Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Take a peek at Diablo 3's new menu system, controls for PS3/PS4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/take-a-peek-at-diablo-3s-new-menu-system-controls-for-ps3-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/take-a-peek-at-diablo-3s-new-menu-system-controls-for-ps3-ps4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/take-a-peek-at-diablo-3s-new-menu-system-controls-for-ps3-ps4/#comments
John Hight, who serves as Production Director on Diablo 3, says the most exciting thing about the PS4, in Blizzard's eyes, is the controller. "This is not a mouse, this is something different for us," Blizzard Senior System Designer Jason Bender says of the DualShock 4. "Working on a console version of Diablo 3, for us that means the controller is king," Lead Console Designer Josh Mosqueira adds.

The use of both analog sticks comes from a perceived player expectation on Blizzard's part - players will just expect to be able to do that with a console controller, Mosqueira says. The console versions of Diablo 3 on PS3 and PS4 will feature an evasion roll technique not available on PC.

The trackpad is demonstrated in the video above, sorting through a player's inventory in the new radial-style interface. "We really built our inventory screens and the UI system from the ground up," says Mosqueira. Another new ability is quick equip - at any time, players can press up on the dpad to cycle through the last few acquired items and equip any of them.

JoystiqTake a peek at Diablo 3's new menu system, controls for PS3/PS4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardDiablo-3dualshock-4playstationplaystation-4ps3ps4Thu, 16 May 2013 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrate Diablo 3's birthday with Magic Find and EXP boosts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/celebrate-diablo-3s-birthday-with-magic-find-and-exp-boosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/celebrate-diablo-3s-birthday-with-magic-find-and-exp-boosts/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/celebrate-diablo-3s-birthday-with-magic-find-and-exp-boosts/#comments One year ago, The Diablo 3 servers went public. In celebration of the Lord of Terror's re-birthday, Blizzard is granting Diablo 3 players some special in-game boosts. From now until May 21, all dungeon-crawlers will receive an extra 25 percent bonus to both Magic Find and EXP. In addition, this bonus will stack above the usual 300 percent cap.

In addition, many Diablo 3 Twitch streamers are holding celebrations of their own, hosting special streams and giveaways. You can find the schedule right here.

Last week, Blizzard implemented a boost of a different sort, massively expanding Diablo 3's in-game gold reserves, but that was an accident.

JoystiqCelebrate Diablo 3's birthday with Magic Find and EXP boosts originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-BlizzardblizzardDiablo-3macpcThu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 Auction House back online sans bug, exploiters punished]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/diablo-3-auction-house-back-online-sans-bug-exploiters-punished/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/diablo-3-auction-house-back-online-sans-bug-exploiters-punished/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/diablo-3-auction-house-back-online-sans-bug-exploiters-punished/#comments Diablo 3's Auction House is back online after Blizzard took it down earlier this week, following an update bug that allowed players to duplicate trillions in gold. Blizzard found the bug, exterminated it, and will now donate all proceeds generated from the exploit to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Blizzard will not roll back the servers across the board, but will instead target specific accounts that used the exploit, banning or rolling back those users depending on their activity.

"Only a relatively small number of players had the billions of gold necessary to exploit the bug, and only 415 of those players chose to use this exploit for personal gain," Blizzard Production Director John Hight writes in the Battle.net forums.

As of yesterday, Blizzard had recaptured 85 percent of the erroneous gold and was working to track down the remaining currency.

JoystiqDiablo 3 Auction House back online sans bug, exploiters punished originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 12 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-houseBlizzardbugDiablo-3exploitgoldpcreal-money-auction-houseSun, 12 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 patch 1.08 has gold duplication bug, Blizzard working on fix]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-patch-1-08-has-gold-duplication-bug-blizzard-working-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-patch-1-08-has-gold-duplication-bug-blizzard-working-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/diablo-3-patch-1-08-has-gold-duplication-bug-blizzard-working-o/#comments Blizzard rolled out patch 1.08 to Diablo 3's American servers yesterday and, along with it, a very substantial bug. The patch increased the stack size for in-game gold in the auction house from 1 million to 10 million, effectively making gold ten times cheaper. Players then discovered a serious bug: Canceling a gold auction refunded them double the amount listed. Streams of the bug in action soon spread the word quickly. Thanks to the higher stack size, players were reportedly duplicating trillions in gold. Some were buying up high-value items in the auction house, thus driving up prices and massively inflating the in-game economy.

Blizzard became aware of the issue last night and shut down the auction house. As of midnight Pacific, the company had created a fix for the problem, but it still hasn't been implemented. The studio has decided not to rollback the update, and will instead "make corrections" to individual accounts. Writing on the Diablo 3 forums, community manager Lylirra stated, "We feel that this is the best course of action given the nature of the dupe, how relatively few players used it, and the fact that its effects were fairly limited within the region."

We've contacted Blizzard regarding the current status of the problem.

[Thanks, Pablo and Erik!]

JoystiqDiablo 3 patch 1.08 has gold duplication bug, Blizzard working on fix originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-BlizzardblizzardDiablo-3macpcWed, 08 May 2013 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 PS3 pre-orders come with experience-boosting bonus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/diablo-3-ps3-pre-orders-come-with-experience-boosting-bonus/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/diablo-3-ps3-pre-orders-come-with-experience-boosting-bonus/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/diablo-3-ps3-pre-orders-come-with-experience-boosting-bonus/#comments Diablo 3 PS3 preorders come with experienceboosting bonusBlizzard has opened pre-orders for the PlayStation 3 version of its PC hit Diablo 3, offering an exclusive in-game item as an incentive for early adopters.

Submit a Diablo 3 pre-order at Amazon, GameStop, or Wal-Mart and you'll receive the Infernal Helm, a helpful piece of equipment that boosts the amount of experience your characters earn in battle. It's equippable by all classes and has no level requirement, making it especially valuable at the game's outset.

"We've poured blood, sweat, and hellfire into creating an epic Diablo 3 experience for PlayStation gamers," said Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime. "In addition to including all the improvements from the PC version over the past year, we've made several updates to Diablo 3 for play on the PS3. We got a ton of positive feedback from players who tried the game at PAX East, and we can't wait to get it into everyone's hands later this year."

Diablo 3 has been overhauled for its console debut, and boasts a redesigned control scheme, tweaked boss fights, and local and online multiplayer modes for up to four players. A specific release date for the PlayStation 3 version of Diablo 3 has not been announced.

