In an announcement on Battle.Net, Blizzard has revealed that they will be shutting down the Diablo III auction houses on March 18th, 2014. Players had been able to trade virtual gold and real money for various items for the game.
The auction house has been a pretty controversial feature ever since the launch of the real money houses in 2012. Jay Wilson, director behind Diablo III, even came out and disparaged the feature at a Gdc talk earlier in 2013. Wilson claimed that both of the auction houses “really hurt the game”. Blizzard even skipped including the feature on the recently released console versions of the title.
In their post on Battle.Net, Blizzard explained their reasoning behind this decision:
“When we initially designed and implemented the auction houses, the driving goal was to provide a convenient and secure system for trades, but as we’ve mentioned on different occasions, it became...
The auction house has been a pretty controversial feature ever since the launch of the real money houses in 2012. Jay Wilson, director behind Diablo III, even came out and disparaged the feature at a Gdc talk earlier in 2013. Wilson claimed that both of the auction houses “really hurt the game”. Blizzard even skipped including the feature on the recently released console versions of the title.
In their post on Battle.Net, Blizzard explained their reasoning behind this decision:
“When we initially designed and implemented the auction houses, the driving goal was to provide a convenient and secure system for trades, but as we’ve mentioned on different occasions, it became...
- 9/18/2013
- by Eric Hall
- We Got This Covered
1. Jay Wilson Leaves Diablo Development Team
It has been revealed this week that Jay Wilson will be leaving the Diablo development team. Jay, who was the director of Diablo 3 for seven years, has decided to work on other projects within Blizzard. Wilson was the subject of some controversy last year after it emerged he had made disparaging comments about the previous Diablo director David Brevik via his personal Facebook page. Regarding his departure from the team he stated "I've reached a point creatively where I'm looking forward to working on something new."
2. Killer Is Dead Trailer Released
Yesterday Grasshopper Manufacture Inc. released it's first trailer for it's new IP, Killer is Dead. Working with creative director Goichi Suda (Suda51), the game is set to follow the story of Mondo Zappa, an assassin working for Brian Execution Firm, hired to eliminate a series of criminals, cyborgs and monstrosities in a vibrant and visceral near-futurescape.
It has been revealed this week that Jay Wilson will be leaving the Diablo development team. Jay, who was the director of Diablo 3 for seven years, has decided to work on other projects within Blizzard. Wilson was the subject of some controversy last year after it emerged he had made disparaging comments about the previous Diablo director David Brevik via his personal Facebook page. Regarding his departure from the team he stated "I've reached a point creatively where I'm looking forward to working on something new."
2. Killer Is Dead Trailer Released
Yesterday Grasshopper Manufacture Inc. released it's first trailer for it's new IP, Killer is Dead. Working with creative director Goichi Suda (Suda51), the game is set to follow the story of Mondo Zappa, an assassin working for Brian Execution Firm, hired to eliminate a series of criminals, cyborgs and monstrosities in a vibrant and visceral near-futurescape.
- 1/18/2013
- Shadowlocked
Game Director Jay Wilson took to the Blizzard forums to address the planned Team Deathmatch update for "Diablo III"--specifically why there isn't going to be one. Citing a lack of depth, the developer is forgoing Tdm as a PvP mode in "Diablo III."
"Simply fighting each other with no other objectives or choices to make gets old relatively quickly," Wilson explained in today's post. "We've brought a lot of people in to try out Team Deathmatch and, while some found it entertaining, most of our testers didn't feel like it was something they'd want to do beyond a few hours. Without more varied objectives, or very lucrative rewards, few saw our current iteration as something they'd want spend a lot of time in."
The designers also felt that a hardcore Tdm game wouldn't hold up in terms of balance given the amount of tuning players are able to put...
"Simply fighting each other with no other objectives or choices to make gets old relatively quickly," Wilson explained in today's post. "We've brought a lot of people in to try out Team Deathmatch and, while some found it entertaining, most of our testers didn't feel like it was something they'd want to do beyond a few hours. Without more varied objectives, or very lucrative rewards, few saw our current iteration as something they'd want spend a lot of time in."
