Diablo 3 console basics

Console Features

Redesigned UI for the console.

Key details about the Diablo 3 console. Most of these were revealed at the first public showing of the console in playable form at the PAX gaming show in March, 2013.[1][2][3]

The console version is virtually the same game as the PC version. The big changes are to the interface and controls, with small tweaks to boss battles, camera angle, and some monster behavior. The console will launch in at v1.07 with all the features of the PC game, including added features and systems such as the Infernal Machine, Paragon levels, etc. The developers are committed to frequent console patches, which will run roughly in tandem with patches for the PC/Mac version.

"It’s basically the same. Same XP gain, same enemies. The only tweak we made is since the screen is a little more zoomed in, we slightly changed enemy wave spawns. Boss battles were also changed, in a fun way to accommodate consoles. We did not need to compromise this version in any way."

--Matthew Berger

Some of the key differences between the console version and the PC/Mac version:

Completely redesigned controls and interface to work with thumbpad and stick rather than mouse and keyboard.
- All characters have a new Dodge ability which utilizes a diving roll effect. This is to make up for the less precise no-mouse movement.
Offline play mode for the console. Online play via the PlayStation network.
- Characters are stored on your own machine and can be saved on a USB stick and played on a friend's machine.
Up to four players in a game, linked online via the PlayStation Network, or on the same machine.
- Playing on the same machine does not utilize any split-screen technology; all 4 players are on the same screen and must travel together and work as a group.
  - When multiple players are on the same machine (but not for PSN online party play) loot drops are shared in the Diablo 2 "first grabbed first served" style.
No Auction House (Using Gold or Real Money) for the console. Items can be traded and exchanged in-game.
Better loot, and less junk drops to avoid cluttering the screen in MP games and to make character progression possible without an Auction House.

Release Date

The Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Diablo 3 is due for release on September 3rd 2013.

Versions

It will be released on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. It will be released on the Playstation 4 also but a release date has not be confirmed for this.