User blog comment:Fandyllic/Diablo III unlikely to ship for 2011 holiday season/@comment-216.81.94.70-20110728025803

Wasn't Cataclysm released Dec. 7th? Even if it IS just an expansion, it's still a release very close to christmas time. I'm inclined to agree with your post, I personally believe it'll be early 2012, but if it's possible to release the game even two weeks before christmas, they'll do it.