Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue

X
News

Diablo III PlayStation 3 Preorders Open With Bonus Incentive

by Mike Futter on Apr 29, 2013 at 12:15 PM

Blizzard's appearance on stage with Sony for the PlayStation 4 reveal in February brought to a close the speculation regarding a console version of Diablo III. Now, players who have been waiting to play without being online are one step closer to fulfilling that dream. Starting today, Diablo III is available for pre-order, with a release coming this fall.

Getting in on the first wave (via pre-order) will net players an experience-boosting Infernal Helm. There will be retailer-specific items also, but those have not yet been detailed. No specific release date has been set, but the game will retail for $59.99. 

Gameplay has been tweaked to enable local cooperative play in addition to online questing. Boss battles have been tweaked, and Battle.net will be absent. The console version puts players in more direct control of their characters as opposed to the mouse click-driven play on PC and Mac.

The full press release is on the following page.

 

IRVINE, Calif.—April 29, 2013—PlayStation® gamers, the time has come to prepare for your confrontation with the Lord of Terror. Select retailers around the world have now begun taking preorders for the upcoming PlayStation®3 system version of Diablo® III—see the official website for a list of participating retailers. Fully reimagined for couch-based gaming, Diablo III for PS3 will go on sale later this year for a suggested retail price of $59.99. Further release details, including region-specific availability, will be announced at a later date.

Players who preorder the PS3 version of Diablo III will receive an exclusive in-game item: the Infernal Helm, which grants an experience point boost to any character who wears it, accelerating their progression as they rise in power. Certain retailers will also offer limited-edition preorder bonuses—check with your local retailer for further information. The PS3 version of Diablo III will be available fully localized in English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Polish, and Brazilian Portuguese.

“We’ve poured blood, sweat, and hellfire into creating an epic Diablo III experience for PlayStation gamers,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “In addition to including all the improvements from the PC version over the past year, we’ve made several updates to Diablo III for play on the PS3. We got a ton of positive feedback from players who tried the game at PAX East, and we can’t wait to get it into everyone’s hands later this year.”

The PS3 version of Diablo III has been custom-tailored for PlayStation gamers, with updates to the game’s thrilling boss battles, an all-new user interface featuring an intuitive control system, and a dynamic camera perspective that will make vanquishing evil feel like second nature on the PlayStation. Players can take on the vile denizens of the Burning Hells alone or in a party of up to four via same-screen local cooperative play, online play over the PlayStation Network, or any combination of  online or local players. Once gamers experience the rush of Diablo III’s unique brand of hack-and-slash gameplay from the comfort of their couch, Sanctuary will never be the same.

Diablo III continues the epic Diablo storyline, with players taking on the role of one of five heroic characters—barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk, or demon hunter—embarking on a perilous quest to save the world of Sanctuary from the corrupting forces of the Burning Hells. As players make their way from the demon-besieged town of New Tristram to the Diamond Gates of the High Heavens, they’ll engage in pulse-pounding combat with hordes of monsters and challenging bosses, grow in experience and ability, acquire artifacts of incredible power, and meet key characters who’ll join them in battle or aid them along the way.

Diablo III was originally released for Windows® and Macintosh® PC on May 15, 2012 and within 24 hours became the fastest-selling PC game of all time. As of December 31, 2012, Diablo III had sold through more than 12 million copies worldwide.* To learn more about Diablo III, please visit the official website at http://www.diablo3.com.

With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available—visit http://jobs.blizzard.com for more information and to learn how to apply.