What date DIII is out? [Archive] - Diablo 3 & Diablo 2 Forums

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Tloopz

19-04-2008, 10:27

I just saw they have refresh thier page on diabloii.net

And saw Diablo III under forums,

What date it will come out?

So I dont miss it :wink3:

friendly regards.

Rocksin

19-04-2008, 11:07

WhiteAlien

19-04-2008, 12:20

It's never comming dude...

Bill Roper and others, the people behind Diablo I and II, left blizzard a long time ago.

Give it up. The game is just not comming.

Making and releasing a DIII game would be a financial suicide.

Don't listen to this guy. They dont need some big old cakes who worked on D2 to make DIII. Look what happened to Helgate London.

DIII will come out, just we dont know when. Diabloii.net opened this forum thread for rumours and discussions.

SmittySixTen

19-04-2008, 16:35

Well, considering we haven't had official word from Blizz yet, I think a release date is a little premature. :P

TurbulentTurtle

19-04-2008, 17:00

It's coming out March 26, 2010.

skyjuice

19-04-2008, 17:08

It's coming out March 26, 2010.

:grin:

C'mon only 2010? More like 2012 :evil:

ProfessionalBerg

19-04-2008, 17:09

Tomorrow .

TurbulentTurtle

19-04-2008, 17:32

:grin:

C'mon only 2010? More like 2012 :evil:
Nope, my dad works at Blizzard with my uncle, and they told me the exact release date they have in mind. In fact, I get to go in sometimes and test around with some of the features they decided not to put in D2 but are probably gonna stick into D3.

Ruff

19-04-2008, 18:37

Tomorrow..

prion

19-04-2008, 19:28

if it's announced this june, maybe november 09
the moral of the story, don't get excited

Drixx

19-04-2008, 21:19

It's never comming dude...

Bill Roper and others, the people behind Diablo I and II, left blizzard a long time ago.

Give it up. The game is just not comming.

Making and releasing a DIII game would be a financial suicide.

Umm... the supposed genius's who left to do other things.... the biggest projects they've worked on are as follows:

1.) Guild Wars - a moderate success, by no means anywhere near Blizzard's proven track record with game after game.

2.) Hellgate - A flop

Yet Blizzard keeps on setting records and pushing the game industry to new heights. With THIRTEEN MILLION subscribers to World of Warcraft, they bring in $195,000,000 a month in subscriber fees alone. That's one hundred and ninety five million dollars.

The development costs for a Diablo 3 would be something between 20 and 50 million dollars realistically. That's a drop in the bucket for Blizzard now. If anything, having such a great cash flow allows them to be innovative and take risks like they always have.

Blizzard higher ups have said on record that they WILL be revisiting the Diablo Franchise, it's just a matter of time. We also know there's some sort of announcement coming. Blizzard has three IP's

1.) Warcraft - Currently Wrath of the Lich king is announced. Nothing else is likely to be announced in the Warcraft IP until after WotLK comes out.

2.) Starcraft - StarCraft 2 is announced and nearing beta from what I understand... so they're definately not likely to be working secretly on another StarCraft game, and even if they were, they aren't likely to announce it until after the release of SC2

3.) Diablo - Nothing currently announced. It's basically an open secret that they're working on something in this IP ... it just hasn't been announced yet.

So whatever is coming it's either the Diablo thing that we know they're working on, or some new IP they're going to launch. My bet would be on Diablo ... why venture off into a new IP when you have one patiently waiting to be used again? Or why do something new without ALSO tapping into your established IP that you are guaranteed millions of sales of?

Making a D3 would be financial suicide? The development cost would be somewhere in the Fifty million dollar range I'd think, possibly double that. Let's assume a $100 million price tag.

At $50 a copy, they only need to sell two million copies to break even. If you think Diablo 3 would sell less than two million copies... I don't know what to say to you... other than to ask what rock you lived under for the last few years since Diablo 1 came out :)

Friends Call Me Butch

19-04-2008, 21:57

Umm... the supposed genius's who left to do other things.... the biggest projects they've worked on are as follows:

1.) Guild Wars - a moderate success, by no means anywhere near Blizzard's proven track record with game after game.

