New Blizzard Ads Seeking Diablo III Console Devs

Multiple new job ads show that Blizzard Entertainment is hiring leads to develop Diablo III for consoles, a surprising development from a studio known for its commitment to PC gaming. Diablo III was confirmed for PC in June 2008, with no mention of console versions. Previous Diablo games have been primarily focused on the PC, though the original Diablo did get a PlayStation port in 1998, well after its January 1997 PC release. The developer, also behind World of Warcraft and StarCraft, is hiring "lead designer, console," "lead programmer, console" and "senior producer, console." The newly-posted positions are under "Diablo III." Gamasutra has contacted Blizzard for comment on the new ads. The job ad for lead designer on the console version of the game says that ideal candidates have "prior experience in console game development" and an "extensive knowledge of Diablo." The lead programmer ad looks for "an experienced engineer to lead console development on the Diablo team." The original Diablo launched in 1996 and saw expansions as well as a sequel, Diablo II. Blizzard said in 2008 that the franchise has sold 18.5 million copies. Diablo III for PC does not yet have a firm release date, but has been deep into development at least as of its unveiling in 2008, according to Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime. [UPDATE: A post on the official Diablo III community page offers more details about the job postings. "We’re exploring a Diablo-related concept for consoles and are currently looking to fill a few senior console-related positions on the Diablo III team," the post reads. "As we’ve said in the past, with proper care the gameplay could suit the console platform, and we’re interested in seeing what talent out there might be interested in such a project." "Please note that this is not an announcement of a console title," the post continues. "We are first and foremost developing Diablo III for Windows and Mac PCs and don’t intend to allow any possibility of a console interpretation to delay or affect the release of the game."]