Runic Games
Encyclopedia
Runic Games is a Seattle-based American computer game company
formed by Travis Baldree (creator of Fate), Max Schaefer and Erich Schaefer (co-founders of Blizzard North
), Peter Hu, and the Flagship Studios
Seattle team responsible for Mythos. It is a subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd.
In 2009, the company released Torchlight
, a single-player action role-playing game
, and they are currently developing a sequel and a massively multiplayer online role-playing game
set in the Torchlight game world.
video game as a "spiritual successor" to their previous project. Following the dissolution of Flagship Studios in 2008, all 14 members of the Seattle team that developed Mythos signed onto Runic Games.
Full production on the game started around November 2008, meaning that the game's total development period was approximately 11 months. At the 2009 Game Developers Conference
some members of the Runic Games team were present with an early version of their single-player game, at which point it was revealed that the title would be Torchlight
. One notable addition to the staff was Matt Uelmen
, composer for Blizzard Entertainment
's Diablo series. As of mid-2009, the company employed no fewer than 26 people.
Gamasutra
named Runic Games one of its "Top 5 Developers" of 2009 for the studio's ability to create the "highly-polished" Torchlight in only 11 months. The company was also praised for its responsiveness to its player community, citing one particular incident:
Following the 2009 release of Torchlight, the studio shifted to the production of a sequel Torchlight II
, due for release "sometime in 2011." A Torchlight MMORPG is planned subsequent to the sequel.
In 2010, Perfect World Entertainment, Inc.
bought a $8.4 million majority stake in Runic Games.
published by Perfect World Entertainment, Inc.
and Encore, Inc, and released for Windows
on October 27, 2009. The fantasy
-themed game is set in the fictional town of Torchlight and the expansive caverns and dungeons nearby, which adventurers explore to collect valuable loot and battle hordes of monsters. Following the initial digital distribution
release, Encore, Inc published a Windows retail box version in January 2010, a port for Mac OS X
was developed by World Domination Industries and released through Steam in May 2010, and it was released for the Xbox 360
via XBLA on March 9, 2011. The game was met with a generally positive critical reception, holding a Metacritic
score of 83 based on 57 reviews.
. The company decided to develop the sequel to "give [the players] what they're asking for" in terms of a multiplayer experience, while serving as an intermediate step toward their planned MMORPG. Runic Games originally estimated the PC version's release date to be sometime in 2011, but company president Travis Baldree later announced the game would be pushed back to 2012 to allow time for further polishing and a beta test.
" published worldwide by Chinese online game developer and operator Perfect World Co., Ltd.
The MMORPG will feature the same style of action RPG gameplay as the single-player Torchlight and will be set in the same game world. Runic Games originally stated that it planned to release the MMORPG approximately two years after the release of Torchlight, but those plans have since changed with the decision to develop Torchlight II.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
formed by Travis Baldree (creator of Fate), Max Schaefer and Erich Schaefer (co-founders of Blizzard North
Blizzard North
Blizzard North was the Bay Area division of Blizzard Entertainment, known for the Diablo series. The studio was originally based in Redwood City, and then moved a short distance away to San Mateo, with Blizzard proper being based in Irvine .-History:Blizzard North was originally an independent...
), Peter Hu, and the Flagship Studios
Flagship Studios
Flagship Studios was a computer game company founded by Bill Roper along with Max Schaefer, Erich Schaefer, and David Brevik, the original developers of Diablo and former high level Blizzard North executives...
Seattle team responsible for Mythos. It is a subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd.
Perfect World (company)
Perfect World is a China-based online game company specializing in MMORPGs. Beijing Perfect World Co. was founded in 2004 by Chi Yufeng, the president of Human Software Corporation. The company aims to develop and market games with Chinese characteristics...
In 2009, the company released Torchlight
Torchlight
Torchlight is an action role-playing game developed by Runic Games and published by Perfect World, released for Windows in October 2009. The fantasy-themed game is set in the fictional town of Torchlight and the expansive caverns and dungeons nearby, which adventurers explore to collect valuable...
, a single-player action role-playing game
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
, and they are currently developing a sequel and a massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
set in the Torchlight game world.
