say diablo 2 with the expansion pack. Though the max resolution is quite low. 800 by 600
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SoundChaser

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Edited By SoundChaser
@WinterSnowblind said:
" @Rattle618 said:
" "We will not compromise the quality of the game in order to hit a window," he concluded.
Take a hint Bioware. 
"
Didn't Bioware just delay ME3 to make improvements?
Perhaps you meant Bethesda, who are very well known for rushing games out, resulting in buggy, unfinished products.
"
He's probably referring to Dragon Age 2.
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tebbit

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Edited By tebbit
@selbie said:
" Blizzard can jump OUT a window if this game doesn't live up to its hype. "
dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyym
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WinterSnowblind

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Edited By WinterSnowblind
@Rattle618 said:
" "We will not compromise the quality of the game in order to hit a window," he concluded.
Take a hint Bioware. 
"
Didn't Bioware just delay ME3 to make improvements?
Perhaps you meant Bethesda, who are very well known for rushing games out, resulting in buggy, unfinished products.
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selbie

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Edited By selbie

Blizzard can jump OUT a window if this game doesn't live up to its hype.

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TheDudeOfGaming

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Edited By TheDudeOfGaming

God bless you Mr. Klepek this piece of news just made my day!

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penguindust

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Edited By penguindust

End of the year would be nice.  November looks very full, but there is some wiggle room in December.  October looks open too but I doubt it will stay that way and it might be too close to the end of the beta for a retail release.  We'll see but knowing Blizzard, it's not going to be out before the New Year. 

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SonofSeth

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Edited By SonofSeth
@MattSchwabby: Such an easy choice.
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DeckardLee

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Edited By DeckardLee

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
YYYYYYYYYYYEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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LoSkully

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Edited By LoSkully

I think .... i killed a puppy in my mind when i read this news.... out of happiness.... >.>

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DAFTPUNK

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Edited By DAFTPUNK

i hope they don't release it this year because i have a bet that it won't and if i win he has to buy it for me.

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Aarny91

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Edited By Aarny91

So that leaked Blizzard release date thing has been right so far?

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DeckardLee

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Edited By DeckardLee
@endaround: No, it was only in beta for 5 1/2~ months.
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Fearbeard

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Edited By Fearbeard

With the Mass Effect 3 delay, I know where that money is going to go if this gets released this year

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ArchTeckGuru8

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Edited By ArchTeckGuru8

ill believe it when i play it.

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NickL

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Edited By NickL
@Rattle618 said:
" "We will not compromise the quality of the game in order to hit a window," he concluded.
Take a hint Bioware. 
"
No company has the fortune of having a cash cow filling the "make new games" bank account in the way that blizzard does.  It is pretty unrealistic to assume that another company could do what blizzard does and not get shut down.
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NickL

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Edited By NickL

Personally I won't be joining this beta, no matter how much i want diablo 3 right now.  When I start this game i want it to be a really polished experience and a beta would ruin that.


I would love it to come out this year though, if they are aiming for this year then i'm going to guess sometime next year though
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scarace360

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Edited By scarace360

Ok who wants to party up for diablo 3?

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Levio

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Edited By Levio

Never get your hopes up with Blizzard... just sign up to beta test and wait it out.

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HairyMike87

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Edited By HairyMike87

Would be awesome for this to come out at the end of the year!

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Rattle618

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Edited By Rattle618

"We will not compromise the quality of the game in order to hit a window," he concluded.

Take a hint Bioware. 
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MrKlorox

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Edited By MrKlorox

Neato

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SirOptimusPrime

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Edited By SirOptimusPrime
AHH FUCK.

My "life" will have extreme conflicts with this. 
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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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yorro

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Edited By yorro

Does pre-ordering will get me into the beta?

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ajamafalous

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Edited By ajamafalous

So, Diablo III beta confirmed for April 2012

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Lukeweizer

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Edited By Lukeweizer

YES, PLEASE!

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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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risseless

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Edited By risseless

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

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iDarktread

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Edited By iDarktread
My head *asplode*
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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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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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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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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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teh_destroyer

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Edited By teh_destroyer

My heart is not still.

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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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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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Cincaid

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Edited By Cincaid

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

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Althox

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Edited By Althox

I WANT SLAUGHTER!!!! *roars*