View source for Diablo III release date

Diablo III's final release date of May 15, 2012 was announced two months beforehand,<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-info-on-the-beta-end-date-release-date-and-d3s-full-game-demo Release dates are revealed about two months in advance] -  Blue Forum Post, 1/8/12</ref> on March 15, 2012.. This date came after years of development and numerous delays, which pushed the game from Q4 2011 back to Q1 2012, and finally Q2 2012 when the release came at last.

Though the game took longer than expected, there was never any official date until the official May 15, 2012 date, which was achieved. All previous dates were estimates by retailers<ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/bashiok-comments-on-store-release-dates-again Blizzard does not tell retailers release dates in advance] -  Blue Forum Post, 1/9/12</ref> or media and were unofficial, though the developers did offer several "release windows" such as "the second half of 2011" that they were aiming for all during the previous year.

As with all hotly-awaited Blizzard games, there were years of news and rumors about when Diablo 3 would finally see the light of day.
* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/categories/category/release-date/ News items related to Diablo 3's] release date.
* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/586 Screenshot gallery of] (incorrect) estimated release dates.