"Former Diablo Developers Launch Innovative ARPG"

The developers behind the iconic Diablo and Diablo 2 are now channeling their expertise into a new "low-budget action RPG" that they believe could shake up the industry. Given the success and impact of the first two Diablo titles, a fresh action RPG (ARPG) crafted by those connected to these legendary games stands a strong chance of being exceptional.

Phil Shenk, Peter Hu, and Erich Schaefer have launched Moon Beast Productions, an independent studio backed by $4.5 million to develop this new ARPG. Their goal is to "push beyond the genre's established design patterns" and revolutionize the hack'n'slash genre. With a team that includes veterans from Diablo 1 and Diablo 2, they aim to create a more open and dynamic ARPG, drawing inspiration from what made the early Diablo games so distinctive.

While details about the game remain sparse, the involvement of such a talented team suggests it could become one of the best ARPGs available. However, breaking into a market already saturated with high-quality ARPGs will be challenging. For instance, the expansion Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred was a massive success, and its established fan base may be reluctant to shift to a new title.

Competing against Diablo is a formidable challenge, especially with other major players like Path of Exile 2 also vying for attention in the genre. The recent release of Path of Exile 2 saw tremendous success on Steam, reaching a peak player count of over 538,000, which ranks it as the 15th highest peak player count in Steam's history. This underscores the competitive landscape that Moon Beast Productions will need to navigate to make their mark.