Torchlight to explore retail shelves in January

by David Hinkle { Nov 5th 2009 at 8:30PM }

Torchlight, the action-RPG from Runic Games, is available right now via the game's official site or Steam. However, early next year, the game will also be available at brick-and-mortar shops, Joystiq sister site Big Download confirms. The news comes from Runic Games' head of PR, who says that a boxed version will hack and slash its way to retail shelves sometime in early January.

Currently, Torchlight is only compatible with Windows, but the team is hard at work getting it ready for Macs and is also preparing the game's first patch and mod tools. If you fancy yourself a fan of the Diablo series and have Steam, then give the demo a chance -- Torchlight was created in part by Diablo and Diablo II co-designers Max and Erich Schaefer, after all.

Gallery: Torchlight

Tags: action-rpg, dungeon-crawler, encore-software, hack-and-slash, release-date, retail, rpg, runic-games, steam, torchlight

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

maxim @ Nov 5th 2009 8:42PM

I will explore your rear end with a chainsaw

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 5th 2009 8:42PM

You will die knowing you contributed absolutely nothing to this article.

maxim @ Nov 5th 2009 9:01PM

But your butt will still hurt after i'm done

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 5th 2009 8:49PM

Common sense is obviously not something you like to practice.
I'm sure you can find a "For Dummies" book somewhere under that bridge.

Filthy Assistant @ Nov 6th 2009 3:27AM

That is a hilarious statement coming from Spyder, who contributes nothing to every article he comments on. Including this one.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 5th 2009 8:41PM

BUY THIS. DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS. $20. BUY IT.
I've been absolutely addicted to this game since it came out on Steam. It is everything you could want out of a Diablo (clone?) yet also includes hi-res textures.

I hope they see success with this game. It is very much deserved.
http://www.giantbomb.com/torchlight/61-25983/reviews/

Bjork @ Nov 5th 2009 8:57PM

I don't find the graphics all too appealing. The real deal breaker, however, is the lack of multi-player. I think I'll just go back to Diablo 2 if I wanted a Diablo clone.

Massmass @ Nov 5th 2009 10:55PM

Good to know about the lack of multiplayer now. I'll try the demo but since it lacks multi, unless I love the demo, I'll probably wait for the inevitable steam sale to buy it.

RKN @ Nov 5th 2009 8:44PM

I may be in the lurch, but there are Mac owners who would rather wait and play the Mac version of a game rather than booting Windows instead on their Mac? Your lucky that you can run the competing OS easier than Windows users can.

It just seems a waste to develop games for the PC and Mac when Mac owners can buy it for the PC platform and run it on their Mac, a waste of development time, resources, packaging, etc.

I'd also like to see a future where I can buy Mass Effect 5, and run that disc in an Xbox 1080 and also in a gaming PC which would still allow mods and such, instead of having to develop for and create two separate versions of the game.

Doctor John Smith @ Nov 5th 2009 8:57PM

I'm planning on getting Windows for my mac soon, and probably would've picked picked up Torchlight anyway, but the simple fact that now I'll be able to play without rebooting my pc is enough to secure it a definite purchase.

Lars @ Nov 5th 2009 8:44PM

Sorry, this just drives me crazy:

"Torchlight is only compatible with PCs, however the team is hard at work getting it ready for Macs..."

A Mac IS a PC dammit! Maybe it's because I've been into computers for a long time, maybe it's because I'm a little bit anal retentive. But when I think "PC", I think of a computer, not an OS (ie. Dell, IBM, Apple, Toshiba, etc.). And when I think of OS's, Windows is one of the last OS's to come to mind. I think Linux, MacOS, Unix/BSD, Solaris, OS/2, etc.

Professor Lario @ Nov 5th 2009 8:52PM

You must not have been into computers long enough to remember when a PC was designated as 'non-Apple' machine or more specifically an IBM unit.

David Hinkle @ Nov 5th 2009 8:54PM

I've changed it to "Windows" in the post -- just for you!

Lars @ Nov 5th 2009 8:57PM

No, I remember when everything became IBM-clones. But all computers were still PC's whether a Radio Shack 1000, C64, IBM-clone, or Apple 2e.

David, you are awesome.

whylekat @ Nov 5th 2009 9:02PM

Well he's right after all. PC = Personal Computer.

RKN @ Nov 5th 2009 9:07PM

Mexicans and Canadians are American, they are in North America!

Lars @ Nov 5th 2009 9:12PM

Incidentaly, I also correct people when someone says "American" if they are excluding Canada, Mexico, South America, etc. ;)

Granger @ Nov 5th 2009 9:38PM

There are no other countries in North or South America that actually have "America" in their name. People call Americans "Americans" because of their nationality, not their geographical location. Pro-tip: Canadians, Brazilians, Mexicans, Cubans, Argentineans, Peruvians, Chilean, and people of the many other countries I've left out that are geographically part of North and South America do NOT want to be called Americans.

New Zealanders or Kiwis don't want to be called Australians either.

Lars @ Nov 5th 2009 10:55PM

I guess that sorta makes sense. I just prefer to avoid the term "American" all together.

I've never heard anyone call a New Zealander an Australian though. But they are Australaisians.

