Ex-Diablo devs are working on a new ARPG to innovate the genre

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 an ARPG that aims to "transcend established genre conventions." The team, comprised of Diablo I and II alumni, intends to revolutionize the hack-and-slash experience. Their vision, cultivated over two decades, is to craft 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 a promising outcome. However, breaking into a saturated market brimming with high-quality ARPGs will be challenging. The recent success of Diablo IV's "Vessel of Hatred" expansion, for instance, demonstrates the considerable fanbase and entrenched market position of the Diablo franchise.

The competition is fierce, with other prominent titles like Path of Exile 2 also vying for attention. Path of Exile 2's recent Steam launch was exceptionally successful, achieving a peak concurrent player count exceeding 538,000, ranking it among the platform's top 15 most played games. This highlights the significant hurdle Moon Beast Productions faces in establishing its new ARPG.