Runic Games is hard at work on its upcoming title “Torchlight,” having just announced a publishing deal with Perfect World, the leading online game developer in China. Torchlight will be a single-player action-RPG, with a subsequently released MMO to be published by Perfect World.

Previously working on Mythos, an action-RPG MMO, the Runic Games team is made up of industry veterans including Max and Erich Schaefer, two of the cofounders of Blizzard North, developers of Diablo and Diablo II, Travis Baldree, the project director for Mythos and creator of FATE, and many other talented individuals.

Torchlight stays close to the fast-paced, randomized, and accessible roots of the developers’ previous titles. Work on the MMO will be underway following the release of the single- player game due out this year, and will build upon the gameplay and lore developed for the single-player title.

Runic Games will be presenting at E3 this June in Los Angeles, and at PAX in their hometown of Seattle later this Fall.

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