Continue reading Diablo 3 PS3 pre-orders come with experience-boosting bonus

JoystiqDiablo 3 PS3 pre-orders come with experience-boosting bonus originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Diablo-3playstationpre-orderps3Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3's missing runestones found at GDC]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/diablo-3s-missing-runestones-found-at-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/diablo-3s-missing-runestones-found-at-gdc/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/diablo-3s-missing-runestones-found-at-gdc/#comments If you've followed Diablo 3's development for a long time, you might remember the idea of Runestones. They were meant to be actual in-game items that could supplement character abilities in various ways, such as adding a fire attack to a melee hit, or doubling the power of a spell for free. When the game arrived last year, the Runestone system was nowhere to be seen, replaced by the controversial Skill Rune system. So where did those Runestones go? Diablo 3's technical designer Wyatt Cheng said during a talk at GDC that they're still around, in one form or another.

The Runestone system was originally created to add flexibility to character skills, and to give players a chance to experiment and play around with new abilities after they had gained them through leveling up. The original idea had ten different effects that could be added to various abilities, including striking, lethality, efficiency, life-stealing, poison, slowing and so on. But ten was too many, Blizzard decided, and they opted to boil them down into five different stone types (Crimson, Obsidian, Indigo, Golden and Alabaster) that would each affect skills in a few different ways.

Cheng said having actual stones in the inventory worked in a few different ways. It gave the system a sense of discovery, as players enjoyed seeing which stones granted certain effects, and it accomplished the original goal of allowing players to experiment with customization. Managing the stones in the game's inventory was a "nightmare," according to Cheng, and player expectations didn't always match what the stones actually provided.

In the end, the team went with the existing Skill Rune system, which allowed Blizzard to give specific skill and stone combinations more "flavorful names," and let the team make sure that the added effects were appropriate for the skills they matched. But Cheng said the effects were still in there: Some runes still slow opponents or add more damage to attacks, and those were the effects originally conferred by the stones of Indigo and Crimson.

JoystiqDiablo 3's missing runestones found at GDC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentcharacterdesigndesignerdesignersDiablo-3gdcgdc-2013gdc2013pcrunesrunestonesskill-runesskillswyatt-chengSat, 30 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 Director Jay Wilson: Auction Houses 'really hurt' game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/diablo-3-director-jay-wilson-auction-houses-really-hurt-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/diablo-3-director-jay-wilson-auction-houses-really-hurt-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/diablo-3-director-jay-wilson-auction-houses-really-hurt-game/#comments
Former Diablo 3 Game Director Jay Wilson admitted during a talk at GDC 2013 in San Francisco that both of Diablo 3's Auction Houses (both the real-money and the in-game gold item auction house) "really hurt the game." Wilson said that before Blizzard launched the game, the company had a few assumptions about how the Auction Houses would work: He thought they would help reduce fraud, that they'd provide a wanted service to players, that only a small percentage of players would use it and that the price of items would limit how many were listed and sold.

But he said that once the game went live, Blizzard realized it was completely wrong about those last two points. It turns out that nearly every one of the game's players (of which there are still about 1 million per day, and about 3 million per month, according to Wilson) made use of either house, and that over 50 percent of players used it regularly. That, said Wilson, made money a much higher motivator than the game's original motivation to simply kill Diablo, and "damaged item rewards" in the game. While a lot of the buzz around the game attacked the real money Auction House, "gold does much more damage than the other one does," according to Wilson, because more players use it and prices fluctuate much more.

"I think we would turn it off if we could," Wilson said during his talk. But the problem is "not as easy as that;" with all of Blizzard's current players, he says the company "has no idea" how many players like the system or hate it. Blizzard, Wilson said, doesn't want to remove a feature that lots of players will be unhappy to see go. But he did say that the team is working on a viable solution, without giving any other details about what that would be like.

JoystiqDiablo 3 Director Jay Wilson: Auction Houses 'really hurt' game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-houseblizzard-entertainmentDiablo-3gamegdc-2013jay-wilsonpcreal-money-auction-houseremoveThu, 28 Mar 2013 15:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 for consoles 'not necessarily a Sony exclusive']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/diablo-3-for-consoles-not-necessarily-a-sony-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/diablo-3-for-consoles-not-necessarily-a-sony-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/diablo-3-for-consoles-not-necessarily-a-sony-exclusive/#comments

Diablo 3 is a beast, a monster that Sony wrangled down for what appeared to be an exclusive, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Speaking to the Penny Arcade Report, Diablo 3 Senior Producer Julia Humphreys clarified the game's platform agnosticism saying, "We don't have any announcements to make at this time ... But we're not necessarily a Sony exclusive."

Diablo 3 for consoles has only been confirmed for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 at this point. The version shown at PAX East today was the PS3 version.

Features noted for the PS3 version include less spammy loot drops, an easier system to equip items directly form the main game screen and reiteration of no real-money auction house and the ability for offline play.

JoystiqDiablo 3 for consoles 'not necessarily a Sony exclusive' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardDiablo-3pax-east-2013playstationps3ps4Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 PS3 footage looks about right]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/diablo-3-ps3-footage-looks-about-right/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/diablo-3-ps3-footage-looks-about-right/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/diablo-3-ps3-footage-looks-about-right/#comments
After Blizzard announced that Diablo 3 was coming to PlayStation 3, many of us may have wondered just what it looked like in motion. As it turns out, it looks an awful lot like Diablo 3.

JoystiqDiablo 3 PS3 footage looks about right originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-BlizzardblizzardDiablo-3playstationps3Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Upcoming Diablo 3 patch increases Legendary item drop rarity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/09/upcoming-diablo-3-patch-increases-legendary-item-drop-rarity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/09/upcoming-diablo-3-patch-increases-legendary-item-drop-rarity/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/09/upcoming-diablo-3-patch-increases-legendary-item-drop-rarity/#comments Blizzard is hard at work on the next patch for Diablo 3, version 1.0.8, but designer Travis Day and others at Blizzard thankfully took some time to detail a few of the changes coming. For one, Legendary item drops will be have increased rarity, as will Rare items. Legendary items will also be tweaked to roll base stats based on the level of the monster that dropped them. "When a Legendary drops, the question that goes through a player's mind should never be 'is this a good item?' It should be 'how awesome is it?,'" Day wrote in a blog post.

Other changes include the ability to multi-craft, for players that need to quickly craft several copies of the same recipe. You'll also be able to directly compare items you're looking to purchase against current equipment, and senior technical game designer Wyatt Cheng promises improved co-op farming mechanics.

"We are looking to improve co-op farming efficiency in 1.0.8," Cheng said in a forum post. "Co-op play in general is a big focus of the 1.0.8 patch and efficiency is definitely one component of that. Co-op is already more efficient for some players, but this is the exception rather than the norm. The degree of co-op efficiency depends heavily on the co-ordination of the party, skill builds, and the relative gear level of the teammates. Since launch we've made some modest changes to encourage co-op play but there's still room to go farther."

