In a major announcement sure to excite fans of the action RPG (ARPG) genre, Moonbeast Productions—a studio formed by the creative minds behind the legendary Diablo and Diablo II titles—has officially unveiled its next project, Darkhaven.
Established in 2021, Moonbeast Productions was founded by key former Blizzard talent, including Diablo senior designer and art director Erich Schaefer, Diablo II lead character artist and story/dialog writer Phil Shenk, and early Diablo II programmer Peter Hu.
This brings together an all-star team with decades of expertise in crafting genre-defining games. Darkhaven, currently in development for PC platforms, is described as a dark-fantasy isometric ARPG set in a world left in ruins after the collapse of civilization.
Players will step into the shoes of a survivor navigating wilderness reclaimed by monsters and the remnants of ancient empires.
The game encourages players to leave the safety of their stronghold to confront evil forces and become the long-awaited hero. One of the core innovations that sets Darkhaven apart is its "totally dynamic worlds," a feature highlighted by Moonbeast Productions.
According to the developers, the environments in Darkhaven will respond to player actions in meaningful ways.
For example, players will be able to physically reshape the environment by digging through earth to reveal hidden caves, breaking through dungeon walls, restoring ruined fortresses, or even draining lakes and redirecting lava flows.
These changes will persist in the game world across play sessions, offering an evolving and persistent experience for each player. Expanding on the game’s structure, Moonbeast Productions has stated that Darkhaven offers solo play, cooperative gameplay, and "high-stakes PvP-enabled realms." The developers explained that they are building unprecedented, flexible ways to connect realms together, enabling experiences ranging from traditional single-player adventures to massively interconnected realms with MMO-scale interactions. Another standout aspect of Darkhaven is its commitment to comprehensive mod support.
Players will have access to an in-client editor, allowing them to create new items, monsters, character classes, and quests in real-time—even while playing alongside others.
This approach, the developers note, is designed to foster a vibrant community of player-created content and ensure the game remains dynamic well beyond its launch. While Darkhaven does not yet have a confirmed release date, Moonbeast Productions has announced their intention to launch a Kickstarter campaign to secure additional development funding.
This follows their successful seed funding round in 2024, which raised $4.5 million, underlining investor confidence in the project. The combination of seasoned development talent, advanced gameplay systems, and a strong focus on community-driven modding positions Darkhaven as a highly anticipated entry in the ARPG genre.
For updates, prospective players can wishlist Darkhaven on Steam and follow announcements from Moonbeast Productions as the project moves toward its eventual release.
Established in 2021, Moonbeast Productions was founded by key former Blizzard talent, including Diablo senior designer and art director Erich Schaefer, Diablo II lead character artist and story/dialog writer Phil Shenk, and early Diablo II programmer Peter Hu.
This brings together an all-star team with decades of expertise in crafting genre-defining games. Darkhaven, currently in development for PC platforms, is described as a dark-fantasy isometric ARPG set in a world left in ruins after the collapse of civilization.
Players will step into the shoes of a survivor navigating wilderness reclaimed by monsters and the remnants of ancient empires.
The game encourages players to leave the safety of their stronghold to confront evil forces and become the long-awaited hero. One of the core innovations that sets Darkhaven apart is its "totally dynamic worlds," a feature highlighted by Moonbeast Productions.
According to the developers, the environments in Darkhaven will respond to player actions in meaningful ways.
For example, players will be able to physically reshape the environment by digging through earth to reveal hidden caves, breaking through dungeon walls, restoring ruined fortresses, or even draining lakes and redirecting lava flows.
These changes will persist in the game world across play sessions, offering an evolving and persistent experience for each player. Expanding on the game’s structure, Moonbeast Productions has stated that Darkhaven offers solo play, cooperative gameplay, and "high-stakes PvP-enabled realms." The developers explained that they are building unprecedented, flexible ways to connect realms together, enabling experiences ranging from traditional single-player adventures to massively interconnected realms with MMO-scale interactions. Another standout aspect of Darkhaven is its commitment to comprehensive mod support.
Players will have access to an in-client editor, allowing them to create new items, monsters, character classes, and quests in real-time—even while playing alongside others.
This approach, the developers note, is designed to foster a vibrant community of player-created content and ensure the game remains dynamic well beyond its launch. While Darkhaven does not yet have a confirmed release date, Moonbeast Productions has announced their intention to launch a Kickstarter campaign to secure additional development funding.
This follows their successful seed funding round in 2024, which raised $4.5 million, underlining investor confidence in the project. The combination of seasoned development talent, advanced gameplay systems, and a strong focus on community-driven modding positions Darkhaven as a highly anticipated entry in the ARPG genre.
For updates, prospective players can wishlist Darkhaven on Steam and follow announcements from Moonbeast Productions as the project moves toward its eventual release.
