runic-games
Latest
Torchlight 2 available for pre-purchase on Steam
With all the buzz around a certain well-known third installment of a franchise, you could be forgiven for momentarily forgetting about Torchlight 2. However, the game is now available for pre-purchase on Steam, which should serve as something of a reminder. The game doesn't yet have a firm release date other than this summer, but you can still drop your $20 and have the game ready to play on launch day. The original Torchlight was hailed by many as the spiritual sequel to Diablo II (and some assumed it would also be the closest we'd ever get to an actual sequel). Torchlight 2 boasts more character customization, more pet customization, improved fishing and pet management, a new set of classes, and of course all of the same hack-and-slash gameplay that the first game featured. If you're a fan of the genre, that third installment likely has your eye for the moment, but you might want to see how the other half lives as well.
Drakensang Online compares itself to Diablo III and Torchlight II
Bigpoint Games is painting Drakensang Online as the Rocky Balboa of isometric hack-'n'-slash MMOs, and it's stepping into the ring with the upcoming title contenders and swinging away. The company released a comparison chart to show how its scrappy underdog is actually head and shoulders above the developing competition. According to the comparison chart, Drakensang takes the lead by offering all that its competition has and more. When you've got a game that was developed in less than two years, is free-to-play, and is a full-fledged MMO, why would you ever want to sample the fruits of Blizzard's and Runic Games' trees? Will Drakensang nip hard enough at Diablo III's heels to hobble the mighty demon as it releases next month? Time will tell, but you can check out our impressions of Drakensang when Mike plays it for you live on Massively TV this Wednesday evening! [Source: Bigpoint Games press release]
Runic not ready for Torchlight MMO anytime soon
So when's that Torchlight MMO coming out? When it's ready, and when Runic can muster the money and resources needed to properly handle the long-term commitment that an MMO represents, according to CEO Max Schaefer. "An MMO is a hell of a commitment," Schaefer tells Rock, Paper Shotgun. "It means we're gonna be doing that for a few years at least prior to release and then committing years of support for it afterward. So it's a decision we take very, very seriously." RPS says that a Torchlight MMO has always been Runic's end goal, but given the fact that the 30-man company is still fiddling with Torchlight II, we suspect the massively multiplayer version remains a ways off.
Torchlight 2's Berserker goes ... well, you know
If you've got some anger issues over Torchlight 2's expected time of arrival, you might find some common ground with the guy showcased in this new trailer.
Torchlight 2 will 'ideally' launch shortly after Diablo 3
Here's the one big question everyone is directing at Runic Games CEO Max Schaefer about Torchlight 2: When is it launching?"Well, I'm sure you've noticed Diablo has announced a date. So, we don't want to fall right on that," Schaefer said when we met at PAX East today. "The real answer is when [Torchlight 2] is finished, is Diablo 3 right now [owning the conversation]? Then we'll wait."Schaefer said the launch date will "ideally" be shortly after the one occupied by Diablo -- and optimistically it'll be a month later. He noted that Runic isn't going to rush to beat Blizzard, however. With the two products selling alongside one another, he feels it's best to polish the game as much as possible. He doesn't want to be the "cheap" alternative, simply the less expensive one at a $20 price. He also noted the game would have an offline mode, modding, LAN support, and that its pacing would separate it from the competition.Does he have something to communicate directly to fans waiting for Torchlight 2?"Be patient. Our total development time on this game is going to be about two years, which is not unreasonably long for this type of game. We're going as fast as we can. It'll be worth the wait, it'll totally be worth the wait. In the long run, people will be happy we took this extra time."
Torchlight 2 distracts with pets trailer, screens
Torchlight 2 developer Runic Games is diverting attention from the game's lack of launch date with some assets featuring the upcoming dungeon crawler's pets. Although we're partial to the bulldog, there's something about the panther rolling over for belly rubs that's too cute to deny.With Diablo 3's May launch just around the corner, we don't hold out too much hope that Torchlight 2 will launch with significant breathing room between it and Blizzard's behemoth. Guess that gives the team at Runic, which has put on a strong face in light of recent events, time to develop a few more pets.%Gallery-152149%
Torchlight team remains strong in face of Diablo 3
Torchlight 2 developer Runic Games is putting on a brave front as the reckoning of Diablo 3 comes this May. Runic once respectfully joked that it would have Torchlight 3 out before Diablo 3 launched, but after significant delays, Torchlight 2 will likely launch after Blizzard's behemoth."We know a lot of you are worried about us. We've heard what you're saying, and sure we've had similar discussions," a Runic statement notes on the Torchlight 2 site. "But we began making the first Torchlight in 2008 when development on Diablo 3 was already underway. We didn't let that be a reason that we couldn't make an RPG." "There will be unforeseen challenges along the way, no matter what business you're in. We've chosen to stay small with a total team of 32. We're pretty sure that we want this game out more than anyone (not just so that we can resume a normal sleep schedule!) -- but we are going to do it right. That's our commitment to you, and to ourselves." Torchlight 2 currently has no launch window. Runic Games is scheduled to launch its Torchlight MMO in late 2012 or early 2013.
