Fourteen years after launch, Torchlight 2 is getting a round of technical upgrades, but only if you ask for them. XD, which now owns the series and makes Torchlight Infinite, has introduced an optional beta branch for the action RPG, PCGamesN reports, and says the version players have used for years is not going anywhere.
“We understand that the existing version on the default branch is home to years of familiar routines and cherished memories for longtime players. You may have your favorite mods installed, or saves you have been playing for years,” XD said. That version “will therefore remain available and will not be directly replaced by the beta branch.”
The first stage of the beta adds controller support on both Windows and macOS, something Torchlight 2 has always been missing. It also fixes several crashes, optimizes map logic to cut loading times, adds new render scale and anti-aliasing settings, and corrects some translations.
There is a multiplayer change too. The beta removes the TapTap.io requirement XD recently added for online play and uses your Steam account and friends list instead. That one change will move over to the main branch once it has been tested.
XD plans to keep building on the beta with “more extensive fixes and optimizations,” and says that is now possible thanks to “AI-assisted coding tools” that help its developers review the old code and catch long-standing issues. The studio says every change “will undergo the necessary QA testing and compatibility checks.” The use of AI in development has been a hot topic all month, with figures like Epic’s Tim Sweeney calling AI the start of a golden age while many players push back.
Mod support is a stated priority. “We deeply value the content that community creators have contributed over the years, and we hope these creations can continue to be part of your adventures,” XD said. The studio is also looking into multiplayer between the two versions, but warns there is “considerable uncertainty” that it will work.
