To all the avid fans out there, the 3rd of a series for Diablo will be released soon! Blizzard Entertainment is still indefinite on the release date but the company assured the awaiting players of a more fun, balanced and polished game, just like  the rest of Blizzard Entertainment games. Speaking of release, Blizzard plans for a simultaneous go in as many regions as possible, as well as localization of the game in several languages. More details will be revealed as the game nears its release, Blizzard added. And of course, the game will be shipped for both Windows and Mac simultaneously.

New things in Diablo III (http://www.blizzard.com):

• Exciting new classes like the witch doctor bring new gameplay options to the table. Returning classes, like the barbarian, have been completely redone with new skills to give them a feel unique to Diablo III. New customization options will provide for an even greater level of character specialization than the previous Diablo games, allowing the player to create unique characters brimming with power.

• Diablo III is powered by a new graphics engine that can display characters and hordes of monsters in lush, fully 3D environments. Powerful special-effects systems and Havok-powered physics allow the player to lay waste to the Hells’ minions in spectacular ways.

• Diablo III builds on the random environments of the previous Diablo games by introducing a host of new ways to create random scripted events throughout the game. This creates a dense and exciting world alive with quests, NPCs, dynamic encounters, and viciously challenging new monsters and bosses. Diablo III’s environments add a great deal of interactivity to the game, including destructible elements and environmental obstacles that can be turned against your enemies.

• In addition, Diablo III will benefit from Battle.net upgrades that will provide some exciting new features for players. Cooperative online play remains a primary focus, with multiple enhancements being planned to make connecting with your friends easier and cooperative gameplay even more fun. We’ll have more details on all these aspects as well as other exciting new features at a later date.

The new characters:

1. The Witch Doctor





Skills/Abilities:
- Firebomb
- Horrify
- Locust Swarm
- Mass Confusion
- Soul Harvest

2. The Barbarian (Renewed)

Skills/Abilities:
- Cleave
- Ground Stomp
- Leap
- Seismic Slam
- Whirlwind

There will be five (5) character classes to be included in the game where two of which, the barbarian and witch doctor are highlighted. Just like the previous series, players will be able to choose a gender for their game characters regardless of class.

Here is a brief storyline of Diablo III:

It has been twenty years since the events of Diablo II. Of those who faced the Lords of Hatred, Terror, and Destruction in the battle over the fate of Sanctuary, there are few still living who can bear to remember the horrors that the Prime Evils wrought upon the world. And of those who did not witness the terrible events firsthand, most believe the stories to be little more than myth. But something evil is stirring once again in Tristram, and it may already have claimed its first victim: Deckard Cain. (http://www.blizzard.com)

My first engagement (or addiction?) with Diablo game was sometime in the year 1998. The time when bugs are still prevalent and so, lots of exploits and cheats were abused. Until the expansion came into the scene, those bugs were virtually fixed and the game became more exciting and challenging. In my opinion, Diablo III must be coming with a bunch of great features to compete with the vast multitude of fast-growing games in the market. Just like the Starcraft II, Diablo III must be coming with a big boom.

But with all the glittering glories over the horizon, there are other important things that are undetermined still - the price and the system requirements.

So get your machines and pockets ready!

Note: All images used in this post are original uploads of http://www.blizzard.com. I take no ownership at any rate.