Max Schaefer talks Torchlight II development, potential MMO plans
There are a lot of people eagerly anticipating Diablo III, but there are also several people looking forward to Torchlight II, the followup to the hugely successful spiritual sequel to Diablo. A recent interview with Max Schaefer, co-founder and CEO of Runic Games, discusses the development of the sequel including some of the contrasting points between it and Diablo III -- including the lack of any sort of virtual item shop. As Schaefer puts it, the team wants to put together a good game that stands on its own, and if it's successful the developers will look in the direction of an expansion rather than a straightforward shop. Schaefer also discusses a potential MMO coming out of the studio, something that's long been among the studio's plans -- one of the big reasons that Runic partnered with Perfect World Entertainment was due to its expertise with running an MMO. He claims that it's definitely still on the table, but it would be a big change for the studio, since the company has focused on staying small and launching an MMO is a very long-term commitment. Somewhat sad news for those hoping that Torchlight II's launch would spearhead MMO development directly, but the possibility certainly remains.
Runic Games stands against SOPA
Runic Games, developer of the Torchlight series, has come out against the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA) and "PROTECT IP Act" (PIPA). "It is clear that the scope of the proposed legislation would give unnecessarily broaden power to large corporations while reducing the rights of individual citizens -- and it won't even stop software piracy," the company stated on its forums. "We at Runic Games oppose the SOPA/PIPA legislation and we encourage you to do the same." Runic then listed several resources for use in opposing the legislation, noting: "We can still make a difference." Yesterday, League of Legends studio Riot Games came out against the legislation. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the political arm of the video game industry, which represents most major publishers, is in support of SOPA. [Thanks, Jashua B]
Diablo III and Torchlight II compared via infographic
Diablo III? Or Torchlight II? If you can't decide which 2012 action RPG will reign supreme on your desktop, perhaps it's because you haven't compared each game's features side by side. GameArena has made that task quite a bit easier thanks to a comprehensive new infographic that appeared earlier this week. Whether you need a quick glance at the games' classes, a breakdown of the various single- and multiplayer options, or a look at intangibles like the modability and offline play of Torchlight II, the infographic has you covered. There's even a section on pets and a mini-bestiary!
Torchlight 2 officially delayed, Runic prez suggests other games to play
Torchlight 2 has been officially delayed from this year until some point in the near future. Runic Games president Travis Baldree made the announcement today on the game's site, noting that the amount of development time the studio needs is "relatively small," but that it still wants to perform a small beta test before launch to ensure everything runs smoothly. "We feel pretty safe in saying that if you enjoyed Torchlight at all, this sequel is superior in every respect," Baldree wrote. "Right now our job is to ensure that the quality level is consistent all the way to the end." And then, as a brilliant distraction to stop us from crying, Baldree reminded us of the glut of goodness out there at the moment. "Besides, you're all playing Skyrim right now anyway, aren't you? Or Battlefield 3? Or Uncharted 3? Or Saints Row 3? Or Arkham City? Or Skyward Sword? Or Minecraft? Or Modern Warfare 3? Or Dark Souls? Or Assassin's Creed Revelations?" You're right, Travis! No rush. It'll take us until this time next year to make our way through everything you just mentioned anyway.
Torchlight 2 still scheduled for late 2011 (barring death or illness)
Anticipated dungeon crawler Torchlight 2 has a minor update to its launch window, with Runic telling RunicGamesFanSite.com that the title is expected to launch during November or December ... unless "someone on the team dies." That's a far more calamitous caveat compared to what Runic told us when we checked in with the studio a couple weeks ago. "We're still definitely on track for 2011, but have to hit all our internal milestones before we can lock in a date," Runic community maven Wonder Russell told Joystiq. "With a team this small, if one of our three programmers gets the flu, we could be screwed." Torchlight fans should be sewing pillow suits of armor and force-feeding the devs their Flintstone vitamins, just to make sure that the $20 co-op dungeon crawler makes it out this year.
Torchlight, Neverwinter MMOs scheduled to launch late 2012-early 2013
Runic Games is scheduled to launch its Torchlight MMO in late 2012 or early 2013, according to an earnings call with Perfect World's Kelvin Lau. Perfect World, a Chinese MMO developer, owns a majority share of Runic and recently acquired the majority interest of Cryptic Studios, which plans to release Neverwinter in the same timeframe as Torchlight, Lau said. Runic still hopes to launch Torchlight 2 this year. Depending on its sales, the release schedule of its MMO cousin may move, either pushed back so Runic has more time to pamper its success or shoved forward so Runic can hide its screw-up, CEO Max Schaefer said.
