The most recent tempest in a
Diablo III-shaped teapot has been community manager
Bashiok making a statement to fans
urging them to lower their expectations for the game. Director
Jay Wilson decided that this was worth a direct reply and stated
in a recent open letter to the community that Bashiok's statements were "obviously sarcastic" and that the team does want fan expectations to remain high. The letter stresses that the development staff is quite happy with the game as it continues development and the current internally tested build in a better state than the beta.
Wilson goes on to claim that fans can expect a release date announcement in the near future, avoiding the dreaded
Blizzard incarnation of "soon." Given his appraisal of the beta state, we suspect that the game will be heading for a retail edition before too long, at which point players will be able to decide for themselves whether or not their expectations were met.