The designers also felt that a hardcore Tdm game wouldn't hold up in terms of balance given the amount of tuning players are able to put...
- 12/28/2012
- by Charles Webb
- MTV Multiplayer
If you were one of the many fans eagerly awaiting the team deathmatch addition to Diablo III, I've got some bad news for you. Blizzard's been showing it off at conventions and promising it since the early days of the game's release, but now they've given it the axe.
This is kind of a bummer. Diablo fans, who were disgruntled with the post-game aspect of the game, were looking forward to the team deathmatch as something to add more longevity. Sadly, it's just not going to happen. Jay Wilson posted a statement on Battle.net today explaining everything and how they still plan on bringing fresh content to the game:
So, our core problem is that our Team Deathmatch mode doesn't feel like a great addition to Diablo III. It's not up to the quality that Blizzard gamers expect or that we feel you deserve, and it doesn't really fit...
This is kind of a bummer. Diablo fans, who were disgruntled with the post-game aspect of the game, were looking forward to the team deathmatch as something to add more longevity. Sadly, it's just not going to happen. Jay Wilson posted a statement on Battle.net today explaining everything and how they still plan on bringing fresh content to the game:
So, our core problem is that our Team Deathmatch mode doesn't feel like a great addition to Diablo III. It's not up to the quality that Blizzard gamers expect or that we feel you deserve, and it doesn't really fit...
- 12/27/2012
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Jordan Maison)
- Cinelinx
By Joseph Leray
In patch 1.0.4, Blizzard will be introducing a new gameplay mechanic designed to reform DiabloIII’s endgame, according to a post on their blog. It’s called the Paragon system.
Paragon will do two things: it introduces a new, post-60 leveling system and tweaks the game’s Magic and Gold Find mechanics.
First things first: after hitting level 60, any experience accumulated will contribute to your Paragon level. Each Paragon level comes with bonuses to core stats, roughly similar to what a character would receive leveling normally.
There are 100 Paragon levels, and “the first Paragon level should take about as long as it took most players to get from level 59 to 60, and the experience requirement will rise from there,” writes Blizzard’s Jay Wilson. “The time to reach the upper Paragon levels approximates the long-term time investment required to get a level 99 character in Diablo II.”
To help you along the way,...
In patch 1.0.4, Blizzard will be introducing a new gameplay mechanic designed to reform DiabloIII’s endgame, according to a post on their blog. It’s called the Paragon system.
Paragon will do two things: it introduces a new, post-60 leveling system and tweaks the game’s Magic and Gold Find mechanics.
First things first: after hitting level 60, any experience accumulated will contribute to your Paragon level. Each Paragon level comes with bonuses to core stats, roughly similar to what a character would receive leveling normally.
There are 100 Paragon levels, and “the first Paragon level should take about as long as it took most players to get from level 59 to 60, and the experience requirement will rise from there,” writes Blizzard’s Jay Wilson. “The time to reach the upper Paragon levels approximates the long-term time investment required to get a level 99 character in Diablo II.”
To help you along the way,...
- 8/21/2012
- by MTV Video Games
- MTV Multiplayer
The project lead of Diablo 1 and 2, David Brevik, voiced his “mixed feelings” over the development of Diablo 3 yesterday, in an interview with incgamers.com. Now, Jay Wilson, game director of Diablo 3 stated on fellow Blizzard employee Chris Haga's Facebook post “F**k that loser”, regarding Brevik's comments.
In the interview, Brevik stated “I have very mixed emotions about it [Diablo 3]...I am sad because people are outraged and, you know, some of the decisions they have made are not the decisions I would make and there have been changes in philosophy and that hasn't gone over very well...I am also a little happy, which I hate to say, it shows that the people that were involved in Diablo really did matter, and so I am happy that it has come to light that how talented that group was and how unique and special that group was.”
Chris Haga technical artist...
In the interview, Brevik stated “I have very mixed emotions about it [Diablo 3]...I am sad because people are outraged and, you know, some of the decisions they have made are not the decisions I would make and there have been changes in philosophy and that hasn't gone over very well...I am also a little happy, which I hate to say, it shows that the people that were involved in Diablo really did matter, and so I am happy that it has come to light that how talented that group was and how unique and special that group was.”
