[UPDATE] Best Buy Leaks Potential Diablo III Release Date

[The Wooster]

[UPDATE] Best Buy Leaks Potential Diablo III Release Date

According to Best Buy, Diablo 3 will hit shelves on February 1st.

At least according to the picture on the right, which was taken in the Best Buy store in Rochester, Minnesota. The tweet that contained the image has since been pulled, but the folks over at Joystiq managed to snag the image before it went down.

A Best Buy employee confirmed that the display is real, and that as far as she knows, the game is set for a midnight launch on February 1st. Best Buy's web store [http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Diablo+III+-+Mac/Windows/1800081.p?id=1218292463150&skuId=1800081&st=diablo%203&lp=4&cp=1] also confirms the date. There's been no word from Blizzard as of yet.

Another gamer spotted a similar advertisement in Gameplay, a UK-retailer, which shows a February 3, 2012 release date. Delays are, unfortunately, common when it comes to European releases of international titles. That being said, Blizzard has stated they were planning a region free, simultaneous launch for Diablo 3.

If these signs are legit, that leaves little time for Blizzard to deal with the problems they're having getting the game past South Korea's Game Rating Board. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/115061-Diablo-3-Launch-Held-Up-In-Korea]

Update: Wail and lament, gentle readers. The date is false, according to a tweet [https://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155771778038382593] from Blizzard community manager Micah Whipple. Also, eagle eyed reader Coldie [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/Coldie] has noticed that whoever made the sign managed to spell February wrong. Hmm.

Source: Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/07/best-buy-thinks-diablo-3-is-coming-out-on-february-1-2012/]

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[Isalan]

Booking 2 weeks off work in 3.... 2..... 1....

EDIT: Cancelling week off work in 3.... 2.... 1....

 

[Baldr]

3 Weeks, is that not it cutting kind of close??

 

[SovietSecrets]

Can only hope its true.

 

[Digitaldreamer7]

It's a fake. Beta is still in full swing. Normally they cut beta off about 6 weeks before release.

 

[Torrasque]

I'm gonna wait until my local EB Games announces it before I freak out.
Considering they are taking pre-orders for SC2: Heart of the Swarm as well as pre-orders for D3, I am kind of expecting each to be released within the next 6 months.

 

[Beautiful End]

Gamestop already had a release date for it. In fact, all games that are available for reservation have a specific date. However, it could be a generic date, such as 01/01/12. If that's the case, then the title's release date could easily be pushed back or moved forward.

If I had to speculate, and you know I gotta, I would say the information is wrong. Feb. the 1st is a Wednesday. So the Midnight release would be on the 31st at 10pm-12am. It's REALLY rare to see a midnight launch on a Tuesday-Wednesday. If anything, it's always on a Monday-Tuesday.

However, I think I've noticed PC games being released on Fridays. So because of that...

"Another gamer spotted a similar advertisement in Gameplay, a UK-retailer, which shows a February 3, 2012 release date."

...that date makes more sense to me.

That is my speculation for all of you guys.

 

[ShaneGunWolf]

Even now, I still don't know if I want to buy this game or not...

You know, 'cause "Always-On DRM" makes about as much sense as a talking lamp.

 

[Coldie]

The signs are legit. The date is not. (Also, Feburary?) Bashiok [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155734805407989764] has already [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155771778038382593] denied it. [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155773490904051712] Until the date is officially announced, it's all speculation. Maybe February 2013?

You know, 'cause "Always-On DRM" makes about as much sense as a talking lamp.

This again? The game has no "always-on DRM", it's an online game. Like WoW.

 

[Baresark]

That would be nice, then we can see an end to this pesky talk over the RMAH. We won't know if it messes up everything till after release, then don't forget about the mandatory server problems that are going to come. Definitely not picking this up on release, if at all. Time will tell though.

 

[Baresark]

The signs are legit. The date is not. (Also, Feburary?) Bashiok [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155734805407989764] has already [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155771778038382593] denied it. [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155773490904051712] Until the date is officially announced, it's all speculation. Maybe February 2013?

You know, 'cause "Always-On DRM" makes about as much sense as a talking lamp.

This again? The game has no "always-on DRM", it's an online game. Like WoW.

Lol, this again. It's not an online game like WoW, it's always on DRM. There is literally no pretense what so ever on the parts of Blizzard when it comes to this. This is a security measure. And they pad it out with the auction house, acting like that is a valuable feature to enhance gameplay, which it's not.

 

[Jadak]

3 Weeks, is that not it cutting kind of close??

Too close, with how prone Blizzard is to taking indefinite amounts of time to develop things, I don't see them getting anywhere near a time frame as short as 3 weeks before release without making an official announcement about it.

 

[Signa]

February is too soon to be the official date. You have to inform your customers long beforehand that a game is going to be released. 3 weeks isn't long enough.

 

[Plinglebob]

While I think 3 weeks does sound a bit too close, the sign looks a lot more like something Blizzard would make rather then Best Buy would knock up, and I'd doubt a chain as large as Best Buy would just make up a date for laughs.

February is too soon to be the official date. You have to inform your customers long beforehand that a game is going to be released. 3 weeks isn't long enough.

Like Starcraft 2, the people most likely to buy this on release day are those that have been following this game since it was announced/pre-ordered already so the short period wouldn't be an issue. Sadly I'll be playing Final Fantasy XIII-2 that weekend, but seeing as I'll get this for free I'm sure I'll survive.

 

[Tony2077]

well like i always do i wait till it shows up on the official website before i say its real

 

[Siege_TF]

Oh good I have time to save enough cash to buy a new laptop so I can play at work, so I can make money while I make money (dawg).

 

[ShaneGunWolf]

The signs are legit. The date is not. (Also, Feburary?) Bashiok [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155734805407989764] has already [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155771778038382593] denied it. [http://twitter.com/#!/Bashiok/status/155773490904051712] Until the date is officially announced, it's all speculation. Maybe February 2013?

You know, 'cause "Always-On DRM" makes about as much sense as a talking lamp.

This again? The game has no "always-on DRM", it's an online game. Like WoW.

Lol, this again. It's not an online game like WoW, it's always on DRM. There is literally no pretense what so ever on the parts of Blizzard when it comes to this. This is a security measure. And they pad it out with the auction house, acting like that is a valuable feature to enhance gameplay, which it's not.

Precisely why I don't know if I want to buy this or not. No doubt that my Internet connection isn't the greatest in the world, for starters.

 

[lRookiel]

Well, looks like Bestbuy is full of shit...

I reckon it will release on february 2nd :3