Remember that silly, insane rumor from back in 2008 about Diablo 3 being released by Blizzard before StarCraft 2? Turns out that Blizzard's Rob Pardo thinks that's a bunch of hogwash. Rather, that's at least what we can infer from his recent conversation with Techland on the subject. "We always announce all of our games too early," he says. "I think it's safe to say that, yeah, [Diablo 3] is not going to be out next year."
Considering StarCraft 2's delay to 2010, we think it's fair to assume that Diablo 3 will in fact not be arriving before a StarCraft sequel. Pardo adds that it's not a question of lacking resources, as "each game has individual development teams; it's just that the way that we develop games, we develop them very iteratively." Worse yet, there doesn't seem to be a finish line in sight for D3. "Now when we announce [a game] we just go, 'Here's the game we're working on, we're going to start talking about it and who knows when it ships.'" If any of you were still holding your breath for Diablo 3's release, now might be a good time to exhale.
[Via Big Download]
Reader Comments (125)
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:04PM (Unverified) said
Diablo 3 now renamed to Diablo Forever.
Pre order now !!
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Pre order now !!
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 10:52PM ch3burashka said
I'm here to cast mad spellz and raise the dead and chew gum, and I'm all out of gum.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 11:54PM The Wicker Man said
Thats okay, Torchlight is here to save the day.
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Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 8:17AM p dot t said
I have been waiting, waning and hoping the release of Diablo will be sooner. Since 2009 I kept my fingers crossed but with this
report I must say I am very disappointed.. :( I love the game so much - Oh please blizzard, I hope you don't make the people
wait so much. The last thing on earth you would want to happen is to let the hopes of your fans down, ayt?
How long should we wait details: http://bit.ly/Diablo-not-on-2010-how-long-will-we-wait
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report I must say I am very disappointed.. :( I love the game so much - Oh please blizzard, I hope you don't make the people
wait so much. The last thing on earth you would want to happen is to let the hopes of your fans down, ayt?
How long should we wait details: http://bit.ly/Diablo-not-on-2010-how-long-will-we-wait
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 10:33PM LightSpeedy said
kotaku already made an article on diablos release date
http://kotaku.com/5403098/starcraft-ii-expansions-diablo-iii-coming-in-next-few-years
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http://kotaku.com/5403098/starcraft-ii-expansions-diablo-iii-coming-in-next-few-years
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:05PM SeriouslyNow said
And no matter how nicely I've asked, Pete Townshend isn't sharing the information.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:06PM Aurailious said
I don't have a problem with this, in fact I really like it. Maybe it still won't come out for a year or two, but I know when it does it won't be rushed. It'll be exactly as it should be, a very good game.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:15PM I AM IRONHIDE said
There are two ways I can argue against your point, but I'll use the smart one:
The game will obviously have online integration and support, so whatever they fucked up they can patch.
The other way I could have said this is: LOL IT HAS SUPPORT AND IT CAN LIKE PATCH STUFF AND STUFF.
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The game will obviously have online integration and support, so whatever they fucked up they can patch.
The other way I could have said this is: LOL IT HAS SUPPORT AND IT CAN LIKE PATCH STUFF AND STUFF.
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:15PM HighFiveJesus said
Thank you. They spared my social life, they really did.
When it finally comes out, it'll probably ensnare me for a good year as it is.. unless they try some subscription bullshit.
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When it finally comes out, it'll probably ensnare me for a good year as it is.. unless they try some subscription bullshit.
Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 7:20AM Morisato13 said
What if they pulled the same bullshit as they did on SC2? Every character is it's own expansion...
How many characters * $50?
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How many characters * $50?
Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 9:14PM RageOverdose said
It will overall be good, but it should be noted that their games get patched to hell and back.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:06PM (Unverified) said
If anyone holds their breath for a Blizzard release, they deserve the brain damage.
I love their games, but I never believe a release date until I see units arriving in stores...
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I love their games, but I never believe a release date until I see units arriving in stores...
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:12PM I AM IRONHIDE said
They hold their fans hostage with more dedicated servers and makeover packs. NCSoft is going down the same path, I'm afraid.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 9:33PM (Unverified) said
yeah, torchlight definitely satisfies my diablo craving for the time being. though it's not nearly as deep as a diablo game, all of the mechanics are in place (and even some improvements, IE- the pet/selling loot, and fishing).
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 10:25PM 343 Guilty Fart said
I was going to say the same thing, except about Borderlands.
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Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 11:26AM electrobrains said
Perhaps I will actually get a chance to finish Torchlight and Wolfenstein before another worthy PC game comes out! Wait, are there good PC games still coming out this year?
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Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 12:39PM (Unverified) said
My guess is that Torchlight and Diablo were *very* similar as it stands. Some design changes might be necessary now to make D3 significantly distinct.
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Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 3:42PM AtomicPlayboy said
Yeah, I've been thinking as I've been playing Torchlight: "Wow, this is so Diablo-esque that I wonder if this has stolen some of Blizzard's thunder (and ideas) for Diablo 3". Beyond the inclusion of more content and of a familiar setting, I wonder how Diablo 3 will significantly improve upon Torchlight.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:39PM iHavePants said
It's not been delayed for a year if they never said it was to come out 2010.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 10:38PM LightSpeedy said
it wasnt delayed moron, it was always planned for release way after sc2
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2009/11/500x_photo_3.jpg
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http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2009/11/500x_photo_3.jpg
Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 1:45PM (Unverified) said
Pretty sure the devs working on Diablo 3 are not the same devs as WoW...
