David Brevik, renowned as a video game designer, producer, and programmer, is best known for his pivotal role in the creation of the critically acclaimed Diablo franchise. Brevik co-founded Blizzard North and served as its president. His journey in the gaming industry has been marked by numerous significant roles, which has led him to be the founder of his independent studio, Graybeard Games. In this exclusive interview, Brevik shares his insights on his latest venture as consulting producer for Torchlight Infinite, and takes a nostalgic look back at his time with beloved ARPG MMO Marvel Heroes.
MMORPG: Torchlight Infinite has come a long way to release since you’ve joined as consulting producer. In that time, what do you think are the most important advancements XD has made? What features have you consulted on that you feel will really resonate with players?
David Brevik: I think that listening to the community and playing the game have been the biggest advancements for us. Having the product out there and getting feedback and addressing concerns and problems allows the team to make the game better. The feedback and engagement has been spectacular and that has guided us to a better game.
MMORPG: Torchlight has been a staple as an ARPG for over a decade, and the game industry has shifted a lot in that time. Torchlight Infinite, despite being a sequel, feels like a big departure from the other games in the series, with a focus on characters, seasonal content, and a unique customizable skill system. What has the philosophy been in relation to building a modern cross platform game, while keeping the core feel of the series?
DB: As you mentioned, all of the other titles in the Torchlight series have been focused on a single-player or small-group experience with a story-line and a goal without any ambition to create a game as a service. When you design the game to be something very different, you will need to focus on a different style of meta-game. Because it is an on-going experience, a living game, it can't be just about the storyline. There are a lot of new systems that must be implemented to keep the game fresh and creative. That said, we didn't want to deviate from the look and feel of the game. Making sure the combat plays well moment-to-moment and the look is inspired by the original games gives us a fresh experience, but reminds us of the old games.
Keeping Players Invested
MMORPG: With a new seasonal approach, Torchlight Infinite will undoubtedly see new content headed down the pipe frequently, but how will you keep players invested?
DB: Having seasons, allows us the opportunity to indroduce new characters, new content, new builds and change the mechanics. It's really fun to be able to create something and add to it over time. The game remains fresh for the players as they have something new to look forward to every few months. It is a fun way to make a game that keeps developer and player both happy.
MMORPG: XD Games is heavily invested as the mobile platform, and rolled out Torchlight Infinite on their app store Taptap for a while before it transitioned to PC. How are you making the game accessible for mobile while still appealing to a more traditional core gaming audience?
DB: It is important to broaden our audience beyond mobile. PC offers a new opportunity to have a more traditional gaming experience. Playing with a mouse and keyboard is very different than on a touch device. It harkens back to the original games on the PC and retains the feel of those games. I also believe there are gamers out there that prefer longer gaming sessions on their PC over mobile device. That said, it is also wonderful that you can take your experience anywhere, any time. Having the ability to play at home on a desktop or on the go with mobile is the best of both worlds.
"Feedback has Been Our Top Priority"
MMORPG: Player communities play a significant role in the lifespan of a game. How has community feedback been incorporated into the development of Torchlight Infinite? Was there any feedback that you saw specifically that influenced your thoughts on Torchlight Infinite’s direction?
DB: Community is vital to a living game like this. It is the most important part of creating a long-term game. Engaging and listening to our community and their feedback has been our top priority. Several things have changed because we listened to the community and I am sure that we will continue to listen and improve and create an experience we can all enjoy.
MMORPG: As you’re well aware, Marvel Heroes would have been 10 years old this year. As someone who personally loved the game, I have a lot of fond memories, but are there any experiences you have from working on the game that you remember fondly, or thoughts you’d like to share with the fans of the game that still miss it?
DB: I really enjoyed working on Marvel Heroes. It was a dream IP to work with. I can't believe it has been 10 years already. It was a rough start, but we engaged our community and built something special. I was really honored to work with such and incredible and dedicated team. I think the thing I took with me the most was how important it was to listen and interact with the community. We took a very different approach on that team. We allowed anyone on the team to post on the forums and engage the community directly. I started streaming the game on Twitch and was able to play with the players every night. I had so much fun being so involved with the community. That direct connection the community is really important for any living game like Torchlight Infinite.
MMORPG: Diablo 4 recently released, and it’s one of the hottest new releases this year. As someone that essentially created and championed the series, have you had a chance to play Diablo 4, and what are your thoughts on it?
DB: As the creator of the franchise it is incredible to me that Diablo is such a powerful IP. It is wonderful that we have seen several new games in the series recently. I look forward to trying Diablo IV.
MMORPG: Now that Torchlight Infinite is out for everyone to experience, players are certainly going to start tearing through the content. In terms of gameplay mechanics and user experience, what features can players look forward to that might be headed our way in the near future for Torchlight Infinite?
DB: Nothing is certain at this point. We continue to listen to our community and the feedback, process how best to handle the future of the game and make plans on what is coming next. We will be really excited to reveal what's next soon.
We extend our gratitude to David Brevik for his time and invaluable insights into the ongoing development for Torchlight Infinite. Torchlight Infinite, the successor of the award-winning ARPG franchise Torchlight, is now available for players worldwide. The game, released on May 9, 2023, offers an epic journey, complete with endless loot, a brand new story, and challenging bosses. It's available on multiple platforms, including PC and mobile, as a free to play title and supports cross-platform multiplayer.
