Diablo 1 and 2 devs secure $4.5 million for a new ARPG: 'We're going back to what made those early Diablo games feel so awesome but taking them in some cool, fresh directions'

Diablo key art.

In the aftermath of Diablo 4, its Vessel of Hatred expansion, and the early access launch of Path of Exile 2, it's an exciting time for ARPGs and any accompanying loot explosions. Moon Beast Productions, a development studio formed in 2021 by ARPG veterans who worked on Diablo 1 and 2, is hoping to add its own entry to the nascent ARPG boom, and it's secured $4.5 million in seed funding to do it.

According to a press release announcing the studio's seed funding success, Moon Beast is "exploring an alternate trajectory for action RPGs," and based on its founders' histories I suspect they have a pretty strong sense of where the genre has room to grow. Erich Schaefer, Moon Beast's chief creative officer, started his work on ARPGs as lead designer on Diablo 1, going on to share credits with CEO Phil Shenk and president Peter Hu on Diablo 2 and other storied ARPG names like Hellgate: London and Torchlight.