Diablo III external beta due Q3 2011

By Fred Dutton Published 9 May, 2011

Finished game could be out this year.

Blizzard's long in development PC action RPG Diablo III gets an external beta test in the third quarter of 2011, the developer has revealed.

CEO Mike Morhaime made the announcement at an investor call earlier today, adding that the development team was doing its best to ensure the finished game makes it onto shelves before the end of the year.

"We began internal company-wide testing last week," he revealed. "The game is looking great and we are currently targeting a Q3 launch for external beta testing.

"The development team is working hard to try and launch Diablo III this year but I want to be clear that we do not have an official release date or window yet. As always we will not compromise the quality of the game in order to hit a window."

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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (13) Latest comment 1 year ago

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  • Deadly_Spike #1 1 year ago

    Can't wait - I hope Dungeon Siege can keep me relatively satisfied until this hits. This is one game I am positive will be worth the wait.

  • Butr0sButr0s #2 1 year ago

    Looks good so far. I'm more excited about Torchlight 2 since the gameworld, characters, and levels will be open to the mod community but I'm keeping my this one as well.

  • Daeltaja #3 1 year ago

    Clearly this will be sensational, just hope it doesn't launch in and around Skyrim.

    Though I'm anticipating a December launch, just like Cataclysm.

  • rottingyoda #4 1 year ago

    So many good games coming out.

    Sfiii 3rd strike xbla
    ssfivae
    gears
    deus ex
    diablo
    bf3
    Skyrim
    guild wars(i think?)


    Im sure theres more but what a great year for gaming. Even better, most of those titles will be PC eye sex candy

  • TitusCrow #5 1 year ago

    Just tell me what I have to do to get into this beta! Shit this year is turning into a real humdinger for games I have been looking forward to for ages. This, the Witcher 2, BF3, Red Orechestra 2, Skyrim. And of course the inevitable summer and Xmas steam sale's ( oh and of course portal 2 - but that's done and dusted

  • ScepticMatt #6 1 year ago

    Woo!!!

  • Inmediasress #7 1 year ago

    I'll reserve judgement somehow it doesn't carry the old Diablo flaire to me.
    Maybe I'm wrong
    Edited by Inmediasress at 10/05/11 @ 09:06

  • UncleLou #8 1 year ago

    Oh wow.

    External beta was just a few weeks/months before the release of Starcraft 2, iirc, but on the other hand, the external beta had been pushed back a year after its first announcement.

  • munki83 #9 1 year ago

    I've had diablo 3 on preorder for a year.....it mite come out some day

  • Benjaminos #10 1 year ago

    Whoa, a whole year - truly, you have the patience of a saint.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #11 1 year ago

    Been waiting for this a LONG time now, sadly Torchlight has trumped the game already, unless D3 has taken some tips from TL with making the tech trees open ended and a flexible spell system - Torchlight HAS the better combat.

    Diablo 3 as it stands is just a filler game until Torchlight 2 for me, ironically I've always considered Diablo to be one of the two original games Blizzard have actually started a genre with (the other being Lost Vikings), don't get me wrong I want D3 to be good it's just the wait time plus a LOT of competition out there means to me name alone will not make it an instant #1 for years to come.

  • arcam #12 1 year ago

    I love Torchlight as well, just picked it up again this week, finally playing a melee character), but it's no substitute for Diablo 3.

    Torchlight 2? Well we'll have to wait and see, but the co-op is a huge bonus for me.

  • Agent_Orange #13 1 year ago

    Yeh co-op is a huge incentive - running around with your mates smashing monsters and stealing loot is great fun!