There have been some excellent posts in the past about the end process of what a game must go through (production wise) to prepare it for release. These were being tossed around in May and June - when we were all speculating that the Beta would start in July and the game would release in September. I'm having trouble finding those old posts (out of town and on a router that rivals a 2800 baud modem) and thought I would start a thread in the hopes that those learned members of our community who have worked on other titles could speak out about that process.
Specifically, I want to know if I can still viably hope for a January 17th release. And I'm not speaking from a "well if they haven't announced a date by December then there's no chance." I want to know if its still possible for the game to be put through the final stages of production and still be released sometime in January. Cover art is done, patching to the beta client is done, the content alone from data-mining suggest this client is very similar to the one that will be actually used in production. Can they get it done in 6 weeks?
I am, by no means, saying that everyone should BELIEVE that the game is coming out on January 17th. Its just the date I have given my wife to take "a three week trip to go visit your family."
Those of you who have been through this process for a developer - speak out and purty pwease give me hope for January...
going on blizzards track record of always announcing release 8-12 weeks before release no its not viable anymore.
i for one have always expected a mid feb-beg mar release because they pushed it back and if they absolutely had to push it back it wasnt just two months. they JUST implemented the RMAH which is the main thing they are working on atm and once thats abosolutely 100% perfect (or they have an estimate when it will be) they will announce a release date. so however long it takes for that to happen.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"once the pretty hardcore gamers we had testing inferno found it fairly difficult, we then we doubled it" -trolololol jay wilson
going on blizzards track record of always announcing release 8-12 weeks before release no its not viable anymore.
i for one have always expected a mid feb-beg mar release because they pushed it back and if they absolutely had to push it back it wasnt just two months. they JUST implemented the RMAH which is the main thing they are working on atm and once thats abosolutely 100% perfect (or they have an estimate when it will be) they will announce a release date. so however long it takes for that to happen.
All very true January is no longer possible, I'd figure the same about the feb-mar more than likely later in feb. I do however think the release date from blizzard is soon so for your future plans "bootin the wife to the curb" I'd try and set them back in feb maybe even march so you know you'll own the game by some point in that month and be able to dedicate yourself the way we are all anticipating on doing
I'm hopin maybe on spike vg awards they will announce =) Since they are showing the full intro cinematic. *sigh... here's to another date to look forward too that's not release lol
I think its much less likely given the fact that its already December. I think we can count it out completely if there is nothing said next week about a release date.
My next best guess is that they will announce a date during those spike tv awards where they are putting up the whole trailer.
I'm gonna give blizz the benefit of the doubt and believe they will announce a mid January release at the Spike VGAs. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't WoW:TBC release date announced very close to it's release?
"The moment you've all been waiting for... Diablo 3 will be released..... in ONE HOUR SIMULTANEOUSLY ACROSS THE GLOBE!!!!"
Imagine the riots and havoc it would cause world wide... If I was Mike Morhaime I'd be sitting in my Geek Lair giving out one of those classic evil laughs.
What I was hoping for is anyone who has been a part of a game's release - from the developer side - that can speak about time tables of production. Specifically where we assume D3 is at right now given the relevant information and if its possible for a mid January release.
I can speculate all day that Blizz is going to wait until Feb or March to release - the biggest culprit to cause this being sales and marketing. However given speculation made in some recent posts about the time table Blizz might be working on (SWTOR free 30 day trial ending, Skyrim fall off, etc) - January seems likely to me. I'm just curious from a development/production standpoint if January can be realistic.
I too feel that if there is nothing said at the Spike VGA's than January is a slim shot in the dark at best.
Even if people had the knowledge about game development and release, nobody has any real idea of where blizzard is and what still needs to be done so there would be no frame of reference as to when the release is still possible.
Personally, given that it was planned to originally come out in 2011, I would say early 2012 like January is possible.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find any Diablo news? Contact me or anyone else on the News team
Who knows when they will release the game but January 17th is still clearly possible. Like any other game the DVDs/Manuals/Boxes are made well in advance and if they were not made in November already they most likely have the print slots in December.
