'Diablo III' fans celebrate game's release

[May 16, 2012]  IRVINE, Calif. (AP) -- Fans of "Diablo III" celebrated the midnight launch of the long-awaited role-playing video game at a shopping center in Irvine, Calif.

A crowd of more than 1,500 gathered Monday night around a stage built underneath the Ferris wheel at the Irvine Spectrum Center, located about a mile from developer Blizzard Entertainment's headquarters, for the launch of the gritty sequel set in the fantastical world of Sanctuary.

Anticipation for "Diablo III" from publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. has bubbled over because the previous entry in the series was released 12 years ago, a lifetime in the gaming world when compared with franchises like "World of Warcraft" and "Call of Duty," which regularly receive updates.

[Associated Press; By DERRIK J. LANG]

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