Update: According to Big Download and Blue's News, Left 4 Dead 2 pre-orders were listed as Steam's second top-grossing game for the week of 11/8 - 11/14, though it seems that listing disappeared after the game launched on November 17.

Original: The week before Left 4 Dead 2's release curiously saw Valve's zombie shooter get left behind by digital customers, as online pre-orders for the sequel slipped from the number three spot on Steam's top ten to, well, a position not listed on the chart.

Unsurprisingly, sales juggernaut Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 topped Steam's charts, with Direct2Drive, which refuses to sell MW2, seeing Dragon Age reign again.

Steam Top Ten (by Revenue): 11/8 - 11/14

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Infinity Ward
2. Dragon Age: Origins - BioWare
3. Dragon Age: Origins Digital Deluxe Edition - BioWare... Read more

Publisher Encore Software has announced it will bring Runic Games' fantastic Diablo-esque PC action RPG Torchlight to North American retail shelves for $20 on January 5, 2010, and that a Mac version will also arrive some time next year.

Developed by veterans of action RPGs including Diablo, Fate and Mythos, Torchlight was released for download on October 27 at the bargain price of $20 and is currently riding high in the sales charts of digital distributors Steam and Direct2Drive.

The 'TorchED' editor used by Runic itself in the development of Torchlight was delivered into the eager hands of the modding community earlier this week.

Torchlight players eager to get their modding mitts on Runic's fine action RPG can now rejoice, as its editor 'TorchED' is now available in a 384MB download on FileShack.

"The mod tools are what we use to create all the assets in the game," Runic's Peter Hu told us in a recent interview. "You can obviously create levels, create quests. There's a visual scripting system, so you can create a lot of trigger points. You can create items, or your own skills. You can adjust AIs, create monsters. If you have 3D Studio Max experience, you can add in animations. You can modify textures. Whatever you want."

Runic offers up a useful "Top 10 Helpful Tips for TorchED" list and directs those seeking finished mods to Original Runic Games Fansite and Torchlight Insider. The cream of the mod crop will, of course, also be featured on FileShack.

Update: Those who purchased Torchlight on Steam will be pleased to know that the update has now arrived on the digital distribution platform.

Original: A sizeable update for Runic's magnificent action RPG Torchlight has begun rolling out across its various digital retailers, with the 418MB Client 1.12 compatible only with copies bought direct from Runic itself now available over on FileShack.

The update's many changes include bug fixes, balance tweaks, the ability to change difficulty mid-game and reduced loading times--a change which necessitates a complete reinstall with the new client, so be sure to keep your saved games safe.

Those who bought Torchlight elsewhere must wait for their distributor to release their own individual versions, a forum post by Runic's Travis Baldree explains, which have been delivered to all vendors except Steam--whose version still requires testing.

• Fixed several issues which could overwrite saves, and protected against possible save loss. Save backups are now... Read more

There's something magical about that aggressive opening chord of Diablo. It's probably fair to say that no sound was more burned into the minds of late-90s PC gamers than those first few gothic guitar strums.

That music is evocative of late-night looting and hushed duping; of our old friends The Butcher, and his pal King Leoric; of Fallen Ones, and Godly Plates of the Whale, and a peg-legged jerk named Wirt.

But it's also evocative of an entire era, of a time when games were exceeding our expectations in leaps and bounds. A time when the art form was just becoming capable of wonders like online multiplayer and CD-quality sound, but still felt personal, hand-crafted, intimate.

Matt Uelmen is a product of that era. Rather than attempting to mimic a marketable Hollywood ideal, his music is trademarked by live recordings and eclectic instrumentation. He's a humble, multi-talented guy, who can both conjure sound effects out of thin digital air and compose symphonic scores by hand.

I originally set out to run a tribute to the Diablo soundtracks in 2007... Read more

The pedigree of the Torchlight development team is really something.

Max and Erich Schaefer, both co-founders of Blizzard North. Matt Uelmen, composer of Diablo and Diablo II. Travis Baldree, lead developer of Fate and Mythos. The list goes on; Runic Games is basically a who's who of great action-RPG icons.

