News Blips: Diablo 3 delayed, DotA 2 release window shortened, and Max Payne 3 keeps noir influence

For once, I'm thankful for a top-tier game's delay. My end-of-year gaming budget is already wallet-bustingly high. 

News Blips:

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Surprise, surprise: Diablo 3 won't catch your computer on fire until 2012. Activision Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said the extra time allows for "further polish to a few different elements of the game." Honestly, who actually thought we'd see D3 this year? This is Blizzard we're talking about, people!

Valve casts Haste on its DotA 2 release schedule. A post on the developer's official blog called the original plan of a year-long beta testing phase "dumb" before presumably shoving it to the ground and stealing its lunch money. Instead, Valve plans an "as soon as possible" release using the Gamescom 2011 hero roster.

Max Payne 3 still nourishes the noir despite its sunny South American setting. Rockstar VP of Product Development Jeronimo Barrera told GameSpot in an interview that the upcoming third-person shooter brings "interesting interpretations" of the normally gloomy noir aesthetic. He also promised "enough rain-sodden, pitch-dark nights in the game to satisfy the most ardent fan of dark and wet locations." Frogs, rejoice! Max Payne 3 releases in March 2012 for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

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