Former Diablo and Diablo II developers are creating a new, low-budget action RPG with ambitious goals. Given the success of the original Diablo games, this new ARPG, developed by veterans of both titles, has high potential.
Moon Beast Productions, an independent studio founded by Phil Shenk, Peter Hu, and Erich Schaefer, secured $4.5 million in funding to develop an ARPG that aims to "break free from established genre conventions." This team of Diablo 1 and 2 alumni intends to revolutionize the hack-and-slash genre, focusing on creating a more open and dynamic experience. Their vision is to recapture the essence of the original Diablo games' unique appeal, a goal they've pursued for over two decades.
Details about the game remain scarce, but the pedigree of its creators suggests it could become a top-tier action RPG. However, breaking into a market already saturated with high-quality ARPGs will be challenging. The recent success of Diablo IV's "Vessel of Hatred" expansion, for example, demonstrates the established dominance of the Diablo franchise and its large, loyal player base.
The competition is fierce, with other popular titles like Path of Exile 2 also vying for players' attention. Path of Exile 2's recent Steam launch was exceptionally successful, achieving a peak player count exceeding 538,000, ranking it among the platform's top 15 most popular games. This highlights the significant hurdle Moon Beast Productions faces in establishing its new ARPG.