One of these changes is the new Identify All feature, which will ensure co-op players never need halt dungeon progression to run back to town and identify items. "Sometimes the trip back to town to sort through a bag of gear is enough of a hurdle to make somebody feel playing co-op isn't worth it. Nobody wants to be in the dungeon fighting monsters while your teammate is off in town identifying a full inventory," Cheng concluded.

At the moment, there is no official launch date for Diablo 3's 1.0.8 update.

JoystiqUpcoming Diablo 3 patch increases Legendary item drop rarity originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Mar 2013 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardDiablo-3pcplaystationps3ps4Sat, 09 Mar 2013 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Editorial: SimCity, Diablo 3 and a review of customer service]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/editorial-simcity-diablo-3-and-a-review-of-customer-service/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/editorial-simcity-diablo-3-and-a-review-of-customer-service/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/editorial-simcity-diablo-3-and-a-review-of-customer-service/#comments Editorial SimCity, Diablo 3 and a review of customer service
I don't like writing game reviews. I'm a news guy, comfortable moving within and reporting on the binary conclusions of business in the video game industry. Reviews are emotional. Always have been. With SimCity and Diablo 3, I think the already tempestuous machine of game reviews in this industry has changed forever, and as a collective we haven't yet determined how to proceed. SimCity and Diablo 3 aren't just games, they are also services. The question: Should these games be reviewed separately from their service elements or should they be reviewed in combination?

Comparing this to the restaurant industry, the game is the food and the internet-required connection is the table service. Back of the house and front of the house. What we've seen following the launches of Diablo 3 and SimCity are people paying money to walk into the restaurant on opening day and not being served a meal. In a restaurant there would be immediate and dire consequences for such poor customer service. In the video game industry, there's no shortage of apologists justifying the outcome. Nobody genuflects to poor customer service excuses in a restaurant. Any restaurant review would treat the meal and service as one singular expression of the experience.

Continue reading Editorial: SimCity, Diablo 3 and a review of customer service

JoystiqEditorial: SimCity, Diablo 3 and a review of customer service originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-Blizzardbattlefield-3diablo-3eaeditorialelectronic-artssimcity-2013simcity-5Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[No cross-platform connectivity for Diablo 3 across PSN, Battle.net]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/no-cross-platform-connectivity-for-diablo-3-across-psn-battle-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/no-cross-platform-connectivity-for-diablo-3-across-psn-battle-n/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/no-cross-platform-connectivity-for-diablo-3-across-psn-battle-n/#comments In case there was any doubt, there will be no cross-platform play between PC and PlayStation 3 and 4 versions of Diablo 3. Furthermore, characters from the PC version will not be accessible on PlayStation and vice versa.

"In terms of allowing an analog controller hookup for the PC, we don't have any plans for that kind of support right now," said a Blizzard representative on the Battle.net forums. "Similarly, since Diablo 3 for console was designed with a controller in mind, the PlayStation version of Diablo 3 will not support USB mice or keyboards."

Blizzard previously noted that PlayStation versions will allow offline play and come with all updates already implemented in the PC version. The devil is in the details.

JoystiqNo cross-platform connectivity for Diablo 3 across PSN, Battle.net originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Diablo-3playstationps3ps4Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 on PS3 and PS4 will allow offline play]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/diablo-3-on-ps3-and-ps4-will-allow-offline-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/diablo-3-on-ps3-and-ps4-will-allow-offline-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/diablo-3-on-ps3-and-ps4-will-allow-offline-play/#comments

Diablo 3 will not require a constant internet connection for local multiplayer on the PS3 or PS4, Blizzard production director John Hight has confirmed. "You can have four people on the same screen - no split-screen, we just zoom the camera out. Or if you're offline," he tells Geoff Keighley on GameTrailers.

It's around the two-minute mark where Hight goes into the changes to Diablo 3 for PS3 and PS4 in the episode above - specifically, the talk about the camera and local multiplayer. Hight reveals there's also a new evasion ability to help players quickly escape large encounters.

Diablo 3 launched on the PC and Mac OSX with a required connection to Blizzard's Battle.net service, even when playing single-player. Blizzard previously revealed the PS3/PS4 versions will have a different UI and feature all major PC updates.

Gallery: Diablo 3 (PS3/PS4)

JoystiqDiablo 3 on PS3 and PS4 will allow offline play originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardchris-metzenDiablo-3john-hightplaystationplaystation-4ps3ps4Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 on PS4 and PS3 will feature all major PC updates, first screens]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/diablo-3-on-ps4-and-ps3-will-feature-all-major-pc-updates-first/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/diablo-3-on-ps4-and-ps3-will-feature-all-major-pc-updates-first/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/diablo-3-on-ps4-and-ps3-will-feature-all-major-pc-updates-first/#comments Diablo 3 on PS4 and PS3 will feature all major PC updatesDiablo 3 is heading to the PS4 and PS3 with some goodies in tow, bringing all of the PC version's latest updates, "including Paragon levels, the Infernal Machine event, Monster Power, Brawling, and more," Blizzard writes. The console version will of course have customized controls, a new user interface and fresh camera perspective. Check out the first console images in the gallery below.

Diablo 3 on PS4 and PS3 will support singleplayer and two versions of multiplayer: up to four-player, local split-screen, or four-player online games. Blizzard will debut a playable demo of Diablo 3's PS3 version at PAX East from March 22 - 24.

Gallery: Diablo 3 (PS3/PS4)

JoystiqDiablo 3 on PS4 and PS3 will feature all major PC updates, first screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardDiablo-3playstationplaystation-2013playstation-4ps3ps4SONYThu, 21 Feb 2013 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard announces Diablo 3 coming to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/20/blizzard-announces-diablo-3-coming-to-playstation-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/20/blizzard-announces-diablo-3-coming-to-playstation-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/20/blizzard-announces-diablo-3-coming-to-playstation-4/#comments Blizzard announces Diablo 3 coming to PlayStation 4Blizzard Entertainment's Senior VP of Story and Franchise development Chris Metzen joined Sony during its PlayStation 4 announcement today to say that "Blizzard and Sony have entered into a strategic partnership, through which we will take over the world." The first product of that worldwide takeover will be a console port of Diablo 3, playable on both the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4.

