Diablo 3 beta testing on its way

By Molly McHugh May 9, 2011

Last we heard, Blizzard was trying to find a console producer for Diablo 3, meaning when the thing was finally finished PC and console gamers alike would finally get their hands on the game. It was interesting news, but without a timetable or launch date of any sort, there hasn’t been too much to get excited about.

At least until today, when Blizzard’s CEO, Michael Morhaime, announced a beta version would be available sometime between July and September. That’s a pretty large window, but one fans are likely to rejoice at considering that Diablo 3 was first announced nearly three years ago.

“The game is looking great,” Morhaime said in Activision’s earnings conference call this morning according to Kotaku, “and we’re currently aiming at a third quarter launch for external beta testing.” Internal testing began last week.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean we’re any closer to a product launch, which Morhaime confirmed: “I want to be clear that we do not have an official release date or window yet.” All the more reason to register at Battle.net – invitations to join the beta testing group will be sent out to various lucky members.

Diablo 3 game director Jay Wilson told the New York Times last month “We’re crunching. This is when the magic happens.” The company has explained the delay numerous times, claiming it will avoid any deadlines that sacrifice the game’s quality.

Blizzard’s annual event, BlizzCon is scheduled for October 22–23, which would be the perfect time to announce the release window for Diablo 3, but if Blizzard has taught us anything, it is that they won’t be rushed–just ask StarCraft fans.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…

Gaming

The best field upgrades for Modern Warfare 3 Zombies

A man holding a mysterious glowing vial.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Zombies mode puts a slight twist on the mechanics you are already familiar with. It now plays much more like a souped-up DMZ mode rather than its old round-based format. And Field Upgrades have been modified in terms of both their effects and how you get them just for this game type. There are six different Field Upgrades you can bring into the map and use on a cooldown timer to help improve your chances of survival, but you can only pick one at a time. You will begin the game with only one option, but steadily unlock the rest as you level up. Once you have them all, the question then becomes which is the best Field Upgrade? We've managed to exfiltrate with the answer.

Healing Aura
Regardless of whether or not you're playing with a team or running solo, Healing Aura is no doubt the best Field Upgrade to bring on any Zombie run. When activated, you and any teammates in the area will not only gain immediate healing, but it will also instantly revive any downed teammates. The downside to all this power is that this upgrade has the slowest recharge time and is unlocked at level 19.
Aether Shroud
This is another upgrade that you will be glad to have. Aether Shroud makes you you temporary invisibile to all Zombies. This won't make you invincible, mind you, and PMCs can still take shots, but if you're getting swarmed and have no way to escape, becoming instantly invisible to a bloodthirsty pack of zombies can save your skin more often than you think. This upgrade has a medium recharge rate and is unlocked when you hit level 39.
Frenzied Guard
Just past the halfway mark, Frenzied Guard has a massive upside, but not without some risk. When you pop this Field Upgrade, you instantly repair all your armor, but also draw all the aggression of any enemy nearby for 10 seconds. However, another perk is that anything you kill during this time also repairs your armor, so situationally, it can be great or detrimental. This one recharges slowly, unlocking at level 9.
Frost Blast
Frost Blast does exactly what you expect: it fires a freezing blast that will slow down any enemy you hit with it and deal a bit of damage. It's decent in a pinch, but not a game-changer. You can get it when you hit level 29.
Tesla Storm
An odd ability on paper, Tesla Storm is only good if you have a team working together. Activating it will create a lightning chain between you and your team that will damage and stun enemies that get close to any one of you. It lasts for 10 seconds and can be great in the final moments while holding out for an extraction, but not in other situations. It recharges slowly and is the last upgrade you unlock at level 50.
Energy Mine
This is your default Field Upgrade, so it makes sense that it's the "worst" on the list. Energy Mine isn't exactly bad; you simply lay down a mine that does what a mine does -- explodes. It's just that setting up traps like this in Zombies isn't all that applicable except when kiting a boss around or waiting for the helicopter. It has a medium recharge speed.

Gaming

Modern Warfare 3 Zombies: Mercenary Convoy guide

Soldiers in a car driving and shooting zombies.

The old format of Zombies has been left behind in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in favor of a more open-world, objective-based take on the undead survival game type. This time, you will squad up and drop into a map with specific objectives you can choose to complete to earn tons of XP, while also pushing the narrative forward and unlocking new, more difficult tasks to take on. The early-tier missions are generally very simple, but in Act 1, you will be given the objective to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy somewhere on the map. This sounds easy enough on paper until you realize you have no idea where this convey is or how to find it. Every run in Zombies risks losing all your hard-earned progress, so we'll lead you to the Mercenary Convoy to take it out before the zombies even know you were there.
How to find the Mercenary Convoy

Your first challenge will be to find this Mercenary Convoy. The problem here is twofold: first is that it isn't marked on your map in any way, and second is that, being a convoy, it is mobile. Once you land, you and your team should find the nearest vehicle and head toward the center of the map. Depending on how the threat levels are on your particular map, you are looking for roads and highways that are around the medium-threat level zone. You will have to patrol these roads until you come across the convoy, which only consists of three vehicles. Once you are in range, it does appear on your map to let you know you've found it.

Gaming

How to rank up fast in Modern Warfare 3: best ways to farm XP

A soldier with a shotgun in Modern Warfare 3.

Every year when the new Call of Duty title drops, the playing field is once again reset as everyone needs to start grinding back up the ranks. Fully embracing the RPG elements, Modern Warfare 3 once again allows you to earn XP as you play match after match to rank up your character, with each rank not only bringing you closer to hitting prestige but also unlocking new options for your chosen operator. Your player rank is unique from your weapon levels and can take a lot longer to grind if you don't know the most efficient methods. If you want to fast-track your career through the ranks, here are the fastest ways to earn XP in Modern Warfare 3.
How to earn XP fast in Modern Warfare 3
There's basically no way you can play Modern Warfare 3 without earning XP, but some modes and methods can earn you double (or more) what you could if you were just playing without a plan.
Play the objective

We all love playing team deathmatch or any other mode where all you need to worry about is being the one to shoot first. However, if you want to earn that sweet XP fast, you need to choose one of the objective modes like Domination, Hardpoint, Ground War, or even Kill Confirmed. Not only do you get XP for killing enemies, but the amount you get on top of that for playing the objective can make up the bulk of your XP gain. This is especially true if you're not at the top of your game and end up dying more than you kill since you have another method to contribute. Also, objective modes grant you an XP bonus just for finishing the match.
Always work towards daily and weapon challenges