Console Diablo 3 in the making?

Blizzard has recently announced a job opening for multiple job roles as: “lead designer, console,” “lead programmer, console” and “senior producer, console.” The job requires “a minimum of 4 years experience in the video game industry” and the successful candidate “must have shipped at least one AAA console title in a senior producer role.” Blizzard has, for the first time, openly stated that a console version of Diablo 3 is in development. Following the outrage in the PC gaming community over this development, Blizzard has responded on their official Diablo 3 community:

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. 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. If you’re passionate about all things Diablo and have the requisite skill and experience, then head over to our jobs site to check out the positions and apply.

Please note that this is not an announcement of a console title. 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.

However, this could very well mean that Blizzard, known for their extreme dedication towards PC gaming, might shift the streams to consoles with Diablo 3. Infact, this kind of hints have been dropping by ever since Blizzard originally announced Diablo 3 at Blizzard’s Worldwide Invitational in Paris in 2008.

Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said at DICE earlier this month that, “I think you could make an argument that a game like Diablo might play very well on a console. It’s something that we’re actually doing an investigation into to see if that could make sense.” Also, In October last year, Blizzard’s lead designer Jason Bender stated at Blizzcon that Diablo III was “suited” to consoles. He added: “It’s sort of an ongoing question. And I’m sure we would all love to play it on console, but right now, we’re just focused on what we’ve got in front of us. Who knows what the future holds? It’s hard to say.”

The possibility has been hinted at several times before and only an official announcement can put an end to it all, but this is mighty close . The game hasn’t been  been dated, but Activision said recently that it doesn’t expect a Blizzard title to release in 2011, but that two games will arrive from the company in 2012.