LUXURY

Fans of the Diablo franchise may have been excited to hear about Blizzard Entertainment's open beta weekend, prepping players for the Diablo 3 official release on May 15. Referred to as a stress test to help the developers work out the game's final kinks, it was indeed a bit stressful, according to Forbes.

Fans of the Call of Duty franchise have had some surprises this month. First, a leaked image surfaced in a Call of Duty fan forum. Then, on April 18, a retailer forwarded what could possibly be the game's official poster to Kotaku. And now, players have a leaked screenshot to ponder.

The Nintendo Wii U will become available on Nov. 18, according to a leaked memo from Media Land, a popular Japanese video game retailer. The revolutionary new dual-screen home-gaming system will be available on that date in North America and a week later in Japan, per the rumor.

Bethesda Softworks unveiled a surprise for fans of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on April 12. The open-roam role-playing game phenomenon will be making its way to Kinect for Xbox 360 at the end of April, allowing for new game-play possibilities with its voice-operated commands.

As the highly anticipated release date for the Samsung Galaxy S3 draws near, it seems that more and more details about the device are spilling out. The Korea-based company’s flagship smartphone is set for a May 3rd unveiling, but the device may have just been leaked in Vietnam, according to Engadget.

Apple is known for reserving details about its upcoming products, with its Worldwide Loyalty Team working to keep the new iPhone’s design and features under wraps. However, the juicy tidbits of information seem to occasionally leak from Apple’s Asian presence, with new production rumors surfacing in Japan.

Jewels belonging to Huguette Clark, who was dubbed the reluctant heiress after choosing to spend her final years living in hospitals instead of her lavish homes, sold for $21 million at auction.

The popularity of farm-to-table restaurants and organic produce is seeping into the wine industry as more producers adopt green practices.

In its current form, the matchbook-sized children's book J. Smith can only be enjoyed by the most diligent of readers, armed with deft fingers, a magnifying glass and an abundance of patience.

There could not have been a more fitting place for Italian businessman and occasional philosopher Brunello Cucinelli to kick off the pre-listing roadshow of his eponymous clothing company than a former Dominican convent.

After weeks of teasing at an upcoming massive crossover project between several big name Japanese video game companies, Project X Zone has finally been announced. The strategy role playing game (RPG) will be released some time in 2012, and a full trailer is coming by the end of April.

He's the flashiest tycoon in one of Asia's poorest cities, with a canary-yellow Lamborghini parked outside his neoclassical mansion.

Danish brewer Carlsberg is to sell most of a former Copenhagen brewery site to a group of investors for 2.5 billion Danish crowns.

A Chinese cruise ship called the Scent of Princess Coconut has completed a trial voyage to the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, state media said on Tuesday.

The son of actor Humphrey Bogart will follow in his father's wake by taking a ride on the African Queen to help relaunch the newly restored riverboat that co-starred in the classic movie by that name.

Miami has long suffered from multiple personality disorder -- is this a city for work or play, for early-bird retirees or late-night party animals?

Airport retailer Dubai Duty Free has mandated banks for a $1.1 billion multi-tranche loan facility to help fund the expansion of Dubai's international airport.

Belgian designer Raf Simons is taking over as artistic director at Christian Dior.

George Soros and John Paulson may have to make room for the late Tony Marohn, who possibly pulled off one of the greatest financial trades ever -- at an estate sale.

An unidentified buyer smashed the world auction record for Chinese Song dynasty ceramics after a bidding war for a 900-year-old bowl on the final day of Asian spring sales for global auction powerhouse Sotheby's.

Ferdinand Porsche, the man who designed the iconic 911 sports car, died on Thursday in Salzburg, Austria, at age 76. Porsche AG confirmed the death with to the media but did not announce a cause.

Splurging on a vacation home shortly after the housing market meltdown was not an easy decision for Kathy and Dan Nikolai.

A $1.9 million car, an eco-friendly Batomobile and a flying car all sat under one roof at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The NY Auto Show kicked off on Wednesday at with brands like Maserati, Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Land Rover and more showing off their up-and-coming vehicles for 2013 as well as concept cars that some might not even dream could exist. Here are some of the hottest cars of the event.

The 2012 New York International Auto Show might feature a dizzying array of dazzling cars from around the world, but one little German automaker had all eyes steadily glued. BMW announced its new M5 and M6 models as well as the BMW X1 and the 6 Series Gran Coupe models. All new models stick to the quintessential BMW values - outstanding performance, exceptional efficiency and stunning design.

The BBC's Antiques Roadshow surprised its viewers on Tuesday by revealing an unseen photograph of Princess Diana posing with her barefoot sons.

Following the footsteps of fashion giants like Karl Lagerfeld and Giambattista Valli, fashion label Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa collaborated with retail brand Macy's to launch a limited edition Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein capsule dress line.

Ford Motor Co is rolling out new Lincoln models with a panoramic glass roof option to lure younger, more affluent buyers, as the No. 2 U.S. automaker tries to revive a luxury brand whose sales peaked two decades ago.

Global auction house Sotheby's kicked off its spring sales in Hong Kong by selling all lots in a two-day wine sale, outstripping expectations, but the picture was less clear for its Asian and Chinese art sales as buyers became more selective.

Can't stand the never ending wait for the new Xbox? Check out these awesome concept designs for the Xbox 720 from around the web. According to