The people at Runic Games have previously discussed plans to release their action RPG Torchlight for consoles, and now those plans have been realized. Torchlight will be coming to the Xbox LIVE Arcade this coming Spring as part of Microsoft's House Party promotion.

The upcoming XBLA version of Torchlight will have many changes from the original game. Most significantly, it will have a completely revised user interface and dramatically changed controls. The cursor based controls of the original have been entirely replaced with a system of direct control over the player's character and a set of eight mapped skills. In addition, the inventory system has been greatly simplified. Many skills have been slightly altered in minor ways, even down to their animations, in order to fit the new control scheme.

Despite all of the changes intended to adapt the game to consoles, all of the game's content will be the same as the PC version. Other than the removal of the secondary weapon set system, every feature from the original game will be included in the XBLA release. In addition, there will be a few new equipment sets, quests, and a new pet, as well a few general game improvements to loading times, animations, and the automap.

Unfortunately, Torchlight fans who were hoping to play the game on the PlayStation 3 are going to be disappointed. Despite Runic Games' previous expressed desire to release Torchlight on both HD consoles, it has announced that it has no plans to release it on the PlayStation Network at this time.