Bonfire Studios Unveils Debut Game After Nine-Year Development

Nine years after its inception, Bonfire Studios has officially announced its first game, Arkheron, a team-based, isometric, twitchy PvP multiplayer action title that combines elements of MOBAs, battle-royale, and ARPGs like Diablo. The game's director, former Blizzard chief creative officer Rob Pardo, describes Arkheron as an "Ascencion Royale," a name that reflects the game's unique blend of gameplay mechanics. Arkheron is the result of a lengthy development process, with Pardo citing the studio's iterative approach to game design as a key factor in the game's prolonged development. When asked if he anticipated the game would take eight years to develop, Pardo replied, "You never start a project expecting it to take that long, but when you're trying to create something new and innovative, it can take time." The gaming industry has undergone significant changes since Arkheron was first conceived, with many developers struggling to create and sell games in a crowded market. However, Pardo believes that Bonfire Studios has been shielded from these external pressures, thanks to its careful management of investments and a focus on creating a game that offers a unique experience. The studio spent two years determining the type of game it wanted to create, with developers pitching ideas internally before settling on three key influences: Diablo, PUBG, and Dark Souls. Through iteration and refinement, Bonfire built a game that combines the perspective and gear-based skills of Diablo with real-time, twitch-based melee and magical combat, and open-ended, knockout-style multiplayer. One of the key challenges in developing Arkheron was creating a game that offers depth and longevity, with Pardo citing the need to build a game that can be played for hundreds or thousands of hours. The studio's iterative approach to game design involved conducting playtests every morning, with meetings and design work taking place in the afternoon. Pardo notes that the COVID pandemic marked a turning point in the game's development, as the studio's decisions to rework the camera and combat fell into place. Bonfire has been able to operate for an extended period without shipping a product, thanks to careful management of its investments, including a $25 million funding round from Andreessen Horowitz in 2016. The studio received a significant series B investment last year, which Pardo believes will enable the company to support the game through its launch and beyond. While Pardo acknowledges that there is still much work to be done before the game's release, he is confident that Arkheron is in a good place internally. The challenge now is to begin rolling out the game for larger-scale public testing, which will help the studio design practical elements of the game and build an audience. Pardo notes that Bonfire is guided by the design philosophies he learned during his time at Blizzard, but the studio does not have the advantage of a ready-made platform to release the game on. As a result, the studio has had to think carefully about how to build an audience for the game, and has signed with South Korean publisher Drimage to help reach a broader audience. Pardo believes that Arkheron will stand out in a crowded multiplayer market, thanks to its originality and ability to appeal to fans of multiple genres. The game's viability as a competitive multiplayer title will become clearer as more people play it, but Pardo is confident that Arkheron does not need to be a massive success to be sustainable. "What we want is enough success to allow us to roll up our sleeves and grow the game and the community," he explains.