2.) Hellgate - A flop

The main three guys to found arena.net were never Blizzard North employees - they were in Irvine. I don't think anyone from the Blizzard North team that made Diablo II ended up with a credit on any "Guild Wars" release.

Roper was also not at Blizzard North during the making of any of the three "Diablo" releases. Only about 1/5 of the Blizzard North folks with a credit on Diablo II went to Flagship, and only 4 of the original founders had a credit on the original "Diablo".

None of the following Blizzard North guys with credits on Diablo II ended up at Flagship:

http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/diablo-ii

- The Designer and Additional Game Designer
- Lead Programmer
- 12/14 Programmers
- 12/13 Characteristic Artists
- All of the music and sound guys
- All of the Level Designers
- The Technical Producer

Basically, the logic of saying that "Hellgate was a flop, so obviously everything we liked about Diablo was based on Blizzard in Irvine" is a little like saying "That Wings album sucked, so obviously the Beatles were a fluke who owed everything to George Martin." Similarly, claiming that arena.net has anything to do with what was Blizzard North is like claiming that a weak Rolling Stones album shows that the Beatles were an accident.

Plenty of people would like to claim to be the "makers of Diablo II", but in the case of both Flagship and the current crew at Irvine - which doesn't have a single Blizzard North person who worked on the original "Diablo" and only a few from "Diablo II" - it isn't even close to the truth.

-

Aranock

19-04-2008, 22:18

Very much agree with Drixx and Butch. For the person who thinks D3 is a joke or ruined, go read the new d3 wiki and apply some logic...

WhiteAlien

19-04-2008, 22:25

Plenty of people would like to claim to be the "makers of Diablo II", but in the case of both Flagship and the current crew at Irvine - which doesn't have a single Blizzard North person who worked on the original "Diablo" and only a few from "Diablo II" - it isn't even close to the truth.

If to believe rumours they stopped already one time work on DIII and started again completely from scratch after Blizzard North broke up. So it does not really matter if there are still old Diablo team as new DIII team probably will use new programming/developing techniques. What is gone is gone.

Hellgate London is really beautiful game and very enjoyable to play at the beginning. But this game misses addictiveness, even more, it becomes quickly boring. Maybe it is even better for some people. You just finish all your quests and put the game in shelf for year.

Friends Call Me Butch

19-04-2008, 22:50

So it does not really matter if there are still old Diablo team as new DIII team probably will use new programming/developing techniques.

True, if you don't associate Diablo with the personality of the monsters, the implementation of the skills, the random levels, the distinctive designs of the characters, the music, or the sound design, or the background and UI art, the dark, occasionally gory moment, then you won't miss those guys at all.

If, on the other hand, you associate Diablo more with this:

http://www.bigcheesepress.com/keller/diablo.jpg

than this:

http://www.gamemaker.nu/upload/image/350x400_panda1.jpg

and actually liked some elements of the characters, monsters, items, dialogue, pacing, music, sound design, UI, AI, randomness and level design of the original, you might miss the touch of the people who made all of those things in an attempt at a sequel.

mince pies

20-04-2008, 01:32

December 21st 2012 (Any Mayans among us will realise the irony of this date :tongue:) Hehe I made a funny :smile:

Drixx

20-04-2008, 07:09

The main three guys to found arena.net were never Blizzard North employees - they were in Irvine. I don't think anyone from the Blizzard North team that made Diablo II ended up with a credit on any "Guild Wars" release.

Roper was also not at Blizzard North during the making of any of the three "Diablo" releases. Only about 1/5 of the Blizzard North folks with a credit on Diablo II went to Flagship, and only 4 of the original founders had a credit on the original "Diablo".

None of the following Blizzard North guys with credits on Diablo II ended up at Flagship:

http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/diablo-ii

- The Designer and Additional Game Designer
- Lead Programmer
- 12/14 Programmers
- 12/13 Characteristic Artists
- All of the music and sound guys
- All of the Level Designers
- The Technical Producer

Basically, the logic of saying that "Hellgate was a flop, so obviously everything we liked about Diablo was based on Blizzard in Irvine" is a little like saying "That Wings album sucked, so obviously the Beatles were a fluke who owed everything to George Martin." Similarly, claiming that arena.net has anything to do with what was Blizzard North is like claiming that a weak Rolling Stones album shows that the Beatles were an accident.

