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Torchlight 2 interview: Bringing Runic's action RPG to Switch

The colorful action RPG Torchlight 2 is head to consoles and Nintendo Switch. We speak with the team behind the ports.

Chris Jarrard

July 22, 2019 11:55 AM

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Long a favorite of PC gamers with an affinity for loot-heavy action RPGs, Torchlight 2 is one of the most popular games of its kind. Featuring colorful art design, a nearly endless supply of loot, and multiplayer support, Torchlight 2 checks all the boxes fans of the genre. It has been seven years since the game launched on PC, but it is now headed to consoles and Nintendo Switch. We got the chance to speak with the team tasked with adapting the PC hit to these new platforms to find out the work required to adapt the secret sauce to Nintendo’s handheld.

Developer Runic Games unleashed the original Torchlight into the world during a time in PC gaming where action RPG fans were hungry for a follow up to Blizzard’s massively successful Diablo II. Blizzard was hard at work on Diablo III, but the game had a long and troubled development path and took more than a decade to arrive on PC. Former members of the Diablo II team ended up at Runic Games and began work on Torchlight.

Torchlight took the concept behind loot-heavy action RPGs such as Diablo and Titan Quest and simplified the formula to its purest form. You dispatch enemies and collect loot that allows your character to steadily increase their power. The game had a colorful palette and world design that was inviting to a wide range of players, rather than sticking to the drab, gothic aesthetic of the Diablo series. Just as important, it was a game that people could actually buy and play, unlike Diablo III. It went on to become a big hit and work on the sequel began shortly after.

Torchlight 2 took the same formula for the first game and served it up with a higher level of refinement, as well as adding in multiplayer support, a feature that was sorely missing from the original game. The game did very well, even with direct competition from Blizzard’s Diablo III. Now, fans can look forward to playing the game on Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch September 3. Be sure to watch all of the interview above to hear how the team at Panic Switch is preparing the game for its big relaunch.

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Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.