Torchlight 2 priced at $20, final class revealed
Torchlight 2, the cooperation-friendly sequel to the million-selling dungeon crawler, has been officially priced at $20 by Runic Games. That's the same price as the original Torchlight. which had a far lower profile. "Everyone who wants to play Torchlight 2 will be able to comfortably afford to do so, and they'll be able to play with their friend online or via a LAN, or play single player offline, all with no further purchase," said Max Schaefer, CEO of Runic Games. Runic also revealed the fourth and final class in the game, the Embermage, who will join the Berserker, Outlander and Engineer on an obsessive quest for better loot. We're sure they'll save the world along the way or whatever, but it's the loot that's important. Torchlight 2 is still targeting a 2011 launch. %Gallery-131770%
Torchlight MMO still on schedule, depending on success of Torchlight II
Fans who are eagerly awaiting news on the status of the Torchlight MMO were offered a brief update during Runic CEO Max Schaefer's interview with Eurogamer; unfortunately for fans, it appears that completion and release of the MMO are quite a ways away. While Schaefer assures players that it is still planned and that they "have a lot of good ideas for the MMO," he also admits that they currently have other priorities -- namely the release of the forthcoming Torchlight II. He is clear that they "just aren't committing to any kind of schedule yet." Looks like fans will have to bide their time a while longer.
Torchlight purchased a million times, sequel still 'targeting' 2011 launch
Runic Games announced today that its little dungeon crawler that could, Torchlight, surpassed a million units sold across PC, Mac and Xbox 360. The company didn't provide a breakdown across platforms, but the title launched in October 2009, May 2010 and March 2011 for PC, Mac and Xbox 360, respectively. Torchlight has been discounted several times over that time to help it along the way to the million mark. Runic is currently working on Torchlight 2. Checking in on the game's ever-shifting release window, a company representative informed us today that the developer is "still targeting 2011," but no launch date will be announced until Runic is "closer to being done."
Explore Torchlight for $5.08 from Direct2Drive
If some cosmically improbable chain of events has kept you from playing Torchlight, today just might be the day to rectify it. Direct2Drive is currently selling the dungeon crawler for the tantalizingly low price of $5.08. It should be just the thing to tide you over until Torchlight 2.
Torchlight 2 preview: Embers only
Runic Games is showing Torchlight 2 on the floor of E3 this week, and we're just as busy as you are looking at all of this E3 news, so we'll get right to it: It's great. All of the things you loved about the first Torchlight are back, polished and updated, along with one of the most long awaited features of the game, co-op multiplayer. Not a lot has changed, but not a lot needed to -- this is Torchlight with a lot of smoothing, a great graphical upgrade, and a whole lot of fan lovin'. There are two big announcements for the game at E3 this week. First, the Berserker has been revealed as one of the game's new classes, joining the Railman, the Outlander, and one other as of yet unannounced class. Second, the game's multiplayer will support something we haven't seen developers talk about in a while: Local Area Network, or LAN, play. Wait a minute. LAN support? As in offline, play-with-your-friends, Fritos and Mountain Dew-fueled late night LAN party support? Runic Games CEO Max Schafer knows you don't actually have to do that for games any more, right? Like dedicated servers, LAN support is something of a lost art in this modern age of console gaming. "But people asked for it," Schafer told us, so yes, Torchlight 2 will be playable on a LAN. %Gallery-125878%
Behind the Mask: Perfect World and the future
If I were to describe the emotions of the Champions Online playerbase regarding the Perfect World buyout, I would have to say "mixed." Some players are happy that the days of Atari are behind them, and some are really skeptical about the future of the C-Store. CO is a fairly "pay-to-win" game in that Gold members have a lot of gameplay advantages over their non-subscribing counterparts. A lot of players are suggesting that the C-Store might become inundated with paid features and that we might possibly see the removal of certain free features (like global-purchased respecs). I am cautiously optimistic about the whole thing. Perfect World Entertainment holds controlling shares in Runic Games, and if the recent Mac and console ports of Torchlight are any indication of PWE's approach to management, I'd be more than happy to welcome our new alien overlords.
Torchlight 2 level design illuminated
As the latest in a series of Torchlight 2 teases leading up to E3, Runic has posted a detailed look at the game's level design. Levels in Torchlight 2 will be much larger than in the original game, and, for the first time, there will be large outdoor environments to explore. To give an idea of the new scale, level designer Patrick Blank noted that the largest levels in Torchlight were comprised of six to seven "chunks." The overworld areas in Torchlight 2, on the other hand, can contain over twenty chunks. The overworld will be dotted with multiple dungeons, some of them quest-specific and others that are random. Regardless, Blank notes that players should "always feel rewarded" plumbing the depths of any dungeon. Also, players won't have to worry about backtracking out of dungeons, as each will have a portal back to the surface at its endpoint. Runic has also posted a lengthy level design Q&A with plenty of technical details, including information on level-editing tools. The Q&A also confirms that outdoor levels will feature a day and night cycle and random weather. Check out some fresh Torchlight 2 screens in the gallery below. %Gallery-124120%
