Diablo’s Creator Explains Why He’s Working for a Chinese Rival

David Brevik, an American game developer, is best known for creating the iconic Diablo franchise for Activision Blizzard Inc. The 54-year-old is the mastermind behind the action role-playing game Diablo and its sequel Diablo II, which pioneered an entire genre of real-time combat combined with randomized dungeons and bountiful loot. In 2003, Brevik left Blizzard to start his own projects and has clashed with his former employer on where the dark-fantasy series should go next.

Brevik recently joined the dev team of Torchlight: Infinite as a consulting producer. Published by Shanghai-based XD Inc., the game is among a slew of Diablo wannabes on mobile and competes with Blizzard’s own Diablo Immortal. In an interview with Bloomberg News, Brevik explained why he’s helping a Chinese rival. Below are excerpts from the interview, lightly edited for clarity.