Path of Exile is Enjoying Another Huge Player Count Spike

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Path of Exile is Enjoying Another Huge Player Count Spike

Highlights

  • Path of Exile‘s latest update, Settlers of Kalguur, is drawing in a record number of players on Steam.
  • The update introduces a city-building mechanic, enhances melee combat skills, and introduces several improvements for a fresh gaming experience.
  • Anticipation for Path of Exile 2 remains high, despite a delay in the beta launch and tough competition from Diablo 4.

As a long-time gamer and dedicated fan of the action RPG genre, I have witnessed the evolution of Path of Exile (PoE) since its inception over a decade ago. PoE has always been known for its substantial seasonal updates that keep players engaged and excited. However, the latest update, Settlers of Kalguur, has truly surpassed my expectations and brought an unparalleled level of excitement to the community.

The number of players in Path of Exile, a popular free-to-play action RPG on Steam, has grown considerably due to the release of its latest expansion, Settlers of Kalguur. This update marks one of the most extensive overhauls in the game’s ten-year history from Grinding Gear Games, known for their large seasonal updates.

On July 26, the 3.25 update for “Path of Exile” was released, introducing extensive content and modifications with the Settlers of Kalguur challenge league. In this update, a new city-building mechanic is introduced where players collect resources and assign workers to expand Kingsmarch as their city. The melee combat system underwent significant improvements, increasing damage for most melee abilities and enhancing defensive options such as block passives and Life Leech. The Raider class was replaced by the Warden, featuring elemental attacks, while the Gladiator class was revamped to emphasize using two weapons at once. Additionally, several quality-of-life enhancements were made, including automatically unlocked waypoints, easier item pickup, and auto-refreshing of reservation effects upon death.

Prior to the unveiling of the update, the most simultaneous users on Steam playing “Path of Exile” reached a record-breaking 211,637 during the Crucible league in April 2023. Following the launch of Settlers of Kalguur, this number significantly climbed up to an impressive 229,337 players based on SteamDB statistics. This significant spike in player count underscores the excitement within the community regarding the new content and features introduced in the 3.25 update. It’s essential to acknowledge that these figures represent only the Steam user base and do not include the entire “Path of Exile” community. A substantial portion of veteran players continue to utilize Grinding Gear Games’ dedicated launcher, implying a larger number of active participants in the game.

Path of Exile’s Highest Concurrent Player Count on Steam

  • 229,337

For those excitedly looking forward to the release of “Path of Exile 2,” this update brings good news. Originally slated to start its beta phase on June 7, 2024, the launch has been pushed back and is now predicted to happen towards the end of the year. The heightened involvement from players indicates that the enthusiasm for fresh content among the community remains unyielding, making the upcoming beta an even more enticing prospect.

However, Path of Exile 2 may face tough competition from Diablo 4, whose Vessel of Hatred expansion is slated for release in October 2024. As Diablo 4 currently leads the top-down ARPG genre, it will be interesting to see how Path of Exile 2 performs against this strong rival.

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2024-07-28 07:24