I just got back from E3, where we had a good showing of the PlayStation 3 version of Diablo III and announced some cool PS3-exclusive items for the game. The excitement and energy of the show reminded me of a time when people actually left the house to play videogames. Yes, I’m talking about arcades: magical places filled with vibrant colors, flashing lights, and the never-ending clink-clink-clink of tokens cascading out of a change machine. There you could find the latest and greatest games—and people to play them with. Arcades were a uniquely social experience. You could hang out and have fun with friends, or you could make new ones while bonding over joysticks.
When we decided to bring Diablo III to console platforms, we wanted our four-player co-op to allow for the same spirit of fun that thrived in arcades. Our game had to allow for equal parts teamwork and trash talking, sweaty-palmed intensity and lighthearted mass destruction. You might remember Gauntlet, the iconic dungeon crawler that helped change the face of cooperative gaming with four players on the same screen, killing monsters as the Warrior, Elf, Valkyrie, and Wizard. Thanks to Gauntlet and other popular arcade hits, gamers fell in love with co-op play. That’s the same kind of fun we’re going for with the console version of Diablo III. Four friends on the same couch, working together to slaughter endless hordes of demons, collecting loot, and having a great time — it doesn’t get any better.
We were psyched about bringing Diablo III to consoles because we could potentially create some lasting memories for a whole new group of gamers around the world, but we needed to put in some serious work to make it happen. One thing we wanted to do was highlight the action on big screen televisions, without splitting that real estate into four little screens, so we created a new camera system that stays closer to the action, making it easier to see the animation in combat, where our characters really shine.
We also wanted to really drive home the feeling of control you got with other great action games. We decided to eliminate the pathing approach required by an indirect mouse-and-keyboard interface and introduced direct character control and an Evade command on the right analog stick, putting full tactical positioning into players’ hands. We had to work on this again and again until it just felt right.
When our team took the stage at the PlayStation booth during E3, we wanted players to see exactly what makes Diablo III the perfect fit for a night of gaming. Massacring a screen full of demons with your friends and racking up a ludicrous number of kills… we don’t think there’s anything else quite like it out there. I hope that once you have your hands on it, you’ll agree.
We’re psyched that Diablo III is coming to PlayStation 3 this summer, and can’t wait for players to round up their friends for some classic “pick up and slay” action.
Just make sure to order pizza… “Wizard needs food, badly!”
Where’s the PS plus update, monkeys?
5PM EST and no + update. This pretty much confirms it’l be an awful month.
I honestly can’t wait for Diablo 3 on PS3. The franchises return to consoles is LONG overdue. Contrary to the belifs of most PC gamers, this genre is BETTER on consoles where the genre was born with games like Bard’s Tale and Gauntlet. (ok it was arcades first but on consoles first for home). Controlling your character in real time is just better, and more stress reliving entertainment than point n’ clicking your way through a long session. D1 was better on PS1, BG wasn’t better but as more fun to play on consoles, Dragon Age would have been better on consoles if they didn’t remove the isometric view, Sacred 2 was WAY better to play on consoles…………the genre simply belongs on consoles and shame on you guys at Blizzard (as much as i love you) for not bringing D2 for consoles last gen.
I’m pre-ordering soon, but there is one major change I’d like to see made to the console controls. Dodge on Rstick is a good idea. But I’d like that tweaked to only dodge if you’re holding block. Because on consoles his genre NEEDS a rotatable and zoomable camera on the right stick otherwise it’s more tedious on the eyes and for orientation. I bought Dungeon Hunter butstopped playing because I couldn’t rotate the camera.
No BF3 = unsubscirbe and subscribe EU PS+
I’m still hoping for Diablo 3 on vita! As for PS Plus update…after having a big article on how this is the 1 yr anniversary of the Instant Game Collection…it would be pretty embarrassing if the release junk this month, even though last month was the BOMB!
Oh and just one other thing that imo is important for specifically the PS3 version which you may easily overlook, is to PLEASE enable custom soundtracks for PS3. It has to be enabled by the developer on PS3, and is crucial for a game like Diablo which will have fans grinding for hundreds of hours. Sony can give you the small piece of code required to enable custom music. It would really be appreciated if you could make that happen along with a free moving camera on the right stick which changes to dodge if you’re holding block.
Either way, thanks for finally bringing Diablo back to consoles, where imo…….it belongs.
W
H
E
R
E
I
S
T
H
E
P
L
U
S
U
P
D
A
T
E
I
T
S
5
:
3
0
!