Metzen said the game is already up and running on the PlayStation 3, and will contain a split-screen mode for local gameplay. "In the coming months, we'll formally debut the game," he added, telling fans to look for more news at PAX East, coming up at the end of next month. "We're very excited about our partnership with Sony and what the future has in store for us," Metzen finished. Diablo 3 is coming to consoles, folks, whether you like it or not.

JoystiqBlizzard announces Diablo 3 coming to PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentconsolediablodiablo-3playstationplaystation-3playstation-4ps3Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision Blizzard sees 'best performance in history' during 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/activision-blizzard-sees-best-performance-in-history-during-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/activision-blizzard-sees-best-performance-in-history-during-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/07/activision-blizzard-sees-best-performance-in-history-during-20/#comments Activision Blizzard and its many, many franchises brought in $4.85 billion dollars in net revenue over the course of calendar 2012, with $1.76 billion of that hitting its coffers during the three month period ending on December 31, 2012. Digital sales represented 32 percent of that total annual new revenue, raking in $1.54 billion.

As far as actual profit is concerned, Activision Blizzard reports net post-tax income of $1.14 billion for the year and $354 million for Q4; a 5.8 and 257 percent year-over-year increase, respectively.

"Activision Blizzard delivered the best performance in its history," CEO Bobby Kotick said in the financial statement. "In the short-term, we expect to continue delivering strong profitability, but below our record setting 2012 performance, due to a challenged global economy, the ongoing console transition and a difficult year-over-year comparison because of Blizzard's record-shattering Diablo 3 success in 2012."

In addition to said Diablo 3 success, Activision Blizzard also lists Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops 2 and Skylanders among the many reasons that it had such a successful year, with Skylanders as a series having crested $1 billion in lifetime sales.

Looking forward, Activision Blizzard anticipates total net revenues for calendar 2013 to ring up at $4.08 billion, with $1.16 billion of that being generated during the year's first quarter.

JoystiqActivision Blizzard sees 'best performance in history' during 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsActivision-Blizzardandroidcalendar-2012diablo-3dsfinancialsfiscal-2013incomeiosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilemodern-warfare-3nintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaprofitps3pspQ4-2014skylanderssonyvitawiiwii-uxboxThu, 07 Feb 2013 16:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 director Jay Wilson moves on to new Blizzard project]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/diablo-3-director-jay-wilson-moves-on-to-new-blizzard-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/diablo-3-director-jay-wilson-moves-on-to-new-blizzard-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/diablo-3-director-jay-wilson-moves-on-to-new-blizzard-project/#comments Jay Wilson, who has been directing Diablo 3 for seven years, has decided to move on to other projects within Blizzard. Writing on the Blizzard forums, Wilson says that while working on Diablo 3 has "been one of the most challenging and rewarding periods of my life, I've reached a point creatively where I'm looking forward to working on something new." Wilson promises fans that support for Diablo 3 will continue and that he will aid the team as Blizzard finds a new director.

Wilson makes note of Diablo 3's bumpy launch and its subsequent woes. The development team doesn't always make "the right decisions" he admitted, "but if we made a mistake then I feel we've made an exceptional effort to correct it." That effort includes scads of additional items and changes to drop rates, as well as the Monster Power and Paragon systems.

As for what project Wilson will take on next, we'll just have to wait and see.

JoystiqDiablo 3 director Jay Wilson moves on to new Blizzard project originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardDiablo-3jay-wilsonmacpcFri, 18 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Latest Diablo 3 patch offers dueling without all the pain]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/latest-diablo-3-patch-offers-dueling-without-all-the-pain/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/latest-diablo-3-patch-offers-dueling-without-all-the-pain/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/14/latest-diablo-3-patch-offers-dueling-without-all-the-pain/#comments Diablo 3 Patch 107 adds duelingBlizzard is hard at work on patch 1.0.7 for Diablo 3 and revealed a preview of the changes it will include, the most notable of which is a dueling feature. In December Blizzard said it would work on a dueling system, though there was no word on how it would work. Today's preview solves some of that mystery: Dueling will be a safe environment for players to kick the crud out of each other, devoid of "the potential for griefing as it existed in Diablo 2," Blizzard writes.

Players who wish to duel must speak with Nek the Brawler at the inn in New Tristram, who will transport the party to the Scorched Chapel, a new area designed specifically for dueling. Scorched Chapel has four areas, the church, graveyard, river and lake, and supports up to four players in free-for-all battles. Dueling doesn't offer any rewards aside from bragging rights, and death in the dueling area isn't permanent, even for Hardcore players.

Other updates in patch 1.0.7 include class updates, crafting additions, monster power and affix changes, and quality of life improvements. Check out the entire preview list here.

JoystiqLatest Diablo 3 patch offers dueling without all the pain originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardDiablo-3duelingpatchpcupdateMon, 14 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Animated short looks back on 2012's big gaming moments]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/animated-short-looks-back-on-2012s-big-gaming-moments/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/animated-short-looks-back-on-2012s-big-gaming-moments/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/animated-short-looks-back-on-2012s-big-gaming-moments/#comments
With 2012 coming to a close, now is the time to reflect on what a crazy year it's been for video games. Remember Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City?

JoystiqAnimated short looks back on 2012's big gaming moments originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsandroidDiablo-3dsgamestainiosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsonyvitawiiwii-uxboxyear-in-gamesyear-in-video-gamesFri, 28 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 'Team Deathmatch' goes back to the drawing board, 'dueling' coming in the new year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/27/diablo-3-team-deathmatch-goes-back-to-the-drawing-board-duel/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/27/diablo-3-team-deathmatch-goes-back-to-the-drawing-board-duel/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/27/diablo-3-team-deathmatch-goes-back-to-the-drawing-board-duel/#comments Diablo 3's Team Deathmatch mode has been a long-promised addition for players of the loot-hunting dungeon crawler since it first launched seven months ago. Though the mode is up and running at Blizzard, a blog post from Blizzard's Jay Wilson says the Player vs. Player-focused mode "isn't yet where we want it to be," and thus won't be released in its current form.

One reason the mode has eluded release is its lack of depth. "Simply fighting each other with no other objectives or choices to make gets old relatively quickly. We've brought a lot of people in to try out Team Deathmatch and, while some found it entertaining, most of our testers didn't feel like it was something they'd want to do beyond a few hours," Wilson wrote. The mode requires more varied objectives and lucrative rewards to compel players to keep playing over time, Diablo 3's lead designer added.

Another issue is class balance in a game designed with Player vs. Environment scenarios in mind. "In a casual PvP mode, something equivalent to a WoW Battleground, this would be fine, but Team Deathmatch felt very hardcore, and it put a laser focus on class balance in a way that we didn't think would be good for the game as a whole." Because of these issues, Blizzard has decided to go "back to the drawing board on a new replacement for Team Deathmatch." Whatever the mode ends up evolving into will indeed be free, Wilson noted.

