ARPG Pioneers Embark on Genre-Transforming Project

Former Diablo and Diablo II developers are creating a new, low-budget action RPG with the ambition to redefine the genre. Given the success of the original Diablo games, this new ARPG, developed by veterans of both titles, has significant potential.

Moon Beast Productions, an independent studio founded by Phil Shenk, Peter Hu, and Erich Schaefer, secured $4.5 million in funding to develop this innovative ARPG. Their goal is to break free from established design conventions and revitalize the hack-and-slash experience. The team, comprised of experienced developers from the original Diablo games, aims to create a more open and dynamic ARPG, harkening back to what made the early Diablo games so distinctive.

While details about the game remain scarce, the involvement of such highly regarded developers suggests a strong possibility of creating a top-tier action RPG. However, breaking into a saturated market filled with high-quality competitors will be challenging. The recent success of Diablo IV's "Vessel of Hatred" expansion, for example, highlights the established dominance of the Diablo franchise and the potential reluctance of its loyal fanbase to switch games.

The competition is fierce, with other prominent ARPGs like Path of Exile 2 vying for player attention. Path of Exile 2's recent release achieved remarkable success on Steam, boasting a peak player count exceeding 538,000, placing it among the platform's top 15 most played games. This underscores the significant hurdle facing this new project.