Massmass @ Nov 5th 2009 10:59PM

Of all the things to pick at, even for an aging hipster, you choose this to nitpick over?

Well, power to ya. Personally, I'll stick to only having my skin crawl when people say the iTouch....

Now I need to shower...

Mark C @ Nov 6th 2009 10:04AM

Torchlight is fantastic. $20 well spent.

jtan @ Nov 5th 2009 8:59PM

seriously, i have no idea how this thing has eaten up my time so quickly or mercilessly.

It's like a voracious diablo worm that hasn't been fed since patch 1.10 suddenly woke up from hibernation and began feeding nonstop.

I think it realizes it may not eat again until D3 drops in 2011... or 2012 given that it's blizzard.

David Hinkle @ Nov 5th 2009 9:44PM

Same here. I have to set an egg timer every time I want to play, or else I'll get nothing done. It's pretty addictive.

Lurker28 @ Nov 5th 2009 8:59PM

32 Hours later and I'm still loving torchlight, however I've my fun of torchlight on the shelf just for the next few weeks while I finish Dragon Age...then back to gibbing goblins with torchlight.

jtan @ Nov 5th 2009 9:00PM

Also, can't wait for the MMO version!

Crusty Magic @ Nov 5th 2009 9:20PM

I loved the demo, but I wish it had some sort of multiplayer.

Zsavior @ Nov 5th 2009 9:41PM

This game is win and freaking money! 20 bucks to just be awesome. I am dead serious I got this and borderlands. BUt this game is like crack CRACK. I can tell these people worked for BLizz at one point; cause the drugs in this damn thing is just holding me from other games.

Ugkul @ Nov 5th 2009 9:45PM

Not a bad game, but not much lasting power, and you have to do a lot of inventory Tetris. Gear drops are also far too random.

james_lankford @ Nov 6th 2009 3:28AM

all items take up only one inventory slot
so you do not have to do inventory tetris

The Pie Pieper @ Nov 5th 2009 11:13PM

That is awesome news. I'm runnin through it right now and its a well spent $20

vtnwesley @ Nov 5th 2009 11:17PM

I don't even like Diablo, but I quite enjoyed the demo of Torchlight. The original version had some vsync issues, but they already patched it in the retail version from what I have been told. Definitely try out Torchlight if you enjoy dungeon crawlers and action rpgs.

Courtney @ Nov 5th 2009 11:29PM

Shame they aren't getting a boxed version out in time for Christmas, I would totally get this as a gift for the wife (she's a big Diablo fan). But, a digital download code isn't as much fun to unwrap on Christmas morning.

freaparn @ Nov 5th 2009 11:38PM

I would love to know what's wrong with my copy of Torchlight, because I don't find it to be very engaging to play. Kind of depressing with pretty much everyone else saying it's addictive as all hell, whereas I can hardly bear to play it for more than a half hour before getting bored.

Help me out here: When's the hook? I've gone down ten levels and done a couple "treasure hunt" mini-dungeons and various "go kill this/fetch that" quests, and I've yet to see anything to warrant the reactions of most people on this title. Serious question, folks, not trying to troll or bash.

Ugkul @ Nov 6th 2009 2:00AM

I think folks are really getting ahead of themselves in over-praising certain releases. Remember Plant vs Zombies? Sure it was good... for about two weeks. No one talks about it now.

Yes Torchlight is worth $20, but the gameplay gets kinda dull after a while. Kudos to Runic, but seriously folks should stop saying this is the best thing since sliced bread.

Huey2k2 @ Nov 6th 2009 2:24AM

I guess it depends how into these types of games you are.

Personally I was really addicted to it for a while, but now that Dragon Age is out I will be busy with that for the forseeable future. Once I am finally done with Dragon Age after what will most likely be several playthroughs there is a good change I will most likely go back to Torchlight.

I really really love Diablo style games, and although this is essentially a direct ripoff of Diablo with slightly less content, it's still a fantastic game.

james_lankford @ Nov 6th 2009 3:42AM

maybe you need to try it on a harder difficulty ?

Mass Effect was popular, but I didn't care for it. There was just too much going on. You had manage your combat team, constantly switch out weapons for each team member. It just wasn't my thing.

This is simple: point and click. Its got beautiful levels; great looking armor; fun skills and some cool game mechanics: your pet can summon its own minions.
I liked Diablo 1 and 2. I loved Jade Empire. I thought Titan Quest was ok.

Different people like different games. This may not be the game for you. But I do think its more fun at harder difficulties.

And once the editor comes out (in about a week) you will be able to make your own content. Some people have made some wonderful content already even without the editor.

freaparn @ Nov 6th 2009 10:59AM

Fair enough, thanks for the responses all. I was never a huge Diablo fan, only played the first one to completion, so maybe between that and having kicked the WoW habit a few months ago my subconscious was fighting off the kill/loot/level appeal factor, heh.

carg0 @ Nov 5th 2009 11:52PM

the only issue here that everyone should be focused on is that a game of such high quality has been released for only $20.

whether or not you like this style of gameplay is irrelevant. this game (at $20 and only 700mb) is absurdly deep and polished and the entire industry should take notice.

Torchlight is what ALL downloadable games should aspire to be.