Question is still when Blizzard think the product is ready - there are no practical problems with January 17th nor is it against what Blizzard has done in the past (like some claim above) - WoW was released 19 days after the announcement.
proof of release date announcement date being 19 days before or it didnt happen.
seriously.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"once the pretty hardcore gamers we had testing inferno found it fairly difficult, we then we doubled it" -trolololol jay wilson
For Diablo III, we were aiming to launch by the end of 2011. As we’re announcing globally today, our new target for the game is early 2012.
That is, as far as I know, the last time they spoke about a release date.
was this reply necessary? "early" and "beginning" of 2012 is the exact same thing. the first 5 months of the year can be considered early and beginning of it, and january falls in both. <_<
(this reply wasnt necessary either, im just bored :P)
Specifically, I want to know if I can still viably hope for a January 17th release. And I'm not speaking from a "well if they haven't announced a date by December then there's no chance." I want to know if its still possible for the game to be put through the final stages of production and still be released sometime in January. Cover art is done, patching to the beta client is done, the content alone from data-mining suggest this client is very similar to the one that will be actually used in production. Can they get it done in 6 weeks?
I am, by no means, saying that everyone should BELIEVE that the game is coming out on January 17th. Its just the date I have given my wife to take "a three week trip to go visit your family."
Those of you who have been through this process for a developer - speak out and purty pwease give me hope for January...
Monkalicious: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/OptimusPrime-12194/hero/79139477
Because Blizzard.
i for one have always expected a mid feb-beg mar release because they pushed it back and if they absolutely had to push it back it wasnt just two months. they JUST implemented the RMAH which is the main thing they are working on atm and once thats abosolutely 100% perfect (or they have an estimate when it will be) they will announce a release date. so however long it takes for that to happen.
All very true January is no longer possible, I'd figure the same about the feb-mar more than likely later in feb. I do however think the release date from blizzard is soon so for your future plans "bootin the wife to the curb" I'd try and set them back in feb maybe even march so you know you'll own the game by some point in that month and be able to dedicate yourself the way we are all anticipating on doing
ive seen a bunch of bug reports from it. so for some people it isnt.
vherry true sir.
january falls in the "beginning of 2012" so they have actually.
My next best guess is that they will announce a date during those spike tv awards where they are putting up the whole trailer.
March is looking more likely at this point.
"The moment you've all been waiting for... Diablo 3 will be released..... in ONE HOUR SIMULTANEOUSLY ACROSS THE GLOBE!!!!"
Imagine the riots and havoc it would cause world wide... If I was Mike Morhaime I'd be sitting in my Geek Lair giving out one of those classic evil laughs.
Tested it yesterday, lot of bugs sorry.
I can speculate all day that Blizz is going to wait until Feb or March to release - the biggest culprit to cause this being sales and marketing. However given speculation made in some recent posts about the time table Blizz might be working on (SWTOR free 30 day trial ending, Skyrim fall off, etc) - January seems likely to me. I'm just curious from a development/production standpoint if January can be realistic.
I too feel that if there is nothing said at the Spike VGA's than January is a slim shot in the dark at best.
Monkalicious: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/OptimusPrime-12194/hero/79139477
Personally, given that it was planned to originally come out in 2011, I would say early 2012 like January is possible.
Find any Diablo news? Contact me or anyone else on the News team
proof of release date announcement date being 19 days before or it didnt happen.
seriously.
Did a few buyouts. All worked smooth here.
Oh well, shouldn't have spoken for the entire beta community i guess
Official Blizzard Quote:
For Diablo III, we were aiming to launch by the end of 2011. As we’re announcing globally today, our new target for the game is early 2012.
That is, as far as I know, the last time they spoke about a release date.
was this reply necessary? "early" and "beginning" of 2012 is the exact same thing. the first 5 months of the year can be considered early and beginning of it, and january falls in both. <_<
(this reply wasnt necessary either, im just bored :P)
WOW.this proves that it still MAY be possible for january 17th release date EVEN if it isnt anounced till the end of december. thanks for the info