Blizzard has opened up a page on the Diablo III website for the Wizard, the new player class announced this morning. Five videos show the class' new effects in action, which we've combined into one trailer below.

Seen in the trailer are the Disintegrate, Electrocute, Teleport, Magic Missile, and Slow Time powers.

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Straight from BlizzCon, we now present you with the new Diablo 3 trailer that was shown moments ago during the BlizzCon opening ceremony.

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Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream. You can also download the original video from FileShack.

Blizzard and Legendary Pictures' feature film adaptation of the Warcraft franchise isn't likely to arrive next year, as was once announced, though a draft of the script is done.

"I don't know about the 2009 date, but it is still something we are very excited about," Blizzard president Mike Morhaime responded when asked about the film.

"We do have a draft of a script, it isn't final," he added. "I think we still need to do a lot of work."

Accompanying Blizzard's announcement of the Wizard class and our hands-on impressions of Diablo 3 is about five minutes of gameplay footage, which shows off a Wizard and Barbarian working side-by-side to rid the world of evil.

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The second half of the video follows below ... Read more

Those that attend this year's BlizzCon will receive a beta code for StarCraft 2, Blizzard president Mike Morhaime just announced during the BlizzCon opening ceremony.

No details were provided as to when the beta or full product will arrive, but Morhaime assured attendees that development of the anticipated PC RTS sequel is going well.

Diablo III does look very different from Diablo II. It does. You notice when you're playing. Stylistically, graphically, much has changed.

But after a few seconds of playing, I was back in the same feverish loot-hording mode, locked into a clickfest of nostalgic proportions. Diablo III may look different, but it has the same tactile feel of the original games, the same satisfying feedback of swords and spells.

Starting out in the Tristram Woods, my demonstration began by taking a quest titled the "Return of the Skeleton King." It was my job to make my way through the ghostly woods, enter the old Tristram Church, and destroy the renewed Skeleton King, a throwback to the original Diablo. Playing as a Wizard first, and then a Barbarian, I got... Read more

Update: For more on the Wizard, check out our hands-on impressions of Diablo 3 and the complete Wizard talent tree, direct from the BlizzCon 2008 show floor.

Original Story: The Wizard is the latest addition to the character classes of Diablo 3, Shacknews has learned from the playable Diablo 3 demo at this year's BlizzCon. Joining the previously unveiled Witch Doctor and Barbarian classes, the Wizard is said to "the manipulate primal forces of the universe to vanquish foes."

In the playable BlizzCon demo, which begins in the overgrown and mostly abandoned Tristram Woods before progressing into the Tristram Church Dungeon, the Wizard starts off with the Charged Bolt and fire-ball esque Magic Missile spells.

Frost Nova, Tornado and Blizzard attacks return from past Diablo games, and can be found alongside the new Electrocute attack in the Storm skill tree. The Arcane skill tree sports Teleport, Slow Time, Mana Recovery and the Disintegrate damage spell. The Conjure tree boasts Meteor and Hyrda.

As Tornado was a Druid class skill in Diablo 2, its inclusion in the... Read more

BlizzCon has a Christmastime quality to it. 15,000 children--and child-like adults--have journeyed to Anaheim this year, passing through streets lined with lighted trees on their way in. When they arrive, the first thing they receive is a bag of gifts. And after finding out that Diablo III will be playable, excitement will undoubtedly rob many of their sleep.

Packed into this year's swag bag is a number of free Blizzard-related products. Two that caught my eye instantly are shown below: the official Diablo III stress ball--which turns red upon squeeze--and a simple film canister labeled, "Zerg Creep--DO NOT EAT."

This Creep is horrifying. I anticipated the consistency of Ghostbusters slime, but this is far worse--a chilling, wet ooze that slowly crept from jar to table. Hidden inside the muck was a small figure of a Hydralisk--no doubt a ploy to force timid fans into touching the gross stuff. It worked, but now that I have the prize, I'm nuking this junk from orbit at the next opportunity.

But what of the show? The doors open in the morning around 9:30am PST (12:30pm EST). On hand will be game demo stations, tournaments, art displays, cosplayers--and, of course, Blizzard employees themselves. For the most part, I can only guess at what's in store for each of the company's three known properties.

StarCraft II: It would be unlike Blizzard to announce a hard date... Read more

Blizzard's action RPG sequel Diablo III will be playable for the first time on the show floor of the company's BlizzCon 08 convention, according to the event materials.

The official BlizzCon program lists "Diablo III" under "open gaming," along with upcoming Blizzard titles StarCraft II and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.

Check back for immediate impressions of the game as the show gets underway tomorrow morning.

Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo creator Blizzard Entertainment has announced that it will be holding its third-ever BlizzCon gathering at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on October 10 and 11, 2008. Tickets will go for $100.

At last year's event, the company pulled back the curtain on its World of Warcraft expansion Wrath of the Lich King and allowed attendees to sample StarCraft II's multiplayer.

Following in BlizzCon tradition, this year's gathering will include hands-on time with upcoming Blizzard games, discussion panels, tournaments, a costume contest, and more. Unlike id Software, which holds its free QuakeCon event annually, Blizzard only throws BlizzCon when it has something to show or announce.