Diablo® III

PvP content for Diablo III had been discussed throughout the game's development, but on March 9, 2012, Blizzard announced that PvP had been delayed and would not be included with the game's release. Lead designer Jay Wilson said in a post on Battle.net that the PvP Arena system would arrive in a post-release patch; it would include multiple Arena maps with themed locations and layouts, PvP-centric achievements, and a quick and easy matchmaking system. "We'll also be adding a personal progression system that will reward you for successfully bashing in the other team's skulls", Wilson added.

Blizzard promised PvP Arenas as "more formalized play-space designed exclusively for PvP combat" along with a Matchmaking system. You even get to see a picture which displays arena and a scoreboard:

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/9281/pvparenaslol.jpg

Here is the exact quote:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/8163085/diablo-iii-pvp-update-12-27-2012

PvP Arenas

In past Diablo games, fighting with other players acquired something of a storied history. In Diablo III, we wanted to create a more formalized play-space for heroes to test their mettle. Diablo III's arenas are designed exclusively for PvP combat, and so they have different level layouts and rates of health spawning, along with matchmaking to ensure more evenly balanced battles. PvP arenas will be available post-launch.

Bashion on a Elo based Matchmaking system:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/6036226194?page=4#69

More specifically, based off of your win/loss record. It's not dissimilar from the matchmaker found in StarCraft II, which is based off of the Elo system used for Chess championships. Your win/loss and who they were against determines a 'skill rating', which is used to match up against other players of a similar rating. The intent is to get an even/fair match. Regardless of any individual factors like build, gear, or player ability, you'll find some equilibrium where you're facing off against players that you're about as likely to beat as you are to lose. If getting better gear raises your abilities then you're simply matched against players of a higher rating. Changing builds or just getting better at PvP could have the same effect. But regardless if you move up or down you're ultimately still netting around a 50/50 win/loss as you're always matching against similarly rated players.

Then they decide to edit that out and now we get the Scorched Chapel instead:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/game/what-is

Blizzard still owe us a replacement for the Arenas/Team DeathMatch. On the matter of that replacement they said the following:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/8163085/diablo-iii-pvp-update-12-27-2012

We are going back to the drawing board on a new replacement for Team Deathmatch, something that feels more appropriate for Diablo III. And as we stated previously, regardless of when we release it, it'll be a free addition to the game.

I think it's time for us players to ask for a clarification.
Why did Blizzard edit their "What is Diablo3" post and removed the part about the PvP arenas?
What's going on with the replacement for the Arenas/Team DeathMatch?

No one would comment?
I guess nobody cares, since we got used to false advertisement... or bait and switch.

I bought a standard edition/digital copy based on the advertisement, and not just all the promises from BlizzCon, but this particular post "What is Diablo III".
And now I find out that they merely edited out the part about the PvP Arenas.
I am sorry, but this is just outrageous.

You see, what makes it so amusing, insulting and pathetic at the same time is how they insult our intelligence. They think nobody will see the difference. But here's the thing:

This is not the first time this has happened, that's why I made the screenshot to begin with, because I already knew they edit out previous statements.

And finally here's another advertisement which talks about "Fierce Player vs Player Gladiatorial Arenas", but after we saw what happened to the original post, I would have to assume that this video is going to get edited out as well, or even worse -- removed.
I however have taken measures to preserve it as well.
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/media/videos/?view=what-is-diablo3

Some further thoughts on the matter. I read it this PvP update:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/8163085/diablo-iii-pvp-update-12-27-2012

In that particular update Jay Wilson promises that they "are going back to the drawing board on a new replacement for Team Deathmatch, something that feels more appropriate for Diablo III. And as we stated previously, regardless of when we release it, it'll be a free addition to the game".

On a first look it looks well and good, however there are things that bother me about this statement.

First, calling replacing something we payed for with the phrase "a free addition to the game" is insulting. When we buy something and we end up not getting what we payed for, it's perfectly natural that the developers need to compensate us. And that compensation is not "free", since we already payed for "a more formalized play-space designed exclusively for PvP combat along with matchmaking", regardless of whether it's PvP Arenas, Team Deathmatch or the "new replacement for Team Deathmatch".

Second, Jay Wilson is no longer Game Director for Diablo3. Therefore, Blizzard might make an attempt to say "well this guy no longer works on this game, therefore whatever promises he made are irrelevant".

Third, Blizzard might try and edit this promise and statement as well. And when they do, they might make a claim that the "replacement for Team Deathmatch" is what we already got -- the Scorched Chapel.

I see the changes to the post "What is Diablo3" as an attempt to make us consumers forget, that Blizzard still owe us the so called "more formalized play-space designed exclusively for PvP combat along with Matchmaking system".

If Blizzard wanted to be fair, they wouldn't have edited out the part about the PvP Arenas from the "What is Diablo3" post, and wouldn't have left the Scorched Chapel as the only mode discussed under the "Player vs Player" part of the "What is Diablo3" post.
They would have said that they are still working on the promised "more formalized play-space designed exclusively for PvP combat along with Matchmaking system", and that it will be added on a later date, when it's done. The fact that they forgot to mention that and the fact, that they edit out old posts makes me feel uneasy and cautious. I just hope, that I am not the only one who feels this way.
Thanks for reading.