Plenty of people would like to claim to be the "makers of Diablo II", but in the case of both Flagship and the current crew at Irvine - which doesn't have a single Blizzard North person who worked on the original "Diablo" and only a few from "Diablo II" - it isn't even close to the truth.

-

All I was saying is that to date, the main stuff to be published by former Blizzard employees were those two games. I think Blizzard has shown a great ability to maintain great quality despite turnover of employees in higher up places.

Rocksin

21-04-2008, 07:51

WhiteAlien, #3 post: "DIII will come, just we dont know when."
How is this possible?
You say it with such certanty, yet you are unsure. You say the game will come, but you don't know when.
- I know that horses will have wings and be able to fly one day, I just dont know when.
Stop being so naive. Please. It's pitiful. Go play some D2 instead.
SmittySixTen, #4 post: "Well, considering we haven't had official word from Blizz yet, I think a release date is a little premature. "
I noticed these ruomers in 2005. It's been over three years now. Don't count on a release date.
Posts 5-10 remind me of those "I teach dupe" servers on D2 battlenet. Nonsense!
Post #12
I would love to see where you get your information from. You have no sources, and you are just making up numbers. Worthless!

Friends Call Me Butch

21-04-2008, 07:55

You have no sources, and you are just making up numbers. Worthless!

Did you have any 'numbers' in particular in mind?

Though I don't believe that the Flagship sites currently shows the team members - they changed that a month or so ago, I believe - it is (or was) fairly easy to crosscheck those names against the names credited at the mobygames Diablo II credit list.

Rocksin

21-04-2008, 09:14

We are wasting our time here on this subject.

leeuwvvl

21-04-2008, 09:36

December 21st 2012 (Any Mayans among us will realise the irony of this date :tongue:) Hehe I made a funny :smile:

The time the Maya's believe the world will come to an end? :p

Friends Call Me Butch

21-04-2008, 09:54

Ww are wasting our time here on this subject.

I am illustrating why the claims of both Blizzard circa 2008 and Flagship studios to be "the makers of Diablo and Diablo II" are misleading at best, and using clear links to the actual credits of the titles in question to illustrate my point.

You are engaging in ad hominem attacks and providing nothing of substance.

However, I do like the picture of the nineteenth century dude.

UGTM

21-04-2008, 11:06

We are wasting our time here on this subject.

Then why are you still on this section of the forums, mate ? :wink3:

WhiteAlien

21-04-2008, 11:54

We are wasting our time here on this subject.

Because playing games is not time waste?

WhiteAlien, #3 post: "DIII will come, just we dont know when."
How is this possible?
You say it with such certanty, yet you are unsure. You say the game will come, but you don't know when.
- I know that horses will have wings and be able to fly one day, I just dont know when.
Stop being so naive. Please. It's pitiful. Go play some D2 instead.

You don't see any common sense of Blizzard game politics and their general tendencies in game development and existing franchise support.

I don't know from what cave you came out, but you can go back there.

fnarkl

21-04-2008, 13:32

Yet Blizzard keeps on setting records and pushing the game industry to new heights. With THIRTEEN MILLION subscribers to World of Warcraft, they bring in $195,000,000 a month in subscriber fees alone. That's one hundred and ninety five million dollars.

Nope. Not everyone pays $15 per month. That's a common misconception that has been around for years.

So the figure of $195 Million is wrong. Blizzard don't get all the money. Most of it would probably go to their parent company - Vivendi.

Also, unless there has been a massive influx of Subscribers in the last 3 months, the figure is closer to 10 million as per http://blizzard.com/us/press/080122.html

Friends Call Me Butch

21-04-2008, 16:41

Blizzard don't get all the money. Most of it would probably go to their parent company - Vivendi.[/url]

Blizzard doesn't necessarily get a single penny - they are wholly owned and have been for almost fifteen years. Nor is there a single person out of eleven on the new Board at Activision Blizzard with a Blizzard background.

