'''PvP''', or '''Player versus Player''' is head-to-head mortal combat, pitting players against other players. The design focus of Diablo III's [[multiplayer]] is on [[PvE]] cooperative play, but PvP is supported and was introduced with [[Patch 1.0.7]].

[[File:Nek the brawler.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Nek the Brawler]] PvP Master]]

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It was originally planned that Diablo III would ship with PvP but as time crept on Blizzard took the decision to launch without as the PvP element was not meeting their expectations and to get it right would have delayed the release of Diablo III further. They felt it could launch without PvP. <ref>[http://blues.incgamers.com/Posts/10/1/40/819/187473/pvp-will-be-an-expansion-pack#postId_502511 PvP not ready for launch of Diablo III] - Community Manager, Blizzard, 12/10/2012</ref>

Unlike in Diablo II, there will not be any non-consensual PvP in Diablo III; there is no more "hostile switch" or any other way to duel or PK in a normal game. PvP will be supported only in special dueling Arena games.

Spurred by a fan who asked if Blizzard could leave the PvP out of Diablo 3 at launch, and patch it in later in order to release the game more quickly, Diablo 3 Community Manager [[Bashiok]] explained why that's not an option and why PvP doesn't add much time to the overall development. Here's his quote, from May 2010. <ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/diablo-3-will-ship-with-pvp-like-it-or-not/ PvE, PvP simultaneously developed] - Community Manager, Blizzard, 06/05/2010</ref>