Also Mohawk grenades = same programming time as an entire game?
Come on guy, you didn't have that excuse when Diablo 2 was constantly delayed...
It's a blizzard game...they're like valve...apart from L4D2, all their games take eons to come out, and they're always amazing
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Also Mohawk grenades = same programming time as an entire game?
Come on guy, you didn't have that excuse when Diablo 2 was constantly delayed...
It's a blizzard game...they're like valve...apart from L4D2, all their games take eons to come out, and they're always amazing
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:09PM RKN said
Since we know how much Activision and Mr. Kotick love money, I wonder why they haven't considered porting both sequels to consoles? The entire gaming world knows you don't care for the PC?
I'd like to see them milk DLC for the two games as much as they've milked the "Hero" series. :shudder:
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I'd like to see them milk DLC for the two games as much as they've milked the "Hero" series. :shudder:
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 9:05PM masterinsan0 said
I'd be willing to bet, actually, that the reason Diablo 3 isn't coming out in 2010 is precisely that: they're working on a simultaneous release for both PC and Xbox 360.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 9:53PM CaramelZappa said
No idea why you were downranked, like Masterinan0 said, that sounds pretty goddamn likely.
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Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 1:48PM (Unverified) said
Or maybe it's because IT'S BLIZZARD and they ALWAYS delay their games to make sure they're just the way they want them?
like every single one of their previous games?
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like every single one of their previous games?
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:10PM (Unverified) said
UGH.
Come on Blizzard. I know the longer it takes the better the game will be but a whole year isn't enough? I know that the primary reason for this is that releasing two huge games in a year is "bad business" but, news flash, Diablo 3 is going to sell like crazy if it comes out the day after Starcraft 2. It doesn't matter. The games have such huge, dedicated fan bases that release windows don't matter.
This isn't a new franchise that needs to find it's audience bored and looking for a new fix. This is an established giant that is being reborn. We're all waiting with baited breath.
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Come on Blizzard. I know the longer it takes the better the game will be but a whole year isn't enough? I know that the primary reason for this is that releasing two huge games in a year is "bad business" but, news flash, Diablo 3 is going to sell like crazy if it comes out the day after Starcraft 2. It doesn't matter. The games have such huge, dedicated fan bases that release windows don't matter.
This isn't a new franchise that needs to find it's audience bored and looking for a new fix. This is an established giant that is being reborn. We're all waiting with baited breath.
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:12PM Jeff Kibuule said
Yeah, developers for some reason like to announce their games WAY too early. I mean, honestly, do you need to make people wait and hear about your game for 3 years? It's not as if we won't have the money to buy your game if we purchased another one!
Games that were announced too early in my mind:
Final Fantasy XII: Announced 2003, released 2006
Final Fantasy XIII: Announced 2006, released 2009/2010
Final Fantasy vs. XIII: Announced 2006, released ?? (we haven't even seen a freakin' gameplay video yet!)
Starcraft II: Announced 2007, released 2010
Diablo 2: Announced 2008, released maybe 2011?
Gran Turismo 5: Announced 2005, released 2010
Gran Turismo PSP: Announced 2004, released 2009
I could go on...
There should be an unspoken rule among developers that games don't get announced more than 1.5 years away from release (including any possible delays). Waiting 3-5 years for a game is pathetic, and rarely are they seen as worth the time.
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Games that were announced too early in my mind:
Final Fantasy XII: Announced 2003, released 2006
Final Fantasy XIII: Announced 2006, released 2009/2010
Final Fantasy vs. XIII: Announced 2006, released ?? (we haven't even seen a freakin' gameplay video yet!)
Starcraft II: Announced 2007, released 2010
Diablo 2: Announced 2008, released maybe 2011?
Gran Turismo 5: Announced 2005, released 2010
Gran Turismo PSP: Announced 2004, released 2009
I could go on...
There should be an unspoken rule among developers that games don't get announced more than 1.5 years away from release (including any possible delays). Waiting 3-5 years for a game is pathetic, and rarely are they seen as worth the time.
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:17PM I AM IRONHIDE said
Either you're wrong or I got an early copy of Diablo 2, and I think you're wrong.
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Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:21PM (Unverified) said
I'd rather have it announced early than not announced at all.
KotOR III, Battlefront III, Shenmue III, where are you!?
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KotOR III, Battlefront III, Shenmue III, where are you!?
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:25PM Jeff Kibuule said
Uhh... there won't be a KotOR III, because there's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Old_Republic
The developer that worked on Battlefront III was folded by EA not to long ago: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Studios
And as for Shenmue III, you might as well wish for Duke Nukem Forever to come back.
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The developer that worked on Battlefront III was folded by EA not to long ago: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_Studios
And as for Shenmue III, you might as well wish for Duke Nukem Forever to come back.
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 8:28PM (Unverified) said
Despite BioWare's claims to the contrary, The Old Republic does not finish up the KotOR storyline. It's set 300 years into the future, and as such, we'll never find out what happened to Revan.
And considering Free Radical was working on Battlefront III, why does it have to be developed by Pandemic?
Shenmue III could work. God knows Sega needs the money.
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And considering Free Radical was working on Battlefront III, why does it have to be developed by Pandemic?
Shenmue III could work. God knows Sega needs the money.
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