Wilson adds Blizzard will add "Dueling" soon, due to fan demand. "First and foremost, if our original goal was to support dueling, then we're not achieving that goal very well if we don't actually give players a way to duel in-game," he wrote. Dueling will be added to Diablo 3 in patch 1.0.7., set to arrive after the new year.

JoystiqDiablo 3 'Team Deathmatch' goes back to the drawing board, 'dueling' coming in the new year originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardBlizzard-EntertainmentDiablo-3Jay-WilsonmacpcPVPThu, 27 Dec 2012 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo statue claws its way out of Hell June 2013]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/diablo-statue-claws-its-way-out-of-hell-june-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/diablo-statue-claws-its-way-out-of-hell-june-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/diablo-statue-claws-its-way-out-of-hell-june-2013/#comments Diablo the StatueBrian Fay, the creator of the impressive Arthas statue, has been commissioned by Blizzard again, this time to summon the demon Diablo in premium-priced novelty form. The polystone sculpture pictured above stands 22 inches atop its base, where it commands a fearsome hand-painted visage and imposing $349.99 price tag.

Statues are available for pre-order through manufacturer Slideshow Collectibles' website right now. Statues are expected to ship starting in June of 2013.

JoystiqDiablo statue claws its way out of Hell June 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzarddiabloDiablo-3pcslideshow-collectiblesFri, 30 Nov 2012 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard celebrates Black Friday with Diablo 3, StarCraft 2 deals]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/21/blizzard-celebrates-black-friday-with-diablo-3-starcraft-2-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/21/blizzard-celebrates-black-friday-with-diablo-3-starcraft-2-deal/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/21/blizzard-celebrates-black-friday-with-diablo-3-starcraft-2-deal/#comments Blizzard Black Friday stuffBlizzard's Black Friday offer is sweet and simple: StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty and Diablo 3 are each $20 off, now through Monday, November 26. StarCraft 2 is $20, while Diablo 3 turns out to be $40. These deals are blowing directly through the Blizzard Store.

Other Blizzard wares, specifically in the World of Warcraft realm, can be found on the cheap at various retailers, including GameStop, Target, Best Buy and Amazon.

JoystiqBlizzard celebrates Black Friday with Diablo 3, StarCraft 2 deals originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Nov 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-fridayblack-friday-2012Blizzarddiablo-3holiday-2012pcStarcraft-2-Wings-of-LibertyWed, 21 Nov 2012 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard faces class action suit over account authenticators]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/10/blizzard-faces-class-action-suit-over-account-authenticators/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/10/blizzard-faces-class-action-suit-over-account-authenticators/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/10/blizzard-faces-class-action-suit-over-account-authenticators/#comments Blizzard Entertainment is facing a class action lawsuit over the sale of its Battle.net authenticators, which are used to provide security for player account information for games such as World of Warcraft and Diablo 3. The suit, filed by the law firm Carney Williams Bates Pulliam & Bowman, PLLC in the Central District of California, alleged that the authenticators were needed by players "in order to have even minimal protection for their sensitive personal, private, and financial data." The lawsuit referred to an August security breach in which no financial user data was reported to be stolen.

The class action suit posited that Blizzard practiced "deceptive upselling," in that it allegedly failed "to disclose to consumers that additional products must be acquired after buying the games in order to ensure the security of information stored in online accounts that are requisites for playing."

A Blizzard representative told Forbes that "this suit is without merit and filled with patently false information, and we will vigorously defend ourselves through the appropriate legal channels." The representative said the use of the authenticator tool was optional for players, and offered players "an added level of security against account-theft attempts that stem from sources such as phishing attacks, viruses packaged with seemingly harmless file downloads, and websites embedded with malicious code."

Blizzard's statement continued, "the suit's claim that we didn't properly notify players regarding the August 2012 security breach is not true. Not only did Blizzard act quickly to provide information to the public about the situation, we explained the actions we were taking and let players know how the incident affected them, including the fact that no names, credit card numbers, or other sensitive financial information was disclosed."

Continue reading Blizzard faces class action suit over account authenticators

JoystiqBlizzard faces class action suit over account authenticators originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountauthenticatorbattle.netBlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbreachclass-actionDiablo-3lawsuitpcsecuritySat, 10 Nov 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 surpasses 10 million sold [Update: Expansion incoming, date unknown]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/diablo-3-surpasses-10-million-sold/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/diablo-3-surpasses-10-million-sold/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/diablo-3-surpasses-10-million-sold/#comments During today's Activision earnings call, CEO Bobby Kotick revealed that Blizzard's Diablo 3 has managed to sell over 10 million copies so far. "Year-to-date, Diablo 3 is the top-selling game overall based on enough meta, digital and retail sales in North America and Europe. Diablo 3 has sold already in excess of 10 million copies," Kotick said.

Diablo 3 launched back in May, with 3.5 million snatching the game up within the first 24 hours. In North America, NPD stated that Diablo 3 sold one million retail copies across May. The current version of the game, 1.0.5, has been available since October 25.

Update: An expansion for the game is also in the works, Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Morhaime announced during the call: "We do have an expansion planned for Diablo [3], I don't have any timeline to talk about. I think the most important thing for us always comes down to the quality of the expansion and the gameplay, so that will be a big factor in terms of driving our schedule."

JoystiqDiablo 3 surpasses 10 million sold [Update: Expansion incoming, date unknown] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardbobby-kotickDiablo-3macpcsalesWed, 07 Nov 2012 16:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 down for patch 1.0.5 maintenance today, tomorrow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/diablo-3-down-for-patch-1-0-5-maintenance-today-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/diablo-3-down-for-patch-1-0-5-maintenance-today-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/diablo-3-down-for-patch-1-0-5-maintenance-today-tomorrow/#comments Diablo 3 maintenance times for patch 105Diablo 3 patch 1.0.5 adds the Monster Power system, which allows players to adjust the difficulty of enemies in Normal, Nightmare, Hell and Inferno modes, along with a lengthy change list affecting the Auction House, Battle.net, Bosses and Classes, among other aspects. Blizzard began launching the patch today, October 16, and the game will be under scheduled maintenance at staggered times in each region.

Maintenance for the Americas began at 3 a.m. PT and will conclude at 1 p.m. PT. Europe's maintenance begins at 6 p.m. PT and concludes at 4 a.m. tomorrow, October 17. Asia will be under maintenance from 1 p.m. PT on October 17 to 11 p.m. PT that same day.

Check out the entire change list here.

