Former WoW Lead Designer Unveils New Multiplayer Game
▼ Summary
– Bonfire Studios, founded by former Blizzard executive Rob Pardo, is finally revealing its first game called Arkheron after nearly a decade.
– Arkheron is a multiplayer game resembling Diablo, where 15 teams of three players compete to ascend a tower while collecting items for special powers.
– An open alpha playtest for Arkheron is scheduled for September 19th-21st, with sign-ups available on Steam, though no official launch date has been announced.
– The game underwent extensive iteration, including four combat redesigns, reflecting Blizzard’s development approach, and the team developed a strong passion for it during internal playtesting.
– Arkheron will launch on PC, Xbox, and PS5, with ongoing playtesting emphasized as key to refining the game based on community feedback.
After nearly a decade of development, Bonfire Studios, founded by former Blizzard chief creative officer Rob Pardo, has finally unveiled its debut title: Arkheron. This highly anticipated multiplayer game draws inspiration from action RPG classics while introducing a fresh competitive structure. Players can expect a dynamic, team-based experience where strategy and adaptability are key to victory.
In Arkheron, matches consist of 15 teams, each with three players, racing to ascend a tower while gathering loot and abilities that shape their approach in real time. The gameplay encourages on-the-fly decision-making, allowing participants to customize their load-outs and tactics as each round progresses. Its visual style and fast-paced action may remind fans of beloved dungeon crawlers, though its structure is built entirely around multiplayer competition.
An open alpha playtest is scheduled for this weekend, running from September 19th through the 21st. Interested players can register through Steam to gain early access. Pardo has been transparent about the game’s lengthy development cycle, citing multiple redesigns and refinements, particularly to the combat system, which underwent four major overhauls before reaching its current state.
In a recent blog post, Pardo emphasized the team’s genuine enthusiasm for the project, noting that internal playtest sessions became something developers looked forward to rather than treated as routine work. This organic excitement, he suggests, is a promising sign of the game’s potential. He also acknowledged that the alpha version will show some rough edges, reinforcing that player feedback is essential to shaping the final product.
Arkheron is planned for release on PC, Xbox, and PS5, though a specific launch date has not yet been announced. The studio aims to continue refining the game through community input, staying true to a development philosophy that values iteration and player-driven evolution.
(Source: The Verge)