History
Runic Games was founded in August 2008 by Travis Baldree, Max Schaefer, Erich Schaefer and Peter Hu. The company formed specifically for the purpose of keeping the Mythos team together to develop a new action RPGAction role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
video game as a "spiritual successor" to their previous project. Following the dissolution of Flagship Studios in 2008, all 14 members of the Seattle team that developed Mythos signed onto Runic Games.
Full production on the game started around November 2008, meaning that the game's total development period was approximately 11 months. At the 2009 Game Developers Conference
Game Developers Conference
The Game Developers Conference is the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers, focusing on learning, inspiration, and networking...
some members of the Runic Games team were present with an early version of their single-player game, at which point it was revealed that the title would be Torchlight
Torchlight
Torchlight is an action role-playing game developed by Runic Games and published by Perfect World, released for Windows in October 2009. The fantasy-themed game is set in the fictional town of Torchlight and the expansive caverns and dungeons nearby, which adventurers explore to collect valuable...
. One notable addition to the staff was Matt Uelmen
Matt Uelmen
Matt Uelmen is an American video game music composer and sound designer. He is best known for his work in Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series, which was recognized with the inaugural Excellence in Audio award by the IGDA in 2001...
, composer for Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
's Diablo series. As of mid-2009, the company employed no fewer than 26 people.
Gamasutra
Gamasutra
Gamasutra is a website founded in 1997 for video game developers. It is owned and operated by UBM TechWeb , a division of United Business Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer...
named Runic Games one of its "Top 5 Developers" of 2009 for the studio's ability to create the "highly-polished" Torchlight in only 11 months. The company was also praised for its responsiveness to its player community, citing one particular incident:
Following the 2009 release of Torchlight, the studio shifted to the production of a sequel Torchlight II
Torchlight II
Torchlight II is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by Runic Games and published by Perfect World. It is the sequel to Runic's 2009 ARPG, Torchlight, and features peer-to-peer multiplayer support and extended modding capabilities. A release for Mac OS is planned for some time after the...
, due for release "sometime in 2011." A Torchlight MMORPG is planned subsequent to the sequel.
In 2010, Perfect World Entertainment, Inc.
Perfect World (company)
Perfect World is a China-based online game company specializing in MMORPGs. Beijing Perfect World Co. was founded in 2004 by Chi Yufeng, the president of Human Software Corporation. The company aims to develop and market games with Chinese characteristics...
bought a $8.4 million majority stake in Runic Games.
Torchlight (2009)
Runic Games' first product is Torchlight, a single-player action role-playing gameAction role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
published by Perfect World Entertainment, Inc.
Perfect World (company)
Perfect World is a China-based online game company specializing in MMORPGs. Beijing Perfect World Co. was founded in 2004 by Chi Yufeng, the president of Human Software Corporation. The company aims to develop and market games with Chinese characteristics...
and Encore, Inc, and released for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
on October 27, 2009. The fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
-themed game is set in the fictional town of Torchlight and the expansive caverns and dungeons nearby, which adventurers explore to collect valuable loot and battle hordes of monsters. Following the initial digital distribution
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
release, Encore, Inc published a Windows retail box version in January 2010, a port for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
was developed by World Domination Industries and released through Steam in May 2010, and it was released for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
via XBLA on March 9, 2011. The game was met with a generally positive critical reception, holding a Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
score of 83 based on 57 reviews.
Torchlight II (2012)
Runic Games has announced Torchlight II, a sequel which will feature multiplayer co-opCooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
. The company decided to develop the sequel to "give [the players] what they're asking for" in terms of a multiplayer experience, while serving as an intermediate step toward their planned MMORPG. Runic Games originally estimated the PC version's release date to be sometime in 2011, but company president Travis Baldree later announced the game would be pushed back to 2012 to allow time for further polishing and a beta test.
Torchlight MMORPG
The Torchlight multiplayer game will be an adventure-themed "action-MMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
" published worldwide by Chinese online game developer and operator Perfect World Co., Ltd.
Perfect World (company)
Perfect World is a China-based online game company specializing in MMORPGs. Beijing Perfect World Co. was founded in 2004 by Chi Yufeng, the president of Human Software Corporation. The company aims to develop and market games with Chinese characteristics...
The MMORPG will feature the same style of action RPG gameplay as the single-player Torchlight and will be set in the same game world. Runic Games originally stated that it planned to release the MMORPG approximately two years after the release of Torchlight, but those plans have since changed with the decision to develop Torchlight II.