Chat Channels were a big part of the [[Battle.net]] experience for Diablo 1 and Diablo 2. They will return to Battle.net in Diablo III, but only in public and private channel form; ones that players can create and use for themselves, their friends, or their guild. [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-great-chat-controversy/] There are no plans for public, open chat channels in (public or private) available during the Diablo IIIBeta, so nothing is yet known about their appearance or function.
The Aside from Battle.net chat channels, players can use their Battle.net [[Friends List]] provides some utility as a chat clientfor communication, but only with people already on their list; it's designed to keep in touch with players you already know; not as a way tool to meet new people online. Due Official and fan forums are also useful tools for advertising item sales or meeting new friends to the absence[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/chat-channels-remain-in-diablo-3] play with, and there are unofficial means of public live chat channels, many Diablo 3 players use other methods, such as player match-up forums, or the [http://diablo.incgamers.com/diablo-3-irc live IRC chat] run by fansite Diablo.IncGamers.com.
==Chat Channels for Diablo III==
Blizzard intended to phase chat channels out of B.net with their newer games, starting with Starcraft 2. They did not include chat channels in the design, and resisted adding them until continuous player requests wore them down. Chat channels were not supported during the beta or upon launch in July, but by October 2010 they were said after huge fan complaints the developers agreed to be well under development, and include them. They were finally implemented into Starcraft 2not ready for the game's Battle.net experience about six launch, but several months after the gameStarcraft 2's release. they were added in[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/d3-will-have-chat-channels-on-battle.net/], though many fans strongly dislike their implementation.
There were no During comments on the Starcraft 2 chat channels available during the Diablo III betachannel controversy, but [[Bashiok]] confirmed said they would be included in Diablo III as well. This guarantee seemed to be in doubt in early February 2012, when Bashiok said that non-public only private chat channels were still a planned feature for the game in February 2012.would be present,[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/chat-channels-remain-in-diablo-3]much as they are in Starcraft 2.
<blue>They’re in there right now. Unless people are expecting general open channels? We’ve consistently said we won’t have those.</blue>
The absence Immediate fan pushback spurred Bashiok to further explain why this feature was removed. [http://blues.incgamers.com/Posts/10/1/40/819/147519/the-lack-of -a-general-chat-just-sucks#postId_399627] <blue>As far as having open public channels, there’s far more negative to them than positive and we maintain a stance that creating an open chat environment without a social structure behind it is an invitation for moderation and support disasters. Most people that want chat channels though are referring to guild channels , or otherwise channels they themselves can operate and choose to invite others to, and we see those as completely valid forms of chat (ones there’s a social structure backing the channel). As I said, back in September, it’s unlikely to be anything we attain for ship, but the social group-type chat features are still very much a desire for the future. </blue> This policy decision prompted massive fan outcry, with fifty-page comment threads sprouting on Battle.net and angry editorials[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-great-chat-controversy/] on fansites. After several days of this, Bashiok announced that are open there were public chat channels after all , and that he'd been in error when he said they had been removed from the game. [http://blues.incgamers.com/Posts/10/1/40/819/147849/the time -lack-of-general-chat-just-sucks-contx2#postId_400451] <blue>Soooooo... hey everyone. How’s it going? Good? Weather ok? Great… so, right… You know how sometimes you say something that’s stupid and wrong and then people very reasonably get upset and not created by players) was not create a popular featurelot of threads and discussions and demands with some pretty reasonable reasons for the thing you said wouldn’t happen but then it turns out that you’re stupid and wrong and the things you said are completely the opposite of what’s actually true? Yeah. So that happened. Public chat channels will be in Diablo III, barring any catastrophe that requires we remove them, because they’re already implemented. In fact they’ll be in an upcoming beta patch so you’ll get to see and many play around with them yourselves.</blue> While most fans complained bitterly were happy about their absencethis news, quite a few people suspected that Bashiok was being ordered to fall on his sword to cover for a policy change, and that his first comment, and later explanation, had been 100% correct at the time. Blizzard did not adjust their policy's previous efforts to force mandatory [[Real ID]] and the removal of Chat Channels from SC2, both decisions that were reversed after thousands of fan complaints, thoughwere referenced as support for the conspiracy theory.
==Better AlternativesCommunication than Diablo 2==
The D3 Team has often spoken about their desire for better match making and game-finding options than were present in Diablo II. The Friends List and various quest-grouping game creation options take steps towards that goal, though the systems remain under development during the [[beta]] test.