The interesting thing about both of these games is that they were both Runic Games IPs, which were handed over to a new developer to revive. That developer is of course Panic Button. Both games will be out on the Nintendo eShop, making them easy to pick up. They will also get a launch discount of 10% to make them a little more affordable. There will be release dates, with one game coming up fairly soon, and the other dropping sometime this Fall.
You might remember Runic Games, a small studio that founded in August 2008 by Travis Baldree, Max Schaefer, Erich Schaefer and Peter Hu. The company would later be bought by Perfect World and would eventually be closed in 2017 after downsizing by their parent company. Now, two of their three main games are getting revived.
First up in April, specifically on the 17th, is the Switch port of Hob: The Definitive Edition arrives. Hob: The Definitive Edition is being made by Panic Button, the same company currently working on Wolfenstein: Youngblood for the portable platform. This same developer also worked on DOOM and Wolfenstein 2 for the Nintendo portable console. They also developed Warframe for the console too. So in short, they’ve really established quite the pedigree for producing quality games on the Switch.
Here’s an overview of the game:
Hob: The Definitive Edition is an artfully crafted single-player adventure which sends gamers on a mysterious, breathtaking journey through the ruins of a lost civilization, where they will encounter strange creatures and unlock satisfying puzzles hidden throughout the world. The team at Panic Button has developed a version of the game for Nintendo Switch that provides adventurers with brand new ways to unravel the mysteries of Hob. This includes added camera controls, improvements to the game’s UI, a variety of quality-of-life improvements and new features only possible on the Nintendo Switch system, including HD rumble and touch screen functionality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFKpZ4jUeKM
Then, this Fall, there’s another Switch port coming out. It’s the revival of an older IP, Torchlight. The original developer Runic Games, released the second game in the series in 2012, promising an expanded multiplayer experience offering online multiplayer via Runic Games’ servers. The lootfest action RPG, was heralded as being really fun for its time, and a spiritual successor is currently in the works from Echtra Games, led by former Runic Games and Blizzard North co-founder, Max Schaefer.
Not much is known about features or pricepoints for the Switch port of Torchlight II, other than a vague release date, and the fact that it’s in development at different studios for multiple consoles. We also included a trailer for that game down below, in case you want to check it out.
