During Activision Blizzard's recent earnings call, Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime stated that the company is planning to launch external beta testing in Q3 of this year. Bashiok later clarified the comment on the official Diablo III forums:

"The 3rd quarter reference in the earning's call today was a calendar quarter, meaning that we're aiming to launch the Diablo III beta between July 1st and September 30th. Keep in mind that it's our current goal, and of course that can change as development continues."

It looks like there's a light at the end of the tunnel for Diablo III fans. Of course, an official launch date has not been announced, so we'll have to wait and see if the game is ultimately released in 2011 or 2012.

Did you purchase a Moonkin Hatchling pet last year? If you did, then you helped Blizzard donate $800,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation! In honor of World Wish Day on April 29, Blizzard invited over ten Make-A-Wish children and their families to the Blizzard campus for a day of fun and games. They also helped grant the wishes of two children by giving them an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at World of Warcraft. You can get a brief look at the festivities in the video below.

Now's a good time to remind players that 100% of the proceeds of the new Cenarion Hatchling pet will be donated to the American Red Cross's Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief efforts through July 31. It's definitely a good reason to add this pet to your collection.

In his latest BFF Report, Mike B. aka Fony breaks away from his PC and tries out a new mobile fantasy MMO on his iPad called Order & Chaos Online. Does it set the standard for mobile gaming? Is it too similar to World of Warcraft? How does Fony feel about the subscription and item shop?

Fony answers all these questions and more in BFF Report episode 66. Check it out to see if you should add Order & Chaos to your app collection.

Do you want to join a level 85 Arena team and PvP for some rewards? Then you should register for this year's Arena Pass.

"Registration for the 2011 World of Warcraft Arena Pass is now open. Remember, this year all participants in the Arena Pass have a chance to earn the exclusive Armored Murloc pet as well as the exclusive "Vanquisher" title, so get your team together and be ready for fierce competition."

For more details, check out the Arena Pass FAQ. Blizzard plans to launch the initial phase of the Arena Pass this month.

Well, last night's Legendary was certainly interesting. The episode was full of information on World of Warcraft patches 4.1 and 4.2, but then... something happened. The signal went dead. Gary Gannon went missing. Josh "Lore" Allen and Mike B. aka Fony pulled out their tinfoil hats, and viewers are worried that foul play is involved. They demand Gary's freedom!

Blizzard is introducing a new World of Warcraft Dungeon Journal in patch 4.2, and they've released a sneak peek FAQ to give players some hints at what will be included in the new feature. Here's the description:

"The Dungeon Journal is a new piece of UI in World of Warcraft that players can use to find out more about specific dungeons, and the bosses within those dungeons, including what abilities they have and the rewards they offer."

Want to know more? Check out the full FAQ below!

Blizzard just added the Cenarion Hatchling pet to the Blizzard Store, and sales of the critter will be going to a good cause. Between now and July 31, 100% of the $10 adoption fee will be donated to the American Red Cross's Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief efforts.

As a point of comparison, in February 2010 Blizzard was able to donate $1.1 million to the Make-A-Wish Foundation from sales of the Pandaren Monk pet. Only 50% of the proceeds from that event were donated to the charity, so we'll just have to wait and see how money Blizzard can raise for the Japan relief effort.

Will you be purchasing a Cenarion Hatchling pet?

The Patch 4.2 news just keeps coming! Blizzard has released sneak peeks of the Tier 12 armor sets for paladin, mage, rogue, hunter, death knight, and priest. You can view all the images after the jump.

So what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Patch 4.1 has only been live for a few days, but Blizzard has already opened the floodgates for patch 4.2 news. Following the release of two preview videos, Blizzard posted numerous blog entries about the upcoming update. Here's the rundown:

• The Firelands: Patch 4.2 will offer hardy adventurers an opportunity to turn the tide in the Firelands, a huge outdoor raid of the highest difficulty, with 10-person and 25-person normal and Heroic modes. It will be a scorching opportunity to delve into this Elemental Plane, where six unique bosses stand between you and the reinvigorated Ragnaros.
• A Legendary Engagement: Patch 4.2 introduces an epic quest that will challenge those daring enough to complete the legendary staff Dragonwrath, Tarecgosa's Rest. The great staff duplicates destructive magics, and also bestows upon its wielder the ability to transform into a member of the Blue Dragonflight. Those who complete the staff won’t be the only ones to receive a reward, though. As this task requires the dedication of an entire guild, upon completion of the staff all guild members will receive a unique non-combat pet to call their own.
• The Regrowth and Molten Molten Front Daily Quest Hubs: In patch 4.2, stalwart adventurers will have the opportunity to test their mettle at two new daily quest areas located in the fertile hillsides of Mount Hyjal and the burning depths of the Firelands. Known as the Regrowth and Molten Front, these areas will offer an unprecedented amount of daily solo content for level-85 players to enjoy -- including over 60 new quests, four "unlockable" iLevel 365 gear vendors, and a world that evolves right before your eyes.
• Elemental Bonds: Can you break Thrall from his elemental bonds and ensure the restoration of the World Tree? The fate of the world, and one of its foremost heroes, hangs in the balance with this quest for level 85 players.
• Tier 12 Armor Set Preview: Look at the armor sets for paladin, mage, rogue, hunter, death knight, and priest.
• BlizzCast 16: In the first video BlizzCast, Rob Simpson sits down with Game Director Tom Chilton to find out what the patch is all about, Lead Quest Designer Dave Kosak lays out info on the new Firelands quest hub, and Lead Content Designer Cory Stockton spits and flows on Ragnaros and the upcoming raid content.

It's time for another episode of Legendary from GameBreaker.TV! In this episode, hosts Gary Gannon, ZAM's Mike B. aka Fony and TankSpot's Josh "Lore" Allen talk about Patch 4.1, Firelands, a Ghostcrawler blog and more. Watch it below!