Diablo 3 launched at midnight on the 15th, and I was one of many to be there waiting for my collector’s edition as the clock struck twelve. Since then I’ve been playing, and to be quite honest I am thoroughly impressed with what the new installment of the Diablo series has to offer. While I’m not too big on the updated graphics being WOW-ish cartoony, they still capture a dark environment and are quite good at conveying the mood that is the realm of Sanctuary. While I haven’t had a chance to partake of the new auction house that now features real money (item/gold farmers are squealing in excitement), I have had the chance to experience some slow latency.

Now, this wouldn’t be an issue if I was playing WOW. I’m quite used to being bummed out because I get home from work and I can’t start playing because the server is under maintenance, or the connection is just downright sluggish due to everyone logging on at once. However, I’ve yet to group up with some fellow questers and so far I’m essentially playing single player. Yet for some odd reason, I have to be online to do so. I get it. You don’t want people editing their characters and making home-made armor like Chuck Testa’s Helm of Nope (which I loved to do in SP D2). But why do you care if people edit and twear their single player experience? Isn’t that what open BNet was back in the day anyway? Furthermore, why should I be required to be connected and be at the mercy of the server gods to play by myself? I should have the option to play my SP characters, then play my MP characters if I want to.

Blizzard games are some of the only that I will actually spend money on, yet here they are with DRM that cripples my SP experience and makes SP a cruel impersonation of my WOW server woes. Even Starcraft 2 required an internet connection, but allowed you to play offline as well. Come on Blizzard, fix the connection issue and DRM crap and let me have my SP experience separate from my online experience. Boba Fett’s Diablo 2 character editor compels you to.

For the starting price of $99, consumers can purchase the 4GB Xbox 360 Model that also comes with the Kinect accessory. This is followed by a two year commitment plan, which costs fifteen dollars per month, the includes an Xbox Live Gold Membership.

By comparison, the plan works better for consumers in the short run, by charging $200 less up front, instead of the retail price of $299. However, after the two years are up, purchasers will have spent $460 overall, as opposed to paying for the 4GB model with Kinect and buying two years worth of Xbox Live seperately ($420).  The extra $40 paid in the long run doesn’t make this plan an immediate shut out.

Currently, the plan is only available for purchase at your local Microsoft Store (all 21 of them nationwide), and no other retailers have posted the commitment plan on their websites or commented on whether or not they would carry this deal in store. Microsoft is playing it safe by starting this service plan in their own backyard before going further with other retailers.

Think this is change could affect future console sales for the next generation for the better? Or will the video game market become too nervous to enter into a commitment with their console? Voice your opinion in the comments below!

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

No MOAB, No Nuke, but they are keeping kill confirmed, hell yeah!
Game Modes

Escort, a new game mode similar to Search and Destroy however a live player must be escorted to one of three areas (or two depending on the map) without being killed. The match will have rounds, consisting of one life only.
Drop Zone and Kill Confirmed will return
Team Defender and Infected will not return

Pointstreaks

Will follow from Modern Warfare 3’s system
Larger emphasis on objectives
A bomb plant is worth 2 points
A neutral flag is worth 1, however an enemy flag is worth 2
A flag assist capture is worth 1, a capture is worth 2
The Specialist Pointstreak has be modified
2 kills now gets you 1 perk
The 4th kill gets you 2 more perks
The 6th kill gets you 3 more perks
The 8th Kill gets you 4 more perks
You do not get every perk when you reach 8 kills
Perks only become “Pro” when you have them Pro
RC XD will not return

Heat vision

Is a new Pointstreak reward
When you get the required points, you can activate this Pointstreak and your player pulls out a scope and attaches it to your weapon.
This scopes main advantage is it’s ability to detect enemies through most walls.
Note, the scope can only be attached to primaries not including shotguns

Item Packages

Requires 5 points
Fall along side care packages and air drop traps.
Features a list of package items only
Including ammo, mini gun, grenade launcher, rocket launcher, and body armor

Prestiges

There will be 15 prestiges
There will be 50 ranks
Every two prestiges there is a 5 rank increase
The final prestige has 90 levels

ELITE 2.0

ELITE is being fully incorporated into Black Ops 2
Combat record has been modified and re-named as ELITE Stats
There will be a specific lobby for clan matches (new way of leveling clans)
Clan Tournaments can now be implemented

Removed

No MOAB or Nuke
No last stand
No death streaks
No flame thrower attachment

Map Design

Map design and size will be following Black Ops not Modern Warfare 3

Sniper Rifles

Improved sniper rifle usage.
No aim assist for any sniper rifle.
Less sway

Customization

No longer just perk 1 chooses the players appearance
Appearance is a combination of all perks and type of Pointstreak being used.

Hardcore

Larger emphasis on hardcore than ever before
No grenade launchers
Only vehicle guided rocket launchers permitted
Respawn timings decreased (for most modes)
1 bullet in the foot will no longer kill a person, a head or chest shot is usually required.
A person will now bleed out if severely injured.

Perk System 2.0

The Perk Pro system has been upgraded
There is now 2 options a perk can advance to.
Both require different challenges to unlock
Once the desired Pro version is unlocked, the player can select that as their “Perk Pro”.
Once selected, the only way to choose the other option is by entering prestige mode.
For example Perk slot 1 has the perk called Speed
Speed – Reduces the time taken to aim down the sight
Pro I – Swaps weapons faster
Pro II – Throws equipment faster

Combat Training

Will be returning with vast improvements.
Difficulty is no longer based on how long the bots take to start shooting.
Bots now have an advance AI system
Similar to the behavior seen in the MW3 Spec Ops survival

With the cuts THQ has decided to change the design of the new MMO Warhammer 40k Dark Millennium to a single player game with some multiplayer aspects. It think this is a much better direction. Space Marine was a great title for them, and the market is flooded with MMO’s right now. To release a sub par MMO into the market vs WOW and TOR is a death sentence to your franchise.

THQ comments on the matter:
“As previously announced, we have been actively looking for a business partner for the game as an MMO. However, based on changing market dynamics and the additional investment required to complete the game as an MMO, we believe the right direction for us is to shift the title from an MMO to a premium experience with single and multiplayer gameplay, robust digital content and community features,” said Brian Farrell, President and CEO of THQ Inc. “Because we believe strongly in the high-quality and vast creative work that is in production, this is the right decision for both our portfolio and for gamers devoted to this powerful property.”

Rumors are that US video game retailer GAMESTOP is interested in buying out the company, and would certainly expand its foothold in Europe and Australia. The Royal Bank of Scotland has also shown interest in buying up whats left of the company. The hard part for GAME will be convincing potential buyers that they are still worth keeping, and that buying them will be a profitable move.

As brick and mortar stores become less and less popular in the digital age, is this something we are going to see more of? When everything can be done sitting at your computer from home through digital distribution, in a world where almost everyone has high speed internet, and with gas prices climbing every day, how many of us are going to continue to drive to the store to buy something when we can purchase it online and download from the comfort of our home?

I know many of us here at the Throwdown have been incredibly excited for the launch of this title, especially since it has been almost 12 years since Diablo 2 was released. Although as a big Max Payne fan, which was delayed from March to May to avoid sharing the spotlight with Mass Effect 3, all I can think is, “It’s gonna get delayed again isn’t it?”

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.