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 individuals instrumental in those 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 an ARPG that will "transcend conventional genre design." This team of Diablo I and II veterans aims to revolutionize the hack-and-slash experience. Their vision, cultivated over two decades, centers on creating a more open and dynamic ARPG, harkening back to the defining elements of the early Diablo games.
While details about the game remain scarce, the involvement of highly experienced developers suggests it could become a leading action RPG. However, breaking into a market saturated with high-quality ARPGs will be challenging. The recent success of Diablo IV's "Vessel of Hatred" expansion, for instance, highlights the strong existing fanbase and potential resistance to change.
The competitive landscape is further intensified by titles like Path of Exile 2, which achieved remarkable success upon its release. Path of Exile 2's peak concurrent player count on Steam exceeded 538,000, placing it among the platform's top 15 most played games. This demonstrates the significant hurdle facing any new entrant in the ARPG market.
