Path of Exile co-creator quietly formed small boutique studio, working on unannounced new ARPG

Former game director on Path of Exile, Chris Wilson, made a surprise return after going radio silent for over a year. Fans who were waiting to hear ‘Hi, I’m Chris Wilson’ were pleasantly surprised to see him back. However, even more surprising news was that he is now leading a small boutique studio named Light Pattern, which is working on a new unannounced ARPG title.

The announcement regarding his studio came as part of his interview with David Brevik, the creator of the Diablo franchise. He explained the reason behind leaving Grinding Gear Games and starting a new studio. This article explores more on that.

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Chis reveals the reason for leaving GGG and Path of Exile

Chris wanted to do more creative things (Image via Grinding Gear Games)

Back in early 2025, it was revealed that Chris had left Grinding Gear Games. The reason behind parting ways with the studio remained a mystery until now. During the interview, Chris said he wanted to be creative in a sense that didn’t involve being the CEO of a 200-person studio.

His departure from the studio was originally a retirement, but a year after sorting his Magic: The Gathering card collection, the itch to do something creative returned.

Explaining this, he said:

“It wasn’t really what I was born to do. I realized that the most fun I had making Path of Exile was just jamming in my garage with Jonathan and Eric in the early days.”

Wanting to go back to how things were before, Chris started a small studio called Light Pattern with some friends. The studio is currently working on an ARPG game, for which he revealed nothing.

While he did not state that the game is an ARPG, the website for his studio is seeking an art director who is familiar with Diablo 2 and has an understanding of what made the game good.

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YouTube channel focusing on game development

Chris and David during the interview (Image via YouTube/ChrisWilsonVideos)

From the channel description, Chris intends to host more interviews and even provide tips on game development he learned throughout his years of working on Path of Exile. He already boasts over a decade of experience on the platform from his time at GGG, where he was the voice behind most of the things related to the game.

Speaking of the interview, the entire video is available on his new YouTube channel. It dives into the details of Diablo 2’s development and what made it so influential for modern ARPGs like Path of Exile.

Edited by Dinesh Renthlei