JoystiqDiablo 3 down for patch 1.0.5 maintenance today, tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.0.5BlizzardDiablo-3patchpcscheduled-maintenanceupdateTue, 16 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard North considered making Diablo Junior for the Game Boy Color]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/blizzard-north-considered-making-diablo-junior-for-the-game-boy/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/blizzard-north-considered-making-diablo-junior-for-the-game-boy/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/blizzard-north-considered-making-diablo-junior-for-the-game-boy/#comments Blizzard North considered making Diablo Junior for the Game Boy ColorDavid Craddock is a freelance writer (and former Joystiquer) who's putting a book together about Blizzard North, the studio that created the enormously popular Diablo series. Up until the book's release (it is called, of course, "Stay Awhile and Listen"), Craddock is doling out some insights that he's picked up from his research on Diablo's past development.

Like, for example, the fact that a version of Diablo 2 was considered for the Game Boy Color and/or the Game Boy Advance. Following the release of the popular sequel, Blizzard North considered a single-player handheld game with the working (and adorable) title of Diablo Junior, which would have three separate cartridges on offer, each featuring a different class of hero. The game was never made, mostly due to the high costs of mobile development at that time.

Craddock says Blizzard North also considered a second expansion for Diablo 2, which would have come out after Lord of Destruction. That expansion would have focused on multiplayer features, and set up customizable guild housing and banks. In the end, however, that expansion was also scuttled, and Blizzard North got to work on the long project that would become Diablo 3.

JoystiqBlizzard North considered making Diablo Junior for the Game Boy Color originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-northdavid-craddockDiablo-3interviewmobilepcstay-awhile-and-listenFri, 12 Oct 2012 03:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 Inferno Difficulty monster damage balance tweaked]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/diablo-3-inferno-difficulty-monster-damage-balance-tweaked/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/diablo-3-inferno-difficulty-monster-damage-balance-tweaked/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/diablo-3-inferno-difficulty-monster-damage-balance-tweaked/#comments Diablo 3 Inferno Difficulty monster damage balance tweakedBlizzard is making a few tweaks to Diablo 3's Inferno difficulty yet again. The developer added more high-level drops to the difficulty before, and this time it's effectively reducing the damage monsters will do in that mode. As Technical Game Designer Wyatt Cheng says, Blizzard is reducing the potency of player defense spells and reducing the monster damage, which means that monsters in Inferno won't hit as hard overall.

Why? Some defensive skills, Cheng says, were made so effective that players consider them essential. Energy Armor, for example, is used by 83 percent of level 60 wizards, and War Cry's Impunity modifier is used by over 87 percent of barbarians. Nerfing the monster damage and the effectiveness of these spells is supposed to let players go to other options, rather than just walling up defense all of the time.

Cheng says there are more changes coming: A new "monster power" option to up the difficulty for higher rewards; and a tweak to the monk's One With Everything skill. We'll stay tuned for those.

JoystiqDiablo 3 Inferno Difficulty monster damage balance tweaked originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>defensedesignerDiablo-3difficultyinfernopcwizardswyatt-chengTue, 18 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 Paragon update rolling out today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/21/diablo-3-paragon-update-rolling-out-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/21/diablo-3-paragon-update-rolling-out-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/21/diablo-3-paragon-update-rolling-out-today/#comments Diablo 3 Paragon update rolling out todayDiablo 3 patch 1.0.4, which features end-game changes announced just yesterday, is set to be released sometime today. Servers will be down for maintenance throughout the day in order to prepare for the patch.

Maintenance is already underway in North America and should be finished by 1:00pm PDT. European maintenance will run from 8:00pm PDT tonight through 6:00am tomorrow, and Asian maintenance will begin tomorrow at 11:00am PDT and run through 11:00pm. Once the maintenance is complete, the patch will begin rolling out in each region. Blizzard warns players in the Americas that global play will be inaccessible in Europe and Asia until the patch is deployed in each region.

The patch is designed to improve the experience for high-level Diablo 3 players, most notably adding the Paragon system. The system features 100 new levels for level 60 players to achieve, replete with bonuses to base stats, increased magic find and ... nifty character portrait frames. Head over to the Diablo 3 forums for the full patch notes.

JoystiqDiablo 3 Paragon update rolling out today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardDiablo-3macmaintenancepcupdateTue, 21 Aug 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 to add high-level 'Paragon' system featuring 100 new levels]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/diablo-3-adds-high-level-paragon-system-featuring-100-new-leve/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/diablo-3-adds-high-level-paragon-system-featuring-100-new-leve/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/20/diablo-3-adds-high-level-paragon-system-featuring-100-new-leve/#comments Diablo 3 adds highlevel 'Paragon' system featuring 100 additional levelsTo combat the lull some players have encountered once they have reached level 60 in Diablo 3, Blizzard is adding a new layer of upgrade levels.

This new layer - called the 'Paragon System' - adds 100 additional levels for players to push through once they have reached Diablo 3's current level max. Coming in update 1.0.4, all experience earned after level 60 will be put toward the new Paragon levels. Each new level in Paragon gives players a boost in core stats (dexterity, strength, vitality, and intelligence) in amounts similar to standard levels along with a 3% boost in magic and gold find.

"It can be demoralizing to play for an hour, not get any drops, and also be out a big chunk of gold from repair costs. Your play session may not only end without an upgrade, it can wind up being a net loss," game director Jay Wilson wrote on the official blog post revealing the changes. "We know that a lot of you out there are level 60 - maybe on multiple characters - and this system provides a way to make progress every time you log in to the game."

Under the new system, Nephalem Valor bonuses give players a 15% boost in experience toward Paragon levels per stack. In comparison to Diablo 2, Wilson says that reaching the maximum Paragon level approximates the "long-term investment required to get a level 99 character" in the franchise's previous installment.

Blizzard's goal with Paragon is to have top-tier players slowly "transition away" from their reliance on magic find on items in a way that wouldn't "flip the entire game end-over end." Once 1.0.4 hits, magic find will be capped to 300% before Nephalem Valor, meaning players will hit the cap once they reach Paragon level 100 - which will allow players to slowly remove those items over time.

No date for the update has been revealed ... but as someone stuck at 60, I can confirm that it's not soon enough.

Gallery: Diablo 3 (10/21/11)

JoystiqDiablo 3 to add high-level 'Paragon' system featuring 100 new levels originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.0.4BlizzardDiablo-3macpcupdateMon, 20 Aug 2012 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 Starter Edition no longer requires a disc]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/14/diablo-3-starter-edition-no-longer-requires-a-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/14/diablo-3-starter-edition-no-longer-requires-a-disc/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/14/diablo-3-starter-edition-no-longer-requires-a-disc/#comments Now you can get your hands on the Diablo 3 Starter Edition without borrowing a disc from someone else - we're speaking to the approximately one person who is interested in Diablo 3 and hasn't played it yet.

