More Details on Launch Day Times, Yet Questions Remain
Posted 26 April 2012 by FluxWe got the official announcement earlier today, but it left many questions unanswered. Since then the CMs have been filling in some of the blanks via Twitter and the B.net forums.
Sure, if you want to buy the game twice. –Bashiok
why not launch it at 12 est? I’m sure all est would be ok with the pdt getting to play “3 hours early” -_- 3 am is late –Adeklis
Problem is stores won’t sell them copies at 9pm. : –Bashiok
Oh blizzard, making all east coast midnight release sales irrelevant. Still can’t wait to play, late night it is! –JimmyTrowbridge
It’s going to be a fun 3 hours… :*( –Bashiok
not be rude, but isn’t that a bit obnoxious for EST? People can buy their game at 12 EST but can’t play till 4am? –Adrenovore
The reverse is EDT players could actually play and level for 3 hours ahead of PDT players. Which is quite a bit more unfair. –Bashiok
maybe it’s to early but is there any news when we’ll be able to decrypt the downloaded files (pre-order) and wait with ready instal –myzyptlik
The digital pre-order will unlock at your region’s midnight launch time. Unlock, install, download day one patch, play. –Bashiok
btw is there a way to preload diablo 3?i ordered the Collectors Edition through Gamestop, is there anyway of preloading the client? –Jenkinsx
Decrypting and installing the digital version vs installing from a disc takes around the same amount of time. –Bashiok
What if you’re a player from one of the North America regions who wants to play on EU Either for the 10 hour headstart, or because they’ve got friends in Europe who you want to play with. You can’t buy a physical copy of the game 10 hours early in the US (though East Coast players could buy a copy, install, and connect to the EU servers 3 hours before the US servers go live?). KayDee quoted Bashiok’s tweet that US digital download sales couldn’t start early on the EU servers, but what if you buy a digital copy from the UK D3 store? Wouldn’t that work on the EU servers as soon as they go live?
Click through for details about the staggered launch times for A/NZ players, and why they won’t be getting any release date events.
From down under comes details about the staggered times for the servers to unlock for Oz and NZ players courtesy of CM Arcagnion.
New Zealand Standard Time: 7:00 PM
Australian Eastern Standard Time: 5:00 PM
Australian Central Standard Time: 4:30 PM
Australian Western Standard Time: 3:00 PM
You can also pick up the game from your favourite retailer on the 15th beginning at 9 AM local time.
While the ANZers have to wait until the afternoon of the 15th, they’re still starting exactly when players in the US and other non-EU regions are, and they don’t even have to stay up all night to do it. On the down side, there aren’t any launch events are planned in the SEA region, due to the time difference.
Worlds first lvl 60 is bound to be in Europe now! No way Americans catch up a 9 hour head start. Beat Inferno is still open I guess since that will take a lot longer.
Do you really care? Wow..
yeah but does it really matter? i mean – US and EU are in different RMAH are they not? whoever gets to 60 first = whoever gets the best items first theoretically, but this means nothing in the long run as the RMAH are separated
Man.. who cares.. Nobody will 2 days after the game is launched anyways.. Just enjoy it. And world first won’t mean **** in d3 anyway.
im gonna play 2 hours a day……. so yeh being first is irrelavant to me.
You can still be the first 60 on the Americas (and if you do it faster than the 9 hour gap, you can still gain fame and honor).
i dont get people who argue about exact time of availability, youve been waiting for like a few years, now youre so anxious when it comes to only a few days… and getting a fame for being first lvl 60… oh, is it fame or jealousy or admitting, that the guy really spent whole week playing D3 and doing nothing else in his real life? and how is for example the third player who gets lvl 60 after the second one or the first one less famous, they all finally gained lvl cap at record time… yeah whatever, lets not forget its just a game fellas
At first there was a release date of a release date, now this X hours launch difference … We are pathetic
My pre-order of the CE isn’t coming in until the next afternoon anyway so these concerns just make me laugh. Those few hours will just be more time to prepare for the marathon.
So yeah, sitting back in the morning and getting geard up for at 3pm start. Not too bad. At least me and my mates won’t be burnt out as we try to break into Nightmare difficulty.
Q:btw is there a way to preload diablo 3?i ordered the Collectors Edition through Gamestop, is there anyway of preloading the client? –Jenkinsx
A:Decrypting and installing the digital version vs installing from a disc takes around the same amount of time. –Bashiok
I got fallow-up question. Can I download installer, and install the game at 00:01, and then when my courier comes with CE I would have to only add key to my battle.net and game would be already installed? I remeber with Sc2 we could install the game few hours before release date, and then just add game to account to play… Does anyone knows if this is possible to do with D3?
You can take, for example, friend’s, who have prepurchased digital, downloaded install files and wait for 00:01 to unlock and install, but you’ll be able to play only when your CE arrives because key is in the box. Along with DVD disk
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/4175421603?page=2#24
Bashiok said “Alternatively, you can get the digital version now, play right at midnight, overwrite your license with your CE when you pick it up, and then contact our support department. In most situations they’ll be able to grant you a new standard key, which you can then give to a friend, or whatever.”
He added his own emphasis on the “most” situations part. I think this is the way I’m going to try to do it as well. Get digital copy (or perhaps go to a midnight release and get a physical copy), then install the CE key whenever Amazon delivers my CE box on release day. I’ve got friends to whom I can sell the standard key since they won’t be able to play right away for whatever reason.
GAWD DAMN IT WILL THE 15th NEVER COME?!
No. Literally never ever. There’s a supreme court session planned in two days to abolish the number fifteen forever. It’s gonna go from May 14th straight into the 16th, and Diablo III will never be released.
Geez. Patience, young padawan.
In the race to 60 technically it’s already lost to the testers so now we can all just enjoy the game