DIABLO III Release Date Set: May 15th

After a wait of nearly 12 years, the incredibly addicting PC/PlayStation game from the late 90's is back for a third installment.  Blizzard Entertainment announced Thursday, that Diablo III, the next chapter in its critically acclaimed action role-playing game series, will be unleashed from the Burning Hells on May 15.

Starting that day, gamers with a thirst for fast-paced action and adventure will be able to purchase Diablo III at retailers or in select countries; digitally via Blizzard’s Battle.net website.

Blizzard also kicked off global digital pre-sales for Diablo III Thursday. Would-be wizards, witch doctors, demon hunters, barbarians, and monks throughout the world should click here to reserve digital copies. In a press release Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment gushed about his team:

“After many years of hard work by our development team and months of beta testing by hundreds of thousands of dedicated players around the world, we’re now in the homestretch. We look forward to putting the final polish on Diablo III over the next two months and delivering the ultimate action-RPG experience to gamers worldwide starting on May 15.”

Diablo III will be available for Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7 and Macintosh for $59.99. A special alabaster-white Collector’s Edition that includes the full game on DVD-ROM, a behind-the-scenes Blu-ray/DVD two-disc set, the Diablo III soundtrack CD, a 208-page Art of Diablo III book, and a 4 GB USB soulstone (including full versions of Diablo II and Diablo II: Lord of Destruction) and Diablo skull base will retail at $99.99.

In Diablo III, players take on the role of one of five heroic characters -- barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk, or demon hunter -- and engage in pulse-pounding combat with endless legions of evil. As they undertake an epic quest to rid Sanctuary from the corrupting forces of the Burning Hells, players will explore diverse and perilous settings, grow in experience and ability, acquire artifacts of incredible power, and meet key characters who’ll join them in battle or aid them in other ways.