After "driving hard" for a late 2011 release and later promising an "early 2012" launch for highly anticipated PC RPG Diablo 3, Blizzard has finally begun taking preorders for the game ahead of a solid May 15 launch date.
In addition to the $59.99 standard edition, available at retail and for direct download, a $99.99 retail special edition of the game includes a soundtrack CD, a behind-the-scenes DVD/Blu-ray combo, a 208-page art book, and a USB "soulstone" with full copies of the first two Diablo games along with "exclusive content" for Diablo III and other Blizzard games.
Over 1 million World of Warcraft subscribers with a prepaid annual pass will receive a free digital copy of the game at launch, as will anyone who signs up for such a pass by May 1.
Blizzard CEO and cofounder Mike Morhaime said the team is excited to be putting the "final polish" on the game during the "home stretch" before release, following a closed beta test that started last September.
The May 15 launch date applies to retail and digital editions available in the United States, Canada, Europe, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Players in Russia, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil will have to wait until June 7 to return to Tristram, and Latin American countries will only be able to download the game from Battle.net.