And while you may not know Runic co-founder Peter Hu by name, chances are you know his work if you've played Diablo II. Here's what one of his former colleagues had to say about his contribution to that game: "Synergy? Peter. Runewords? Peter. Perfect Gem Activation? Peter. Ethereals? Peter. Patch 1.10? All Peter."

Yeah. That Peter Hu. Back during PAX, I got a few minutes to query Mr. Hu on Torchlight, a game that is now only a few days away from going live. We go over the basics in this chat, discussing the quests, mod tool support, and future multiplayer plans. ... Read more

Runic's dungeon crawler Torchlight will be supported immediately by a robust set of level tools, allowing players to craft their own singleplayer dungeons and share them with the rest of the hack-and-slash community. The developers explain their approach to the editor in the following video.

Torchlight hits the PC--on Steam and the official website--on October 27.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream.

Runic Games today announced that its upcoming action-RPG Torchlight will be available on Steam at launch, as opposed to the 30 day wait that was originally slated.

The Diablo-esque hack-and-slasher--also available to purchase on the official site--will be released on October 27.

"It's important for us to make Torchlight as widely available as possible," said Runic CEO Max Schaefer. "Steam is an enormous outlet that many players use exclusively--we're big fans ourselves--so we are really happy that it will be on Steam starting day one."

As if the sight of Blizzard North co-founders Max and Eric Schaefer in this new Torchlight developer diary wasn't enough excitement for action RPG fans, you'll also find Fate and Mythos veterans including designer Travis Baldree and why, I do believe that might just be music by Diablo series composer Matt Uelmen.

Runic Games's singleplayer dungeon crawler receives a downloadable PC release on October 27 for $20, complete with the editor Runic used to create everything from its levels and quests to classes and monsters. A Torchlight MMO is planned to follow.

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Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream.

The Alchemist class--essentially a wizard in disguise--is featured in the latest trailer for Runic's Diablo-esque dungeon crawler Torchlight.

The action-RPG sees its release on October 27.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream.

The chaps over at Runic Games--a studio composed of former Flagship/Blizzard refugees--have released a new trailer for their upcoming Diablo-esque title, Torchlight.

Speaking of Diablo, does that music sound reminiscent? It should! Diablo composer Matt Uelmen is providing a full score for the game.

The singleplayer Torchlight hits on October 27. We saw the game at PAX, so we'll have more on Torchlight--including an interview with Runic co-founder Peter Hu--in the coming days.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream.

Runic Games, formed from the team behind Flagship Studios' Mythos when the developer closed shop, has today announced that its PC singleplayer dungeon crawler Torchlight will be released for download on October 27 priced at $19.99.

A Diablo-style action RPG--trawling randomly-generated dungeons, bashing hordes of monsters for randomised loot--Torchlight also boasts pets, fishing and a level editor.

The Runic team includes such notable figures as Blizzard North co-founders Max and Erich Schaefer, Fate creator Travis Baldree, and Diablo series composer Matt Uelmen.

A Torchlight MMO is also in the works, slated to follow the singleplayer release. Click on through for a new trailer overflowing with monster-slaying action... Read more

Newly founded developer Runic Games, one of several companies formed from the ashes of Hellgate and Mythos developer Flagship, today announced its first project: an action-MMO titled Torchlight.

Torchlight is billed as a simple, action-oriented online PC game in the style of Diablo. The basic setup: "Adventurers set out from the town of Torchlight into the nearby mountains in search of the magic ore that imbues their equipment with power, yet imperils their very existence."

The title is set to be published worldwide exclusively by Chinese online gaming company Perfect World.

Runic Games was founded by brothers Max and Erich Schaefer, two co-founders of Diablo developer Blizzard North.

Since the dissolution of Flagship, all 14 developers that worked on the company's action-RPG Mythos have joined Runic. The studio has also been bolstered by the addition of Diablo and Diablo II composer Matt Uelmen.