Chris Wilson’s New ARPG: A Smaller Adventure Awaiting Gamers
Chris Wilson, the co-founder of Grinding Gear Games, is ready to drop some honesty about his upcoming action RPG. He’s already setting the stage, letting fans know this new title won’t be anywhere close to the massive scale of Path of Exile, and he’s a bit anxious about how fans will react once it’s unveiled.
In a recent video shared on his YouTube channel, Wilson dives into various topics, from the possibility of fishing in Path of Exile (spoiler: don’t hold your breath for an answer) to the games that have been keeping him busy lately, like Project Diablo 2 and a mobile fishing game. But the juicy part comes when he discusses the project in the works at his new studio, Light Pattern, which is still under wraps.
Wilson emphasizes, “What we’re making is small.” He makes it clear that this project won’t have the grandeur of Path of Exile, and he’s a bit worried about the fans’ potential disappointment when they finally get a peek at the game. “At some point, we will announce our game—though that’s years away, as we’re still in stealth mode—but I’m genuinely concerned that the reaction will be, ‘What? All this time and you just made that?'”
He explains that players expecting a blockbuster online game with a hefty budget might want to temper their expectations. Light Pattern is a “tiny” studio with around 10 employees. The silver lining? Wilson is really enjoying working with such a close-knit team, allowing for deeper collaboration and a return to the more intimate feel of earlier game development days.
Despite the smaller scope of this new adventure compared to giants like Path of Exile or Diablo 4, Wilson is clear about one thing: he values his own opinion above all. “I’m funding this entirely myself, so I think I’m going to enjoy the game we’re creating. To me, that’s what matters most,” he shares, hinting that more details will come once they’re further along and can focus on the game’s creativity rather than public relations.
As a lifelong fan of Diablo 2, I can’t help but be excited about what Wilson and his team are brewing. Given that he embodies a level of passion for Diablo 2 that puts many of us to shame, I’m hopeful that this new project will capture some of that same enchanting spirit we’ve all come to love.