I’m curious would getting Diablo 3 on the Playstation 3 mean that it’s qualified for a collectors edition like it was on the PC? I would like that very much, plus it would be different from the one that released on PC.
Any plans to release Diablo 3 on the Vita sometime in the future?
I am stoked about this console version of Diablo III! I appreciate you guys at Blizzard reworking the PC formula to make the game work for consoles. As an arcade guy myself, I miss that local social interaction that comes with multiplayer. Gathering your inspiration from arcade games like Gauntlet really hits home for me!
You mentioned this new camera mode for multiplayer and big HDTV’s… I happen to have a smaller HDTV. Will the HUD, menu, and gameplay visuals be too small to see?
Thanks for the update!
And speaking about this genre and shaming developers for letting the genre slip this gen after being so great and popular last gen………… Shame on YOU Sony (not serious……but kinda am) for not pushing SOE on a Champions of Norrath as their first PS3 project this gen. Champions was incredible, Return to Arms was magnitudes better, and I salivated thinking of a PS3 Champions for YEARS, until much like a PS3 Monster Hunter, I eventually stopped having wet dreams about.
Those are my 2 biggest diappointments with PS3…………..never getting those 2 games. I could cry thinking about what could have been with those two franchises this gen that just went to waste. You’ve earned my forgiveness many times over, Sony. But I’ll never forgive Capcom.
/end rant
I want the PS4 version :D
What about playing online with 3 other people? And thank you guys for direct control and evasion with the right analog stick.
I don’t think I’ve ever played any of this series. I might give it a try one day since it’s coming to PS3.
Too many whiny babies in the comment section. Shut up little girls.
@ Darth-Krayt: You do realise that there’s no way they could do a rotating camera, right? They didn’t design the environments to be viewed from 360 degrees. They would basically have to create a whole new game in order to add camera rotation. And unless I missed the announcement of them making it a feature in the console release, there IS NO BLOCK function in the game. So there’s no way to make the evade work when you hold down block.
Two of the other big lootfest games I hear people compare to D3, Torchlight 2 and Path of Exile, don’t have rotating cameras, either. It allows the devs to save on environment real estate, because they only have to design everything to be viewed from one angle.
(1/2)
(2/2)
But I agree with your other two posts. After my first run through the game, I have since muted all sound, and play it with my own music in the background. They should really enable custom soundtracks on both systems.
And I’m equally saddened by the almost entire lack of ARPGs on the PS3. I mean, we got Sacred 2, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom and Dungeon Siege 3, and a bunch of smaller scale, low budget-y ARPGs on PSN, but we’ve really been shortchanged on large scale, retail ARPGs this gen. I hope Sony has plans to turn this around next gen.
Now it looks really more interesting!!! I do miss old times playing next to my fellow friends!!!!… Not online, just sitting next to them, drinking beer, screaming, cursing them if they played something wrong or stuff like that!.
Just for this feature i will buy it!!!, probably just in PS3, i don’t think that PS4 will have major differences.
Cough cough VITA VERSION cough…..
Any news on if the PS4 version will be available at launch? I’d really love to pick it up with my PS4.
please consider a version for the vita as well
does the ps3/ps4 editions of diablo 3 use battle.net for multiplayer co-op.
Sorry but im buying the ps4 version. let me know when u announce something for ps4 then i will care. and believe me that i care about this game a lot less after knowing its coming to 360 too.
I pre-ordered this game on PS3 the minute I had the chance. I don’t care what anyone says, this game is going to be awesome! Diablo on PS1 is one of my all-time favorite games because of the random dungeons and the local multiplayer options.
It would be nice if someone could give specifics on the whole PS3 vs PS4 questions. Specifically, whether we will be able to switch PS3 characters over to the PS4 eventually if we want to make the upgrade. It would also be nice if a PS4 code would be included in all PS3 versions, but I have a feeling that’s just wishful thinking.
Thanks for bringing Diablo back to consoles!
Sony needs to throw money at Blizzard and get this ported to the Vita. It would be HUGE.
Would it be possible to implement additional control schemes?
Such as those with arcade fight sticks, I imagine using arcade fight sticks and doing a double tap on the lever (similar to back step in 2D fighting game) to evade would be a better direct control than using right analog stick on dual shock.
I’ve had my fair share of Diablo 3 on PC, i can hardly wait to restart my addiction on the PS3/PS4 version hehe :)) all for the best. Anyways, can someone tell me if this link is genuine or not? As i neec one account for my brother to play together with his friends. I find it pretty interesting Diablo 3 crack