I finally got an answer from Bashiok on the official forum of Diablo 3 if the early 2012 meant a Q1 :
Are far are you guys (generally) from being able to ship a game that is polished? In other words is it still an early 2012 planned release? (which quarter is planned would be most appreciated, not month, but quarter).
Because the way it sounds, it's like if there's still a lot of job left and that can scare a bit the people eh!
Official Blizzard Quote:
We don't know. We were shooting for the end of 2011, and now we're shooting for first quarter 2012. As soon as we're sure of something (release date or otherwise) we'll be sure to let you know.
It is indeed a good news. People finally know what early 2012 means (thus cutting the summer release idea). It's not a set in stone quarter release, but it tells us that it didn't got delayed any further and tells us that at this moment it's still Q1.
Pretty sure before the next conference call we will hear something very very interesting!
"Shooting for" is such an extremely loose phrase. By Blizzard's standards, it means absolutely nothing. Not to mention in the same thread, Bashiok said "we're in the process of working on some rather large game system changes."
I used to be an optimist, but this is looking like an early Summer 2012 release at the earliest in my opinion. And I'm pissed about it.
Bashiok only said that they’d be sharing the system changes they’ve been working on shortly before or with the next beta patch. To me, that doesn’t necessarily have to mean that they will patch the beta to reflect the system changes so that those changes can be tested. It only means that they will share the info on system changes in that time frame. They could conceivably share their “final decision” (I know, oxymoron in Blizzardland – I digress) on the runestone system and drop the next beta patch with unrelated changes in the same time frame. In fact, I think that’s exactly what’s likely here. Otherwise, wouldn’t it make more sense to only share the information about large game system change together with the patch if the purpose of the patch is to test the change in the beta?
Bashiok is on record that runestones are the only major game mechanic left to be substantially rehashed (paraphrasing Bashiok here of course). If this hasn’t changed, I’d say there’s still hope that the “early 2012” release window hasn’t changed. After all, if they announce the runestone system formally and the beta content doesn’t carry into a part of the game where runestones are going to be tested, then the “large game system changes” don’t necessarily affect the release window. I don’t think we should assume that the release window (now specified as “1Q 2012″ according to Bashiok’s new blue post) has changed until they come out and officially announce it has changed or it simply gets too late to see it as a realistic possibility. I don't see how "we're shooting for 1Q 2012" can be spun any other way but positively. It is, in fact, more specific than "early 2012". Whatever they're time frame is it's always not set in stone until a formal release date is announced (and even then, I guess it could still be altered). I'm not discouraged by "shooting for" - this quote by Bashiok is more than we knew a couple of hours ago.
Last one was November so mid-February seems right. If 1Q 2012 release is going to happen, a release date announcement around the end of this month or early February at the latest (before conference call) would make sense.
I'm kinda shocked bashiok would come out and say Q1 when they previously said they wouldn't give anymore release date estimates until they were set in stone.
Last year they told us they were shooting for last year. Now we're shooting for this quarter of this year, maybe- we don't know. we don't know. When we know, we will tell you. But we don't know.
I'm kinda shocked bashiok would come out and say Q1 when they previously said they wouldn't give anymore release date estimates until they were set in stone.
They are aiming for Q1.
For god's sakes. We already knew this, we knew it very well, plain as day, as obvious as the sun, that they were aiming for Q1. Now they just say it again. Thats it. Thats all. Move on, guys.
Let's be realistic. We're in early 2012... and we don't have a release date. Usually you're given a few months between release date and launch for any game. There was an old thread which had a poll where we all guessed when we thought the release date would be, my guess was early-mid 2012. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm wrong while I still baselessly hold to that in the semi-realistic hope that the game isn't pushed until november 2012. I wouldn't be surprised if it were anywhere between like march and august.
I think this is good news, I think we can be fairly certain that the game will be release before 12/21/2012. I wouldn't want the game to release after the end of the world.
We've been wearing our tin foil hats for a month now and it appears Bashiok gently took them off of our heads with that quote. Well Bashiok is not going to take off my hat, in fact I am going to put on a full tin foil suit.
I DEMAND THE GAME IS RELEASED BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD! Korea, don't mess this up for me.
/sarcasm (gotta throw up the sarcasm tag that way people do not believe that I really am crazy)
To those who says : We already knew it was Q1 : No you did not. You interpreted the early 2012 as Q1, but we all know Blizzard and their definition of "soon", "very soon" and the likes is vague. The month of May could have been to some extent an early 2012, but my specifying Q1 it says it's between January and March 31st, 2012.
"They said 'aiming' so it means nothing" : You are right, they could aim at Q1 but release on Q2. But do we have any proof or anything else that tells us otherwise? They said Q1 so for now we gotta soak up the Q1 and cross our fingers for it. We cannot be already pessimist and say Q2.
Let's wait the conference call in February (mid-Feb at max) and see! Don't expect anything else before the end of January.
You can't tell me I " didn't know" q1 all you want... But I knew... Oh I knew... The things I know.. If only.......