Thyiad

23-04-2008, 15:42

Gorny

23-04-2008, 16:21

^^ What she said. :angry:

ZappaFan

23-04-2008, 16:55

/me piles on. :angry:

WhiteAlien

23-04-2008, 17:23

Moderator défilé :grin:

I talked about cavemen and their attitude to my posts.

Thyiad

23-04-2008, 17:27

Bye.

EDIT:

I'm going to say this once.

When you are told something is unacceptable, don't argue. You may put your point of view politely via PM but arguing the toss on the board is a very bad plan.

It is irrelevent that you can behave like that on other boards, you don't do it here. Or we ban you. If there's any part of this which is difficult to comprehend ... get back to me in five years when you've grown up.

Oh and Mr Post-Reporter; you were lucky to avoid a temp when I first looked at this thread.

Gamble

23-04-2008, 18:29

Let's just look at how Blizzard does things....

2001 Announcement of WOW & release of DII LOD
2002 Warcraft 3 released
2003 Warcraft 3 expansion released
2004 World of Warcraft Beta & Release
2006 Burning Crusade announced
2007 Burning Crusade released
2008 Starcraft 2 & Lich King announced (possibly released)
2009 Starcraft 2 & Lich King released (IMO) - Diablo III announced (IMO)
2012 Diablo III released

That's my opinion.

Gorny

23-04-2008, 19:21

Sakura

23-04-2008, 19:56

Fixed that for ya:wink3:

muaha! It's funny cause it's true :cry:

Gorny

23-04-2008, 20:05

Dorfoumous

23-04-2008, 20:16

IMHO:

I don't see it ever comming out... I really don't..these rumors, and what not have been going on since the release of D2:LOD..

and thats been what? 2001? so 7 years?

Ever heard of Duke Nukem Forever?... I think thats where Diablo III is headed..

When Diablo III comes out Duke Nukem Forever will come out too..

So many fans have left the community, and have gotten older...its almost a lost cause..

Gorny

23-04-2008, 20:17

Dorfoumous

23-04-2008, 20:23

Community: meaning people within the game.

I'm sure a lot of people on these forums like myself have played the game, and play don't anymore.

Edit: a fun thing for a mod to do is set a poll somewhere, and see how many people in this community actually play the game..

Perhaps a : yes or no answer then like ever so often.

I think it would be interesting to see.

Edit Edit: to get back on topic. I won't believe anything until the box is sitting on the shelfs.... *refers back to SC:Ghost having a release date*

Edge Calibur

24-04-2008, 09:54

Well, I knew it was 2012 since 2007!! Even before I heard of Starcraft II. Actually, I'm quite sure that it will be released, since there are no canceled Blizzard Games (in my opinion).

lukefojut

24-04-2008, 10:35

Well, I knew it was 2012 since 2007!! Even before I heard of Starcraft II. Actually, I'm quite sure that it will be released, since there are no canceled Blizzard Games (in my opinion).

I'm sure Starcraft Ghost is due out in a few weeks....

Thyiad

24-04-2008, 12:08

Realistically speaking, unless someone here works for/with Blizzard, it's a guessing game. I'm not entirely sure I want to see D3 - but that's mainly depending on what route it takes. D3 cannot be like D2. Games now are not as they were eight or eighteen years ago (Frontier on the C64 anyone?).

My only hope if it does get announced/released is that it lives up to the publicity. I was *really* excited by HG:L and frankly; it hasn't grabbed me. Which surprised me a lot.

goisaakgo

25-04-2008, 23:35

It will be interesting once Blizzard becomes a publicly traded company. For shareholder purposes, they will have to start coming clean about what titles they have in the pipeline and their expected release dates. One thing to look forward to I might say!

Jaquiezz

26-04-2008, 05:22

Why would blizzard go public? Why? Makes no sense. The reason you go public is so you get money to back you. What is one thing that Blizzard isn't lacking...? Money. The owners of Blizzard have no financial incentive to go public, they make tons of money as it is, and aren't responsible to anyone.