OP: considering it's taken them THIS long to implement "brawling" don't get your hopes up.

Edit: Aren't you thankful? (lol, had to do it)

^

Protip:
PVP is pointless and boring.

TL:DR
You are among the few that really wants PVP. There would be so few actually participating that it would mind numbing for you, with all the long ques and whatnot...

This happens all the time with games, why haven't you learned?

Marketing interviews are not a contract. The developers don't owe you what they say they want to do with the game.

They arent cheating u out, lying, or bait and switching.
They took a gamble and they lost, and now everyone is mad.
Blizzard doesnt have a whild power trip to gain from this.
they only have lost that special blizzard twinkle that they used to have for non-mmorpg games.

What the hell is this? A gathering of devil's advocates?

02/17/2013 04:38 PMPosted by Magisterial

Marketing interviews are not a contract. The developers don't owe you what they say they want to do with the game.

02/17/2013 04:42 PMPosted by MwagonDriver

They arent cheating u out, lying, or bait and switching.

Of course it's cheating!
Also, this is no marketing interview, it's a description of what is Diablo3 and what it includes.

When I buy a digital version of the game I don't have anywhere else to look what the game includes, but on the official site for the game. On the official site of the game and more particularly on the specific information as to what the game includes it was clearly stated, that the game will include PvP Arenas and a Matchmaking system, which will be available post launch.

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/9281/pvparenaslol.jpg

Now, ten months after the game's launch I still wait for the PvP Arenas only to find that Blizzard changed the description of what the game includes. I wouldn't have bought the game if it didn't say, that it includes PvP Arenas and a Matchmaking system.
I call that a perfect example of bait then switch... or more like false advertisement.

This happens all the time with games, why haven't you learned?

Marketing interviews are not a contract. The developers don't owe you what they say they want to do with the game.

This is advertisement. And its false advertisement through and through. Wake up sheeple.

This happens all the time with games, why haven't you learned?

Marketing interviews are not a contract. The developers don't owe you what they say they want to do with the game.

This is advertisement. And its false advertisement through and through. Wake up sheeple.

This. It's clearly false advertisement!

This happens all the time with games, why haven't you learned?

Marketing interviews are not a contract. The developers don't owe you what they say they want to do with the game.

Maybe not. But when companies routinely come out with all kinds of promises and specifics about a game before it's released.. and then release games without said features.. and try to retroactively remove such promises and specifics.. they are doing something wrong. Something that people should hold them accountable for in future products.

But people are stupid and continue to buy up anything this company shells out.

I will agree with you if you can show a screenshot proving that Blizzard never intended to release PVP with the game from the outset. Otherwise I just think your making a mountain out of a molehill.

What the hell is this? A gathering of staff accounts, who's owners never played the game?
Udyrfrykte -- ZERO characters on all regions.
EphWurd -- ZERO characters on all regions.
Bankai -- ZERO characters on all regions.
Magisterial -- ZERO characters on all regions.

'

Check my profile again jackass, the profiles are bugged.

Your stupidity crits me for 324,534 damage.

02/18/2013 05:01 AMPosted by Mifkin

I will agree with you if you can show a screenshot proving that Blizzard never intended to release PVP with the game from the outset.

Se let me see if I got this right.
If they never intended to release PvP and they don't release it -- they are bad;
but if they had the intention to release PvP, but they don't end up releasing it -- it's all fine, is that it?!

02/18/2013 05:07 AMPosted by Bankai

Check my profile again jackass, the profiles are bugged.

And how come your profile unbugged itself?

Nerd raaaaaaage!!!!

02/18/2013 05:31 AMPosted by Noxifer

And how come your profile unbugged itself?

Check the website bug forum...and, what kind of an un-thought and unintelligent question is that? How do you expect myself, a person who is not employed by Blizzard, to have an informed response to, "How come my profile unbugged itself?" Really? There have been no blue posts about this subject, and even if there were, what do you THINK (I know that may be too much to ask of you) they would say. It would probably say something along the lines of, "Players should no longer be experiencing problems with viewing theirs or other players profile."

Protip:

Learn to read.

Protip2:

Learn about complex thought, and how it can help you in your daily life!

02/18/2013 05:32 AMPosted by Ignatius

Nerd raaaaaaage!!!!

Aha, so when I expose Blizzard for retroactively changing the description of the game in their post "What is Diablo3" and saying this is false advertisement, I am a nerd, and on top of that -- a raging one.
I am sorry, I didn't knew. Thank you for the clarification.

Maybe if they had sold you Arena Fighter 2012, and the game had no arenas and no fighting, maybe then I could understand your anger.

But to call it a bait and switch is just histrionics, in other words, nerd rage. Typical internet over-reacting treating these things like the end of the world. Yawn.

Also, the original PvP section reads: "PvP Arenas will be available post-launch." Unless you can somehow prove that they will absolutely never release PvP Arenas, you don't have much of a case.

And to update the game guide to better reflect what is in the actual game seems a bit too obvious.