Chris Haga technical artist...
- 8/20/2012
- Shadowlocked
Los Angeles (AP) — Is the Wii U right for you?
At last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Nintendo captured most of the spotlight by unveiling the Wii's successor, a high-definition console called the Wii U that utilizes a tablet-like touchscreen controller. Attention alone wasn't enough to declare a victory. Folks weren't, well, feeling it. Critical reaction was mixed, and the Japanese gaming giant's stock dropped.
"Nintendo has an uphill battle this year," said Morgan Webb, co-host of the G4 gaming show "X-Play." ''It's really a branding problem. I think a lot of people are still confused about the Wii U. They're going to have a hard time convincing people that this could be a better gaming experience than the iPad."
At this year's E3 convention in Los Angeles next week, Nintendo Co. will attempt to assuage such concerns by introducing gamers to titles that will be available for Wii U...
At last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Nintendo captured most of the spotlight by unveiling the Wii's successor, a high-definition console called the Wii U that utilizes a tablet-like touchscreen controller. Attention alone wasn't enough to declare a victory. Folks weren't, well, feeling it. Critical reaction was mixed, and the Japanese gaming giant's stock dropped.
"Nintendo has an uphill battle this year," said Morgan Webb, co-host of the G4 gaming show "X-Play." ''It's really a branding problem. I think a lot of people are still confused about the Wii U. They're going to have a hard time convincing people that this could be a better gaming experience than the iPad."
At this year's E3 convention in Los Angeles next week, Nintendo Co. will attempt to assuage such concerns by introducing gamers to titles that will be available for Wii U...
- 6/1/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Blizzard announced today that they still have no set release date for one of the most anticipated games of the year Diablo III. However, they did announce that the release date would be coming in the near future. We do know the game will be coming out in the second quarter of 2012 but as to an official date Blizzard still doesn’t know. Or at least won’t tell us.
Official forums director Jay Wilson had this to say:
“We think you’re going to love Diablo III when it’s released, Speaking of release plans, you can seriously expect a launch-date announcement from us in the near future. See, I didn’t say ‘soon,’ so I’m not taunting you. ;) You’ll know as soon as I know for sure the exact date. We get a lot of sympathy from the other teams because of the long hours of...
Official forums director Jay Wilson had this to say:
“We think you’re going to love Diablo III when it’s released, Speaking of release plans, you can seriously expect a launch-date announcement from us in the near future. See, I didn’t say ‘soon,’ so I’m not taunting you. ;) You’ll know as soon as I know for sure the exact date. We get a lot of sympathy from the other teams because of the long hours of...
- 2/24/2012
- by Matt Mann
- Obsessed with Film
Blizzard recently released their latest patch which implements a vast array of class tweaks, a Ui overhaul, but most importantly finally implements their much anticipated Runestone system in a new and improved way. Diablo 3 is definitely going to be worth the wait.
Runestones have now officially become Diablo 3′s, “rune skill system”. Originally planned to be items which, when placed in specific skill slots, allowed for the skill to bind with a devastating new affect. Imagine playing a barbarian, and unleashing a whirlwind attack, through in a rune skill that deals lava damage, and you’ll see volcanic rock and lava spew from your whirlwind of destruction. Many fans complained that this was the wrong choice.
The original Runestone system was designed as an accent to the combat, yet if they were a rare item, it could almost guarantee you may not see them for a long time in gameplay.
Runestones have now officially become Diablo 3′s, “rune skill system”. Originally planned to be items which, when placed in specific skill slots, allowed for the skill to bind with a devastating new affect. Imagine playing a barbarian, and unleashing a whirlwind attack, through in a rune skill that deals lava damage, and you’ll see volcanic rock and lava spew from your whirlwind of destruction. Many fans complained that this was the wrong choice.
The original Runestone system was designed as an accent to the combat, yet if they were a rare item, it could almost guarantee you may not see them for a long time in gameplay.
