Erich Schaefer on Starblo - Blizzards Unreleased Sci-fi Action RPG

TechRaptor interviewed Erich Schaefer about Starblo; which is a science fiction action RPG that was never released.

As Mr. Schaefer continued to describe the game, I told him that hearing about this title was painful to say the least. The prospects of what would have gotten were simply tantalizing. Erich, too, seemed saddened and disappointed about it never having seen the light of day. "I think what it did have at the very end there - it was kind of a bummer that it died - was it had fun gameplay," he began. "It was very 'Diablo II-ish in space', a little bit crazier and more science fiction. But it was crisp. It had movement and [fun skills] and good pacing. I think we were really getting that feeling down when it all crashed down for me."


One of the points he highlighted was the notion of perhaps making the game one day. He told me that he occasionally talks with his ex-Blizzard colleague David Brevik (who we interviewed last month) about somehow getting Starblo put together. I assured Erich Schaefer that such a title would probably do quite well, especially if it were put together with the same practiced hands that had graced us with Diablo II.

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They probably killed it because of the horrible project title?

But seriously, Diablo 2 in space, with Star Craft for background/lore would have been interesting.

Starblo? What?
Sounds like the name for some sort of cosmic cocaine.

Originally Posted by Cacheperl
They probably killed it because of the horrible project title?

But seriously, Diablo 2 in space, with Star Craft for background/lore would have been interesting.

Eh, sounds like a project name or a working title, probably not the title it would have released under.

Yeah I was mostly kidding.
Although, it's not like working titles do not matter. They are sometimes used to sell projects to investors, and they may influence workforce motivation.

Wouldn't be the first bad decision Blizzard made.

Just look at the developer now they are actually paying employees to quit. Anyway once they went battle.net online with all games I lost all interest in playing their games.

Originally Posted by Shagnak
Starblo? What?
Sounds like the name for some sort of cosmic cocaine.

Or a sci-fi themed porno.

Starblo - Journey to the Outer Rimjob.

Was this back before they were acquired by EA? It doesn't appear to say. Nor does it mention why the idea was dropped. It's hard to say how well it would have sold.

Even with the odd name 'Starblo'; which I believe is a development name, the game sounds interesting enough to play.
I like David Brevik's new game It Lurks Below.

have to agree with this Starblow lol

Diablo in space would be cool. With another name

I thought this article was some kind of a joke, but you all seem to be taking it seriously… But I'm not convinced that it was mean to be taken seriously. i mean, between the name of the game and things they talked about like their whopping 8 monster types, i mean come on… Besides, this so-called game kind of sounds like the STARCRAFT II single player campaigns. I just don't know about this one…

I mean, the interview could always be fake. But Eric Schaefer does solid work, and I look forward to Rebel Galaxy Outlaws. He's credible in my book.

Regarding monsters: They mention 6-8 monsters finished, with 4-5 more in progress. That's not much, but if this only counts base-monsters (with colors and gear for additional variations), it's not too far from the original Diablo. And it's not even clear whether that was just the state of development, or actually the intended limit.

So searched for more info and came across this old RPS article.

Link - https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/201…-doesnt-exist/

“The project earned the nickname Starblo for its mix of a space setting and the action-RPG formula that made Diablo so successful,” Craddock told Shack. “Like Diablo 2, Starblo would take place over several acts, but rather than journey across a single world, players would board their customizable spaceship and travel to new planets, killing and looting the space creatures they found there.”

Gas-powered Games had a crack at space-Diablo, with the ill-fated and abominable Space Siege. I still wonder at how and why that game was quite so awful to this day. But I really wouldn’t mind seeing what Blizzard could do with that setup.

Apparently a few playable builds were created, though a less stupid name was not, but the lead minds behind it left for pastures new in 2003. Maybe that idea still lives within Blizzard somewhere, though even if does that firm’s wheels turn so damn slowly we probably wouldn’t hear about it for another 20 years.