All you have to do is log into your Battle.net account and sign up through "Your Game Accounts" - or, if you're a non-Battle.net person, create a new account and you'll have the license automatically. You could be enjoying a limited sample of Diablo 3 in no time!

Continue reading Diablo 3 Starter Edition no longer requires a disc

JoystiqDiablo 3 Starter Edition no longer requires a disc originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle-netdemoDiablo-3pcstarter-editionTue, 14 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Activision brings in $1.08 billion in Q2: more than expected, but less than last year]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/02/activision-brings-in-1-08-billion-in-q2-more-than-expected-bu/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/02/activision-brings-in-1-08-billion-in-q2-more-than-expected-bu/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/02/activision-brings-in-1-08-billion-in-q2-more-than-expected-bu/#comments Activision Blizzard beat its outlook for its fiscal Q2 (ending June 30), bringing in $1.08 billion in revenue - the outlook as of May predicted $950 million. This still falls short of the same period last year.

It's no mystery as to where Activision's money came from. "For the first six months, we had the top three best-selling games in North America and Europe with Activision Publishing's Skylanders Spyro's Adventures and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and Blizzard Entertainment's record setting Diablo III," reported Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. In addition, Activision reported $343 million in revenue from its digital channels (WoW subscriptions and Call of Duty maps), representing an impressive 32% of total revenue.

JoystiqActivision brings in $1.08 billion in Q2: more than expected, but less than last year originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisioncall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3diablo-3earningsfinancialsfy-2012q2skylanders-spyros-adventureThu, 02 Aug 2012 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3's long-term planning failures]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/diablo-3s-long-term-planning-failures/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/diablo-3s-long-term-planning-failures/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/diablo-3s-long-term-planning-failures/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
The more I read about, think about, and play Diablo 3 at high levels, the more baffled I am by some of developer Blizzard Entertainment's decisions. An examination of the design of Diablo 3, when combined with the company's public statements on the project, indicate confusion over the goals of Diablo 3, as if there was no conceptual development of Diablo 3 as an overall experience.

Not having been present when decisions were made, I can't speak to the reasons behind Blizzard's choices. But however they were made, those choices have manifested in distinct, negative ways - which should have been easily predicted, yet oddly weren't.

Gallery: Diablo 3 (10/21/11)

Continue reading Diablo 3's long-term planning failures

JoystiqDiablo 3's long-term planning failures originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Diablo-3macOpinionpcrowan-kaiserFri, 27 Jul 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard CEO on Diablo 3 problems, incoming improvements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/blizzard-ceo-on-diablo-3-problems-incoming-improvements/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/blizzard-ceo-on-diablo-3-problems-incoming-improvements/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/blizzard-ceo-on-diablo-3-problems-incoming-improvements/#comments Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime has taken to the Diablo forums to issue a statement on Diablo 3. In the statement, Morhaime addresses the game's launch, noting that it had both positive and negative elements. Blizzard, he admits, was not prepared for Diablo 3's staggering launch numbers - to which players locked out during the initial server problems can attest.

Morhaime notes that Blizzard "looked at historical sales for Blizzard games and other top-selling PC games and watched preorder numbers" to the server requirements at launch, even going so far as to add further server capacity beyond its estimates. Still, says Morhaime, it wasn't enough, noting that "we've never gone from 0 to more than 6 million players across multiple continents within a few days with a brand-new game." He adds that Blizzard will strive to do better with future releases.

Continue reading Blizzard CEO on Diablo 3 problems, incoming improvements

JoystiqBlizzard CEO on Diablo 3 problems, incoming improvements originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardblizzardDiablo-3macMike-MorhaimepcThu, 19 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 auction house now has gems and other commodities for real money]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/diablo-3-auction-house-now-has-gems-and-other-commodities-for-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/diablo-3-auction-house-now-has-gems-and-other-commodities-for-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/diablo-3-auction-house-now-has-gems-and-other-commodities-for-re/#comments Diablo 3 auction house now has gems and other commodities for real moneyBlizzard has pushed patch 1.0.3b live in Diablo 3, and in addition to a few random bugfixes with General chat and the tutorial sequences, the patch brings another wrinkle to real-money spending with the game. You can now buy various in-game commodities (including gems, dyes, and crafting and leveling materials) with real money, which means Blizzard has turned an unofficial black market for items in Diablo 2 into a very official real-money market in Diablo 3.

Gold sales still aren't live, but Blizzard says it hopes to enable real-money purchasing of in-game gold in the future. In the meantime, however, you can now put money into your Battle.net account and buy away, or try to sell your in-game items for real money. For better or worse, it's game on.

JoystiqDiablo 3 auction house now has gems and other commodities for real money originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-houseblizzarddiabloDiablo-3diablo-3-auction-housepcreal-money-transactionsrmtTue, 10 Jul 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard: Diablo 3's 'item hunt' endgame isn't sustainable]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/05/blizzard-diablo-3s-item-hunt-endgame-isnt-sustainable/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/05/blizzard-diablo-3s-item-hunt-endgame-isnt-sustainable/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/05/blizzard-diablo-3s-item-hunt-endgame-isnt-sustainable/#comments Blizzard Diablo 3's 'item hunt' endgame isn't sustainableDiablo 3's current endgame, a supposedly endless item-hunt and enemy-slaughtering system, isn't as infinite as Blizzard first hoped it would be, and players are quickly running out of things to do, community manager Bashiok writes in the Battle.net forums. Blizzard is aware of this problem and is considering options for a more succinct endgame solution.

"Killing enemies and finding items is a lot of fun, and we think we have a lot of the systems surrounding that right, or at least on the right path with a few corrections and tweaks," Bashiok writes. "But honestly Diablo 3 is not World of Warcraft. We aren't going to be able to pump out tons of new systems and content every couple months. There needs to be something else that keeps people engaged, and we know it's not there right now."

Blizzard is working on version 1.0.4, which will have "as many fixes and changes" as it can pack into one update, and 1.1, which will introduce PvP arenas. These updates will help, as will the progression systems Blizzard is considering, but they aren't the solution in the long run - and since 1.1 is still "a ways out," it is the long run.

"I think both those patches will do a lot to give people things to do, and get them excited about playing, but they're not going to be a real end-game solution, at least not what we would expect out of a proper end-game," Bashiok says.