Friends Call Me Butch

26-04-2008, 08:28

The owners of Blizzard have no financial incentive to go public, they make tons of money as it is, and aren't responsible to anyone.

Vivendi wholly owns Blizzard. They already are public - in Paris.

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/071206/atvi8-k.html

No one should assume that this will change even the slightest thing in the way the company is run.

Victorinox

26-04-2008, 17:10

Even if they were not public yet, it wouldn't be in the best interest of the shareholders to open up on ongoing projects. You don't really want to tell your competitors what features you are putting into a new project (game development is just like normal product development and R&D). Imagine Apple showing the initial designs for their newest super-gadget; others would copy the ideas quickly. Or Shell telling their shareholders the details of their catalysis research.

Vic

Mestre Crjspim

03-05-2008, 03:13

Nevertheless, it would be in the shareholders interest, and I directly mean financial interest, to have a product that has a good acceptance and a significant hype in the market. It is crucial to know what are the market's expectations. And the doubts that Thyiad mencioned about DIII surely roam within Blizzard and many of us. If the games ever comes out, it needs to be really good and cannot afford to be a semi-success for faithfull fans or (even worse) a total misconception.
It can be said that Blizzard can deal with a financial disaster in one game, due to it's imense success, particularly in WoW. But, do stakeholders, namely shareholders, and opportunity investors accept this? The answer is simple and obvious.

Going public is a matter of timing... too soon and you'll have all your competitors working on something to knock you over... too late and you'll have no time to realise what are the public's main concerns and you won't be able to "connect" your marketing efforts with buyers.

I strongly believe that DIII will be realesed in a Christmass time. It has been said that money is no problem for Blizzard, however the success of each product is judged individually... and if DIII is really in the making since DII came out, then it will surely need a boost in income to overpower the large development and opportunitty costs... just my opinion...

Jaago

03-05-2008, 22:45

09/09/09. :rolleyes:

JME

04-05-2008, 03:22

09/09/09. :rolleyes:

That would be neat, but that's probably a bit soon although perhaps not by much. Besides, the average video gamer wouldn't make the correlation to the theory of inverted numbers in dreams.

Anyway, I'll post this (http://au.pc.ign.com/articles/761/761079p1.html) link. I'd think both the site and the original source would be fairly reliable. Ben Bassat announced that it wouldn't be a decade, however it's unclear whether he meant a decade from the original launch or a decade from his announcement. That would put it between 2010 and 2017.

Regardless, I can't help but feel that it will come a little closer to 2010 than 2017. They would be absolutely foolish as a corporation to throw away such an opportunity. Very few games have such a devoted following, especially this long after they are released. I'm sure that

Regards,

JME

BobCox2

04-05-2008, 08:55

12/12/2012 seems more like it to me.

CROfear

06-05-2008, 10:58

ITS OFFICIAL - D3 coming out in august 2009!!!!!!!

Gorny

07-05-2008, 17:11

ITS OFFICIAL - D3 coming out in august 2009!!!!!!!

Proof or it's false.

yellowguy

09-05-2008, 05:20

12/12/2012 seems more like it to me.

lol thats on my birthday :P
that would be one hell of a birthday present

Bad Ash

16-05-2008, 22:03

If I can go back and talk about the guys who left Blizzard affecting the game and making it not be successful or anywhere near the same quality, I just want to say that they have one heck of a template if they want to make it similiar to D2. (the template IS D2). Now if they want to make a new game that isnt like D2 that is updated and new for the times, then who cares if the people who made D2 are working on it or not? Its a win win situation for D3 being a good game, and its blizzard. It WILL be a quality game because thats what they do! :)

Btw: PLEEEEASE show proof August 2009 I will be happy.

Also, Diablo 3 would be a success also, and I also think that these forums can account for that (as well as the thousands of people who are logged onto b.net at all times of day!) Heck people still play D1 on b.net. It has a good fan base and would be successful if blizzard stuck with the quality it is known to produce

These are my opinions :)!

One more quick edit: Does anyone have a link, or know the sales of the Diablo Universe books? A lot of people talked about those on these forums, but does anyone know how many have sold? It could attest to the popularity also