Arc Games announced today that Torchlight Frontiers is now Torchlight III. This is not just a symbolic gesture, as Frontiers was going to be a free-to-play game. Torchlight III will be a premium title, like its predecessors.
The original Torchlight came out back in 2008, offering an action role-playing game experience similar to Blizzard’s Diablo franchise. It sold over 1 million copies. A sequel, Torchlight II, followed in 2012.
Torchlight Frontiers looked like it was taking inspiration from Path of Exile, another Diablo-like action RPG. It is a free-to-play experience with an emphasis on online multiplayer. Arc notes that this rebranding for Trochlight III shows that the project will return to the franchise’s roots, offering the same experience if you’re playing online or off. It is also removing the in-game store where players could buy items with real money.
Arc plans to release Torchlight III later this year for PC. Console versions will follow after that.
The action-RPG world is heating up. Along with Torchlight III, Blizzard is working on Diablo IV and Path of Exile is getting a sequel.
