The creators of the seminal action RPG Diablo II are finding themselves in an unusual position: competitors to the very franchise they helped build. Just days after Blizzard’s surprise announcement and release of Reign of the Warlock, an expansion for Diablo II: Resurrected, Moonbeast Productions officially unveiled Darkhaven, a new action RPG spearheaded by veterans of the original Diablo and Diablo II development teams.
Moonbeast Productions was founded in 2021 by developers who previously worked at Blizzard. Key figures include Erich Schaefer, senior designer and art director on the original Diablo, Peter Hu, a programmer on Diablo II, and Phil Shenk, lead character artist and story/dialog writer for Diablo II. Other former Blizzard developers involved include Brian Fitzgerald, Anthony Revero, Colin Day, and Eric McNine.
A Complex Relationship with the Past
The launch of Reign of the Warlock, bringing new content to Diablo II after 25 years, has prompted reflection within Moonbeast. “There are a lot of conflicted feelings,” admitted Peter Hu in an interview with PC Gamer. “We’re an indie company going up against a giant, and it’s a tough hill to climb.”
Phil Shenk echoed this sentiment, stating, “We feel the pressure, but I don’t hate them for it.” Despite the competitive landscape, the team expressed appreciation for Blizzard’s continued support of Diablo II, acknowledging the game’s enduring popularity. “It’s incredible that Blizzard feels Diablo 2 deserves new content after 25 years,” Shenk said, “which shows how much pull it still has, which is amazing.”
Blizzard’s decision to add only a single new class in Reign of the Warlock, rather than a full narrative act with additional quests, has drawn some commentary. Shenk, reflecting on his experience with Diablo II, noted the significant undertaking involved in creating new acts. “Having worked on Diablo 2 and knowing how much work goes into making a new act, yeah, that would have been incredible, but I can’t imagine how they would do it, because you’re modifying the story and the lore, and how does that affect everything that happened after Diablo 2?”
Darkhaven: Beyond the Diablo Formula
Darkhaven aims to differentiate itself from its predecessors, and from the current ARPG landscape, through a focus on dynamic world interaction. The game is described as a dark-fantasy isometric ARPG set in a world recovering from a civilization-ending collapse. Players take on the role of survivors venturing into the ruins of fallen empires, battling monsters and seeking to become heroes.
Unlike many traditional ARPGs, Darkhaven features a fully destructible and procedural world. Players can dig tunnels, break through dungeon walls, drain lakes to uncover hidden ruins, and even redirect lava flows to reshape the battlefield. These changes are persistent, even when the player is offline, creating a shared and evolving world. The developers are building “unprecedented, flexible ways to connect realms together,” potentially allowing for experiences ranging from single-player journeys to massively interconnected, MMO-scale networks.
The game will support solo play, cooperative adventures, and player-versus-player (PvP) combat in dedicated realms. Seasons will change, and weather will impact both combat and traversal, adding layers of complexity to the gameplay experience.
Kickstarter and Future Plans
Moonbeast Productions is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $500,000 to fund the development of Darkhaven. As of , the campaign has raised $193,284. A $30 pledge will secure a Steam key for the game, granting access to both the early access period and the full launch.
The developers are targeting an early access release on Steam in late 2026 or early 2027. A pre-alpha demo is currently available on Steam, allowing players to experience a taste of the game’s dynamic world and unique gameplay mechanics. Darkhaven represents not simply a nostalgic return to the roots of the ARPG genre, but an attempt to evolve the formula with innovative features and a persistent, player-driven world.