Okay the above is jokes , but seriously we did pretty much figure they meant q1 so that is no surprise at all. What I got off of this, and am thrilled with, is even with a the system changes they are talking about, at this very time, they are sill on track for that, which is fantastic news ( yes of course it can change)
I'm really looking forward to the feb meeting, some release dates/ push backs were give close to them... Will be nice to see
What I got off of this, and am thrilled with, is even with a the system changes they are talking about, at this very time, they are sill on track for that, which is fantastic news ( yes of course it can change)
I'm really looking forward to the feb meeting, some release dates/ push backs were give close to them... Will be nice to see
Overall a very good day for news it seems
Yup! I wish January could end now, so we would be already in February. Any idea when the conference call date will be announced?
Yeah Sexton... thats my problem with Bashioks post.... its totally unacceptable to lie to us... why were they in a "polishing state" when they are not now? a total game remake? obv NOT!
there is only one answer: they didnt tell us the truth...
Sexton is like some kinda rank or title, not the person's name fyi. I have no idea how to change from Sexton to Zealot or anything else for that matter.
Bash's words are completely disheartening for me. They are stillworking on big mechanics and haven't even entered the "polish phase"? Are you kidding me? You guys know how long Blizzard likes to polish their games right? Months. That's part of what makes their games so good: Polish.Reviewer after reviewer has said this about Blizzard titles in the past.
I thought with the Beta we were dealing with a finished game that was going through a tweaking process here as most betas these days are a quick enterprise. Now we're seeing instruction booklets being laid out for print but they still haven't even polished their game yet?
I want to hold on to a March release but I won't bet on it now. I'm a little bothered that they said this as their website, PvP kiosks at Blizzcon, and length of beta testing all indicate a game ready to be shipped to me.
Official Blizzard Quote:
We don't know. We were shooting for the end of 2011, and now we're shooting for first quarter 2012. As soon as we're sure of something (release date or otherwise) we'll be sure to let you know.
It's not much but I am happy he answered me
Link : http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/3871117694?page=4#69
Well done sir!
Pretty sure before the next conference call we will hear something very very interesting!
I used to be an optimist, but this is looking like an early Summer 2012 release at the earliest in my opinion. And I'm pissed about it.
Bashiok is on record that runestones are the only major game mechanic left to be substantially rehashed (paraphrasing Bashiok here of course). If this hasn’t changed, I’d say there’s still hope that the “early 2012” release window hasn’t changed. After all, if they announce the runestone system formally and the beta content doesn’t carry into a part of the game where runestones are going to be tested, then the “large game system changes” don’t necessarily affect the release window. I don’t think we should assume that the release window (now specified as “1Q 2012″ according to Bashiok’s new blue post) has changed until they come out and officially announce it has changed or it simply gets too late to see it as a realistic possibility. I don't see how "we're shooting for 1Q 2012" can be spun any other way but positively. It is, in fact, more specific than "early 2012". Whatever they're time frame is it's always not set in stone until a formal release date is announced (and even then, I guess it could still be altered). I'm not discouraged by "shooting for" - this quote by Bashiok is more than we knew a couple of hours ago.
then I took an arrow to the knee
Last one was November so mid-February seems right. If 1Q 2012 release is going to happen, a release date announcement around the end of this month or early February at the latest (before conference call) would make sense.
That's some terrible PR right there.
They are aiming for Q1.
For god's sakes. We already knew this, we knew it very well, plain as day, as obvious as the sun, that they were aiming for Q1. Now they just say it again. Thats it. Thats all. Move on, guys.
so "early 2012" means july
We've been wearing our tin foil hats for a month now and it appears Bashiok gently took them off of our heads with that quote. Well Bashiok is not going to take off my hat, in fact I am going to put on a full tin foil suit.
I DEMAND THE GAME IS RELEASED BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD! Korea, don't mess this up for me.
/sarcasm (gotta throw up the sarcasm tag that way people do not believe that I really am crazy)
"They said 'aiming' so it means nothing" : You are right, they could aim at Q1 but release on Q2. But do we have any proof or anything else that tells us otherwise? They said Q1 so for now we gotta soak up the Q1 and cross our fingers for it. We cannot be already pessimist and say Q2.
Let's wait the conference call in February (mid-Feb at max) and see! Don't expect anything else before the end of January.
Okay the above is jokes , but seriously we did pretty much figure they meant q1 so that is no surprise at all. What I got off of this, and am thrilled with, is even with a the system changes they are talking about, at this very time, they are sill on track for that, which is fantastic news ( yes of course it can change)
I'm really looking forward to the feb meeting, some release dates/ push backs were give close to them... Will be nice to see
Overall a very good day for news it seems
Yup! I wish January could end now, so we would be already in February. Any idea when the conference call date will be announced?
Sexton is like some kinda rank or title, not the person's name fyi. I have no idea how to change from Sexton to Zealot or anything else for that matter.
I thought with the Beta we were dealing with a finished game that was going through a tweaking process here as most betas these days are a quick enterprise. Now we're seeing instruction booklets being laid out for print but they still haven't even polished their game yet?
I want to hold on to a March release but I won't bet on it now. I'm a little bothered that they said this as their website, PvP kiosks at Blizzcon, and length of beta testing all indicate a game ready to be shipped to me.