Mike Morhaime revealed at the Activision Blizzard Q2 2011 Financial Report Conference Call that Diablo III Beta would start at the end of Q3 2011 — which ends on September 30th.

Thus, Diablo III beta optimistically begins anywhere in the next 10 days starting today. According to Zarhym, things look very good in the F&F Beta testing phase.

Ninj: They don’t need to stress test, they need to kill bugs. I’m pretty sure they’ve developed the know-how by now to build a stable infrastructure that can handle as many as people as needed.

Toolfan: I can understand that. Then why the long wait with FnF beta. I was reading up on all the known bugs and there is quite a few little ones here and there. I would just think that invites for closed beta should come out sooner. It would definately make ppl a little more excited.

Zarhym (Blizzard):

1. Start with a small sample audience to test stability
2. Take bug and crash report feedback; act on them quickly
3. Release new patches to make some very necessary changes in the small test environment
4. Keep testing stability while adding new battle.net/infrastructure components
5. If everything is running incredibly smooth after steps 1-4, invite people from the general public to open the flood gates on stress testing and get focused gameplay feedback/bug reports

This is a very layman’s description, but the point is we have to slowly throttle in more people to test the game as we continue to create new builds and work out new battle.net functionality. Once the environment is stable and many of the core features are there, we then start to invite the masses.

I’d feel remiss in not mentioning this: we absolutely want everyone to play this game as soon as possible. But to make that a reality, we must first excel in both content and deliverance. (So let’s put on our classics and we’ll have a little dance, shall we?)

It looks like the Diablo III team has reached phase 4 of the Friends & Family Beta test.

Undisputed: I’m guessing we are on step 4 right now?

Zarhym: Basically, yea. 🙂 We’re getting really close! That’s the good news — Source

I don’t know about you, but I am very excited and awaiting for the beta invite anxiously.

Today is server maintenance day, but don’t be fooled. It’s known that previous betas have started different days of the week other than Tuesdays (Server Maintenance Schedule). Let’s flashback into past beta test launch dates:

  • StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beta started in China on March 28, 2011 (Monday).

  • World of Warcraft: Cataclysm beta started on June 30th, 2010 (Wednesday)

  • StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beta started in USA on February 17, 2010. (Wednesday)

  • World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King beta started in USA on July 17, 2008. (Thursday)

  • World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade beta in USA started October 11, 2006. (Wednesday)

Statistically, Diablo III beta might or not start on a Wednesday or Thursday. In September that would be this upcoming September 21-22th or 28-29th. Hopefully, Blizzard surprises us and breaks the mold, but I wouldn’t mind to look forward to any day. Just gimme my beta already jacknabbitz.

Just kidding. Thank you Blizzard!