Diablo III will be available in "early 2012", Blizzard has announced. This is the first time the game has had any launch window, as the developer has remained hesitant to set a date despite hope from partner Activision that the game would see release before the end of the calendar year.
Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime issued an official statement explaining the decision:
"With every game we make, the temptation is always very strong to launch as soon as possible. However, we didn't put so many years of work into Diablo III to release a game that was almost ready. The beta test is going very well, and we look forward to making the most of the extra time we're taking to deliver an experience that lives up to our vision for the game and the expectations of our players. Next year is going to be an incredibly busy one for Blizzard, and we hope an incredibly fun one for Blizzard gamers."
The beta test, which kicked off earlier this week, will be expanded in the months leading up to the full release. Anyone with a Battle.net account linked to at least one Blizzard game will be able to opt in for a chance at early access. Judging by what Gameranx's Lead Editor Ian Miles Cheong has told me about the beta, you'll want to do that. Now.