Blizzard didn't release an unfinished game; it truly believed the item hunt would be a sustainable system, Bashiok writes.

"Hindsight is 20/20 I suppose, but we believed pre-release that the item hunt would be far more sustainable, and would work to be a proper end-game for quite a while," he says. "That didn't turn out to be true, and we recognize that."

JoystiqBlizzard: Diablo 3's 'item hunt' endgame isn't sustainable originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardDiablo-3end-gameitem-huntpatchpcupdateThu, 05 Jul 2012 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 bans not based on Linux software, says Blizzard]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/03/diablo-3-bans-not-based-on-linux-software-says-blizzard/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/03/diablo-3-bans-not-based-on-linux-software-says-blizzard/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/03/diablo-3-bans-not-based-on-linux-software-says-blizzard/#comments Diablo 3 bans issued not based on Linux, says BlizzardA handful of players using Wine, a program that allows Linux users to run Windows, recently reported being suddenly and unreasonably banned from Diablo 3. These players have sent in support tickets and one in particular notes his account remains banned, posting the following response from Blizzard:

"An additional review of the action taken against the Diablo 3 account has been completed. We have confirmed our initial findings, and the account action will not be reversed or changed."

These players assert that they have not cheated. Blizzard community manager Bashiok has responded to these claims, saying that players are banned for cheating, not for running benevolent software. "We've extensively tested for false positive situations, including replicating system setups for those who have posted claiming they were banned unfairly," he writes. "We've not found any situations that could produce a false positive, have found that the circumstances for which they were banned were clear and accurate, and we are extremely confident in our findings.

"Playing the game on Linux, although not officially supported, will not get you banned - cheating will."

A Reddit post (now complete with a "[Misleading Title]" preface) saw more Wine players speak up, saying that they can play with no problems. It appears the bans themselves may be more isolated than the initial thread made them appear, and they may be less scandalous, at least on Blizzard's end. The moral of the story is, as always: Don't cheat, whiners Winers.

JoystiqDiablo 3 bans not based on Linux software, says Blizzard originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banningbansBlizzardcheatingDiablo-3LinuxpcwineTue, 03 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, WoW: Mists of Pandaria playable at Gamescom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/30/starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm-wow-mists-of-pandaria-playable/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/30/starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm-wow-mists-of-pandaria-playable/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/30/starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm-wow-mists-of-pandaria-playable/#comments Blizzard will attend Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, and bring its latest wares to the show. From August 15 to 19, Blizzard will showcase new content for Starcraft 2 and World of Warcraft.

Attendees will be able to sample the new Terran, Zerg and Protoss units coming to multiplayer in StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, which is slated to launch sometime this year. Blizzard will also give patrons a chance to check out the starting zone in Mists of Pandaria, the fourth expansion for World of Warcraft.

Finally, Blizzard will have Diablo 3 available to play, but you're probably doing that now anyway.

Continue reading StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, WoW: Mists of Pandaria playable at Gamescom

JoystiqStarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, WoW: Mists of Pandaria playable at Gamescom originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzarddiablo-3gamescomgamescom-2012mists-of-pandariapcstarcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarmworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-mists-of-pandariaSat, 30 Jun 2012 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Recent Diablo 3 hotfixes address exploits, high-level item drop rates]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/recent-diablo-3-hotfixes-address-exploits-high-level-item-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/recent-diablo-3-hotfixes-address-exploits-high-level-item-drop/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/recent-diablo-3-hotfixes-address-exploits-high-level-item-drop/#comments Blizzard Entertainment has been keeping busy, tweaking a number of aspects of its best-selling loot-hunting game, Diablo 3.

One of the hotfixes released today addresses an exploit used to circumvent the recent decreases in attack speed. Before the hotfix, players could "temporarily increase their attack speed or double-cast a skill" by repeatedly clicking the Town Portal option within the hot bar. A complete list of fixes can be found on the official game blog.

In changes made yesterday, Blizzard once again increased high-level item drops in Acts III and IV of Hell difficulty and all four acts in Inferno. The breakdown of increases can be found after the break. Not found after the break: those hundred hours you've spent clicking through Sanctuary.

Continue reading Recent Diablo 3 hotfixes address exploits, high-level item drop rates

JoystiqRecent Diablo 3 hotfixes address exploits, high-level item drop rates originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardBlizzard-EntertainmentDiablo-3hotfixmacpatchpcFri, 29 Jun 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard lifts Diablo 3's Act 1 restriction for new digital buyers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/blizzard-lifts-diablo-3s-act-1-restriction-for-new-digital-buye/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/blizzard-lifts-diablo-3s-act-1-restriction-for-new-digital-buye/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/blizzard-lifts-diablo-3s-act-1-restriction-for-new-digital-buye/#comments Blizzard lifts Diablo 3's Act 1 restriction for new digital buyersPatch 1.0.3a for Diablo 3 fixes an issue that restricted unverified digital purchasers to playing only up to level 13 and only in Act 1. Blizzard previously listed the restriction as a feature of patch 1.0.3, and later said it was an "unintended consequence" that players were unable to progress past level 13 and the Skeleton King in Act 1.

Updating to the most recent patch will eliminate the Act 1 restrictions, but other limitations remain for digital purchasers, "in place to deter credit card fraud," Blizzard writes. These restrictions can last for up to 72 hours and remain as follows:
  • No public game access for unverified digital purchasers
  • No auction house access (real-money or gold) for unverified digital purchasers
  • Unverified digital purchasers cannot trade items or drop items for other players to receive
  • Unverified digital purchasers are not able to chat in any public or game channels
  • Unverified digital purchasers cannot attach a custom message to friend requests, but they can send/accept friend requests, and play with their friends
  • Global Play is not available for unverified digital purchasers

JoystiqBlizzard lifts Diablo 3's Act 1 restriction for new digital buyers originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardDiablo-3patchpatch-1.0.3apcrestrictionsThu, 28 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Get Diablo 3 for $50 from Newegg]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/get-diablo-3-for-50-from-newegg/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/get-diablo-3-for-50-from-newegg/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/28/get-diablo-3-for-50-from-newegg/#comments The folks at Newegg have made Blizzard's latest trip to hell slightly cheaper, offering Diablo 3 for $50. That's ten extra bucks you could spend in the auction house, or on a bag of tacos to sustain you on those late night inferno runs (or create some inferno runs, amirite?). It's all up to you.

Continue reading Get Diablo 3 for $50 from Newegg

JoystiqGet Diablo 3 for $50 from Newegg originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardclickclickclickDiablo-3macpcThu, 28 Jun 2012 14:17:00 EST