Moon Beast Productions, led by developers of Diablo 1 and 2, have gotten $4.5 million in funding as the studio works on a brand-new take on ARPGs.
The studio, which is led by veterans like Phil Shenk, Peter Hu, and Eric Shaefer, has gotten funding from several investors, including:
- 1AM Gaming
- 1UP Ventures
- The Mini Fund
- Overwolf
- Versus Ventures
- Gaingels
- Cohh Carnage
- Mark Pincus
This funding will help Moon Beast Productions focus on a new ARPG. It’s particularly looking at what the genre could have turned into if it had the technology it has today. This includes advanced procedural generation and dynamic world technology.
The studio is using these features to make an ARPG that is open-ended, expansive, and has unending freedom and replayability. The upcoming game is ambitious, but the team has a ton of experience that includes titles like Diablo 1/2/3, Nox, Hellgate: London, Torchlight 1/2, and Marvel Heroes Online.
User-generated content (UGC) will also play a prominent role in the upcoming game. More info about the game will be released early next year, but several members of the studio had plenty to say about their funding success.
Peter Hu, the President and Co-Founder, shared a bit about the studio’s goals:
“In today’s challenging funding environment, we’re incredibly fortunate to have investors who understand our vision. Our approach has always been about working smarter, not just harder. We’re building reusable, data-driven systems that allow us to iterate rapidly and create more with less.
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.”
Phil Shenk, CEO and Co-Founder, expanded on how their experience will help the new game:
“We’ve never been content to follow the crowd. Throughout our careers, we’ve always pushed to redefine genres. We were there at the start, helping to invent ARPGs with Diablo and Diablo II. In the years following, from Hellgate: London to Torchlight, and Marvel Heroes Online, we’ve consistently sought to expand what players expect from the genre.
Think about how MOBAs emerged from Warcraft III mods. Our UGC tools could similarly unlock entirely new genres built on ARPG gameplay and systems.”
Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder Erich Schaefer also discussed more on the developer’s experience:
“For the past 20 years, we’ve dreamed of ARPG gameplay in more open, dynamic worlds. 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.
I think fans of our original Diablo games will find a lot to love, but I’m also super excited about the new ways we’re shaking it up. It’s exciting to be able to take a fresh approach to the genre.”
Two investors also shared their thoughts. Avner Florenthal, the VP of Business Development at Overwolf, said”
“We are thrilled by Moon Beast’s vision for player creativity. Their approach to UGC has the potential to extend the game’s life and even spark entirely new gameplay experiences.”
The Lead Investor Gregory Milken, from 1AM Gaming, said:
“What sets Moon Beast apart is their thoughtful approach. They’re not chasing trends but expertly crafting a unique experience that could genuinely expand the ARPG genre and shake up the current formula. We are big believers in the team and great fans of their genre-defining past works.”
For more industry-related news, check out Cooldown Games’ launch as an independent games publisher and Hideki Kamiya’s new studio Clovers, which will work on the upcoming Okami sequel.
