UPDATE: Blizzard community manager Micah "Bashiok" Whipple has sought to allay concerns that the changes outlined by Jay Wilson will result in significant delays.

In an update on the Blizzard forums, Bashiok writes, "Keep in mind everything detailed in the article today is already in the game, and most of it is complete. Once you get Patch 10 and see that, I think it may sink in that these aren't theoretical changes we're still working on, they're changes we've completed. Obviously the potion button still needs a little work to hook it up correctly, and the character attribute changes need to be balanced and tested for itemization throughout the game, but overall these are changes we've already made."

"I do not intend to impress that we're close to release, or infer any such "we're <-- this --> done" kind of statement, but most of these are fairly straightforward changes that are already complete and implemented. We do have more changes, skills and runes, affixes to add, more items, Battle.net features, testing, testing, and more testing etc. to do so we're obviously still not there yet, but none of the changes detailed today are theoretical or yet to be implemented."

ORIGINAL: Jay Wilson, Diablo III Game Director, has revealed a number of substantial changes to Diablo III based on feedback captured from the ongoing beta.

 

UPDATE: Blizzard has contacted Gameplanet to clarify the comments made by Micah "Bashiok" Whipple:

Bashiok’s response on Twitter was intended as a confirmation that we’re actively exploring the possibility of developing a console version of Diablo III, as we’ve mentioned in the past. This is not a confirmation that Diablo III is coming to any console platform. Our focus right now is on finishing the PC/Mac version of Diablo III and making sure it’s a worthwhile successor to the Diablo series.

ORIGINAL: Blizzard has confirmed that it intends to release action-RPG Diablo III on consoles.

 

Diablo III's Senior World Designer Leonard Boyarsky.

Gameplanet: What do you see as the original Diablo's contribution to gaming?

Leonard Boyarsky: It totally reinvigorated the action RPG genre, there's really nothing like it on the PC for the most part, it really took the world by storm. It was a breath of fresh air. The original, especially, just had this great horror vibe to it that you really didn't get from fantasy RPGs a lot. It was a really different take on the genre.

Gameplanet: How has Diablo influenced you as a developer?

 

Blizzard Entertainment and Insight Editions have announced the December 13, 2011 launch of Diablo III: Book of Cain, an illustrated tome chronicling the origins of Sanctuary, as transcribed by the scholar Deckard Cain.

Designed to look like an in-world artefact from the Diablo universe, Book of Cain conveys the games' lore through a first-person account. The story begins as Cain leaves his journal to his adopted daughter, Leah, passing along the tale of Sanctuary's creation and the eternal war that rages between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells.

Book of Cain chronicles the rise of the Zakarum, the traditions of the Horadrim, the genesis and geography of Sanctuary, and the key moments in the world's history – such as the destruction of Tristram – that set the stage for the events of Blizzard's upcoming Diablo III.

 

Gameplanet: What are your main objectives for the Diablo III beta?

Wyatt Cheng: Definitely a big one was the installer: the launcher, patcher and server stability. Those were really the big things that are really difficult to do on our own. Beyond that, knowing that we’re headed in the right direction, validation. We always have a sense of what’s working and what’s not, certainly the beta confirmed some of those things. When people are asking to see more, or [asking] when does it come out – getting more excited – or [asking] if we’re going to add more content to the beta, those kind of questions all speak to me as, “I’m really excited about what you’re doing, and I can’t wait for it to come out!”

Andrew Chambers: “Keep doing that, and give me more.”

 

Of all the new additions to the Diablo franchise expected to appear in Diablo III, few have been as contentious as the real-money auction house.

Game Director Jay Wilson took to the stage this afternoon to reveal more details, primarily based on the desire to provide gamers with a safe trading option. Most of the information imparted has already been in the public domain for several months, however a short example of a Demon Hunter selling an unwanted Legendary Mace for USD $7.50 hinted at what kind of value items at a higher level may fetch.

In addition, Wilson confirmed that stackable items such as gold, gems, tomes and crafting items will also be valid auction items.

 

Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed the existence of a Diablo III Collector's Edition, as well as a full inventory of the contents.

According to Blizzard, the Diablo III Collector's Edition is "emblazoned with the alabaster hue of the High Heavens", and will contain:

• Collector's Edition Soundtrack
• The Art of Diablo III book
• Behind the Scenes DVD & Blu-Ray two-disk set
• Exclusive in-game content for Diablo III: Aesthetic Artifacts, StarCraft II: BattleNet Portraits, World of Warcraft: Pet Fetish Shaman
• Diablo Skull and 4GB USB Soulstone stick