This is what they told the investors at the earnings call today. No date was given.
They also said:
Ahead of the launch later this year, Diablo® II: Resurrected saw very positive feedback during early testing in April and online viewership of the alpha test was the highest ever for a Blizzard game test. 
I will have to listen to the stream again, where did they announce that during the meeting? All I remember was that testing for Immortal and D2R between April and May, and D2R held the record for being most viewed testing for a Blizzard game ever.
Nevermind, I thought for a second you said second quarter, lol.
Anything later than 5 minutes ago is unacceptable. 
Nah, I’d rather it be a finished, polished game.
I just want them to finish soon, as I think the longer they take, the more likely they will listen to bad ideas on changes. Call me a cynic.
I want them to release the game with most of the changes in place. Until release, it will be easy to get refunds if anyone (Purist or non-purist) does not like the final product. It is much fairer, then making a bunch of changes after the end of the first ladder season.
I’m still okay leaving it mostly the same for first season, then using the data collected for the balance changes to happen for the next two seasons. Keep a drip for people to keep logging in. However, any changes they need to make to have console version playable of course needs to be at launch (unless they stagger PC and Console releases which I don’t see being very likely).
If I caught that right during the investor’s call (stream I was watching was a COD streamer that kept talking during it), it does seem this month will be the next public test.
Oh Micro. Unfair? How is it unfair to the purchasers to add optional toggles later? Are you afraid they wont add the toggles or do you not want to wait that long to play an altered version?
Some toggles could be unfair later - like a charm inv or loot filter. Because those arent really toggles, as theyd become mandatory in multiplayer.
I think it’d be much less fair to prevent the community from having a fully natural, unified D2 re-experience at launch. Please let us experience what it’s like to have a non-toggle-split community for a while. Adding some optional toggles later wouldnt be unfair to people who purchased.
Adding big mandatory changes later would be unfair, depending on the change.
I’d prefer D2R without big toggles, but if people really want toggles later, fine.
Imagine that you are against changes. How upset would you be that they changed the game after releasing slightly changed D2R, but then mucked with it afterwards.
The original patch will still be there then at that point, depending on how Blizzard handles patching (ie, when redownload game, will it auto update to current patch, or ask before installing most current patch). If all else fails, mods will be able to install original patch. If all else fails, back to botnet or LAN play with friends on the original patch if they want their cake and be able to eat it anyways.
In any case, nothing that hasn’t been weathered already (1.10) yet, we’re all still here, in some capacity.
Also, if they use bnet metrics, it would probably put the purists mind more at ease than just balancing with no hard data.
i mean well they kinda told is was releasing this year q3 or q4 months ago… how is this news?
Because second half means the speculation of that June release went buh bye for the most part.
If they’re optional, it is not unfair; however, obligatory changes are.
Depends on if it is separated by game/game server.
Unified experience where the game is being released on PC, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo.
i mean beta dates haven’t even been announced… and betas will likely have 2-3 tests each at nearly a month each
There are many who claimed or were hopeful that D2R would be released on June 29, 2021.
Yeah, it’s about gameplay within the server. Separate servers would accomplish it too.
I doubt that for a remaster. Completely new development, perhaps. They already blitzed past single player alpha and updated opt in to beta, when the second test before release was supposed to be a multiplayer alpha. They are not using your typical playbook here.
Yeah, I wouldnt be at all surprised if the beta(s?) is/are significantly shorter than usual.
Lol, really? i mean it was pretty obvious that wasn’t happening, release dates are normally announced 2-3 months before hand if not more, i find it hard to believe people actually expected a launch so soon, do they not understand what an alpha is? alpha isn’t just before beta… its generally WAY before beta, i am testing some alpha games right now that wont have a full release for 4 more years. i personally don’t even expect the first wave of beta until at least late july or august
I’ll be honest, I was hoping for it too. Second half of 2021 can still mean not far from that date though, lol. After watching the alpha footage, finding it real hard to concentrate on any other games myself right now. Started a file on Breath of Fire 3 this morning. I’m only two hours in right now -_-