Torchlight series is back with shared-world RPG Torchlight Frontiers (Updated)

Update: We contacted Perfect World Entertainment and their reply wasn't clear-cut, they aren't ready to talk about the business model yet.

The Torchlight series is about to make its grand return with today's announcement of Torchlight Frontiers. Developed by a new studio under the wings of Perfect World Entertainment, Echtra Games, it is led by Max Schaefer, former Runic Games and Blizzard North co-founder, and includes veteran staff that worked in games such as the original Diablo and the previous Torchlight games.

Torchlight Frontiers is described as a shared-world action-RPG set in the same universe as Torchlight 1 and 2, and is in development for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with a 2019 release date. As for the business model, it wasn't revealed yet, and knowing that Perfect World works both with free-to-play and buy-to-play (in fact, this was what Torchlight games used), we'll have to reach out and ask for info on this.

Anyway, Torchlight Frontiers will feature a “living, breathing universe” that combines the usual staples of the series with a “shared, persistent and dynamically generated world.” You can team up with friends and use pets in your hack and slash quest through dungeons and ruins filled with treasure and dangerous creatures. More details about Torchlight Frontiers will be revealed during Gamescom and PAX West, which means we only have to way a couple of weeks. The official Torchlight Frontiers site is already live and accepting sign ups for the closed beta.