Torchlight 2 Release Date

2011 seems to be the year of the ARPG. Or rather, the year of waiting for your ARPG of choice. On one hand, we have Diablo 3 waiting in the wings. When is it coming out? Whenever Blizzard decides to release it, of course (basically, who knows?). On the other hand, Torchlight 2, sequel to Runic Games’ Torchlight, sounds like it’s almost ready to light up sales pages across the internet.

Looking at the Competition

In the case of a more definite Torchlight 2 release, it’s possible to come up with something more substantial than what Blizzard says for D3. Torchlight 2 is being developed by a group of 30 people, all with pedigrees from various other ARPGs like Diablo 2 and Mythos. As such, they know that if they want to hit sales targets, they’re going to have to beat the big boy. In this case, D3.

The Answer Lies With Blizzard

For you, dear reader, that means one thing and one thing only. The team behind Torchlight 2 would like to see it on virtual store shelves before Diablo 3 can gobble up all the sales. Max Schaefer, CEO of Runic Games, has outright stated that beating D3 to the shelves is what they need to do if they want to make any money from this game.

For those of you following along, you’ve probably realized one thing. That we’ll see Torchlight 2 released before D3, possibly even by several weeks. We can use this information to come up with an implied Torchlight 2 release date. First, we need to do some quick figuring on when D3 may come out. The best guess on that at the moment is sometime around Christmas 2011. Let’s say mid to late December.

Winning Takes Sacrifice

If Torchlight 2 doesn’t want to be snuffed out by D3, it’ll have to pre-empt D3 by a week or more at least. So here are my thoughts and my predicted release. Based on the previews that are available through major game reviewers, and video footage from the game, Torchlight 2 appears to be in the polishing phase. There might be some bugs still, but Runic may be willing to push the game out a little rough in order to hit a target release.

So, When Will it Be Out?

As for my prediction: you will probably see Torchlight 2 in your checkout basket on your favourite online retailer sometime late in November or early in December. If Runic can push for a Torchlight 2 release around those dates, they stand some chance of taking some money from gamers originally meant for Diablo 3. This is especially true, seeing as gamers, hungry for D3, throw money at this game priced for tight budgets at $19.99.

Of course, if you’re really hankering for some Torchlight goodness, the first game is still available and playable.