With Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion and the meteoric early access launch of Path of Exile 2, it’s safe to say that 2024 has ended well for ARPG fans. Good news has also arrived for Moon Beast Productions, the ARPG-focused studio that was spun up by some former Diablo developers in 2021. Moon Beast has revealed today that it has secured an extra $4.5 million in funding from investors which will go towards the creation of its incredibly ambitious debut game.
Moon Beast makes absolutely no bones about what it plans to make and the developers it chooses to hire – “We love action role-playing games… They’re in our blood, and are what we do best,” its simple mission statement reads. With talent that has worked on some of the best RPGs ever, such as Diablo 1, 2, and 3, you can already begin to imagine what kind of project this is going to be without having seen a single screenshot or heard the title.
However, there are some pretty big plans and expectations for this game. In a press release announcing the new funding round, Moon Beast says it will represent an “alternate trajectory for action RPGs,” will “reimagine what the genre could have become if ARPG designs had taken a different path,” and will offer “truly unique experiences with each playthrough.” Sure, it’s a bit buzzword-y, but it’s a bold vision nonetheless.
“For the past 20 years, we’ve dreamed of ARPG gameplay in more open, dynamic worlds,” says chief creative officer and Moon Beast co-founder Erich Schaefer. “We finally have the technological capabilities and decades of design experience to bring those visions to life. We’re going back to what made those early Diablo games feel so awesome but taking them in some cool, fresh directions.”
Procedural generation appears to be a big focus, but so too is user-generated content and modding. “We’re building in-game tools that allow players to not just mod, but potentially create entirely new game modes using our robust, client-server ARPG systems,” the studio’s president and fellow co-founder, Peter Hu, says.
It’s quite the pitch, and one that’s clearly resonated with the multiple investors Moon Beast has managed to attract. Alongside various investment groups, you’ll also see names like popular streamer ‘CohhCarnage.’ As mentioned, the grand total raised is $4.5 million, which will go a long way towards the development costs (and marketing costs, no doubt) for this currently untitled project. Not even a striking-sounding codename? Pah, lame.
In all seriousness, this sounds like a very ambitious and promising project that wants to go beyond just delivering the addictive and brutal action the likes of Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 provide right now. Until we hear more about Moon Beasts’ debut title, why not take a look at some of the best games like Diablo. Our list of the best PC games, regardless of genre, is also packed with amazing experiences.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or join our community Discord to stay in the know.