- 2/19/2012
- by Michael Shelton
- Obsessed with Film
Blizzard responds to player feedback from the beta with a series of updates and revisions to the wildly anticipated RPG.
I think it's fair to say that Blizzard's "release it when it's done" mantra in lieu of hard release dates isn't a feint for any kind of waffling on the part of the developer: it's usually clear that they're still in the guts of whatever game they're building at the time, moving things around and building an arguably better product. And so it goes with Diablo III which is maybe-probably coming out sometime this year, but Blizzard has some additional touches on the game after hearing from players who took part in the extended beta.
In a post over at the game's blog, lead designer Jay Wilson documents some of the many changes players can expect to see (and why the changes were made) including modifications to how scavenging works...
I think it's fair to say that Blizzard's "release it when it's done" mantra in lieu of hard release dates isn't a feint for any kind of waffling on the part of the developer: it's usually clear that they're still in the guts of whatever game they're building at the time, moving things around and building an arguably better product. And so it goes with Diablo III which is maybe-probably coming out sometime this year, but Blizzard has some additional touches on the game after hearing from players who took part in the extended beta.
In a post over at the game's blog, lead designer Jay Wilson documents some of the many changes players can expect to see (and why the changes were made) including modifications to how scavenging works...
- 1/20/2012
- by Charles Webb
- MTV Multiplayer
There has been speculation for several months now that Blizzard was working on a console version of their highly anticipated game Diablo 3. While the PC version of the game will be released early next year, a console version may follow but hasn’t yet been confirmed.
Here is what Diablo III director Jay Wilson had to say on the matter:
“We don’t want to port it. We want to build it for console. There’s a key difference. Certainly, a lot of things get brought over, but a port is trying to take a PC game and graft it onto a console. Our goal is to make a game that feels like it’s natively made made for a console. If we make it, we want it to feel like a Blizzard game and that we built it for that platform from the ground up
We are still in active exploring mode.
Here is what Diablo III director Jay Wilson had to say on the matter:
“We don’t want to port it. We want to build it for console. There’s a key difference. Certainly, a lot of things get brought over, but a port is trying to take a PC game and graft it onto a console. Our goal is to make a game that feels like it’s natively made made for a console. If we make it, we want it to feel like a Blizzard game and that we built it for that platform from the ground up
We are still in active exploring mode.
- 11/21/2011
- by Matt Mann
- Obsessed with Film
Diablo III is currently under testing for consoles, according to Blizzard game director Jay Wilson. Speaking with PC Gamer, Wilson revealed that Blizzard is testing Diablo III with a console controller and is very pleased with the results. "One of the reasons why we're exploring the idea of a console version of Diablo III is because we feel that the controls and the style of the game lend itself to a console," Wilson explained. "With some of our early experiments in putting a direct control scheme into the game via a 360-like analogue controller, I've been, 'Oh this feels even better, with direct control.'" (more)...
- 9/22/2011
- by By Scott Nichols
- Digital Spy
Diablo III will feature an advanced difficulty setting called 'Inferno', Blizzard Entertainment has announced. During a gamescom 2011 press conference, game director Jay Wilson confirmed that the advanced challenge level will include stronger enemies, as well as different rune and stats progression. Inferno mode will be available to players who have exceeded the level 60 cap, and feature foes ranked at level 61. Enemies will be "faster, stronger and tougher", and have had their aggression levels raised. The setting will also feature exclusive loot items and armours to collect. Players were also warned not to expect a ready supply of rune power-ups to be available in this (more)...
- 8/18/2011
- by By Mark Langshaw
- Digital Spy
Diablo III is still under consideration for home console, according to game director Jay Wilson. Speaking at Blizzard Entertainment's gamescom press conference, the studio executive said that the firm is "very, very serious" about "bringing the Diablo experience" to other formats. Wilson went on to say that Blizzard is currently seeking designers to help them take the game cross-platform. He described the development team vacancies as "dream" jobs. Reports that the sequel is in line for the console treatment first emerged last year, when Blizzard posted job listings (more)...
- 8/18/2011
- by By Mark Langshaw
- Digital Spy
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