Recent data from SteamDB showcases a remarkable resurgence of players in Path of Exile 2, even after the challenging launch of the Dawn of the Hunt update. This update experienced numerous issues, including disconnects, bugs, and performance problems, leaving many players devoid of a satisfying gaming experience. In fact, the Early Access launch was so overwhelming that it led to a crash of SteamDB, with over 500,000 players simultaneously logged in for two consecutive days.
The Impact of the Dawn of the Hunt Update
Although the Dawn of the Hunt update didn’t quite achieve the same player influx as before, pulling in around 40% of the record numbers still reflects a significant achievement. As of now, the active player count has surpassed 100,000, excluding console players.
Player Retention Amidst Performance Challenges
As of the latest reports, Path of Exile 2 has reached a peak of 238,836 players within a 24-hour period—considerably below the game’s highest mark of 578,569. Nonetheless, this figure highlights an impressive player retention rate. Interestingly, the first day of the update, April 4, 2025, was marked by frustrating issues for most users.
Many players faced ongoing problems with Nvidia Reflex, requiring constant adjustments in the renderer settings to manage lag and crashes. This resulted in a frustrating cycle, where numerous attempts were necessary to successfully log back into the game. While switching to the Vulkan renderer provided some relief from lag, it unfortunately introduced crashing issues.
The Factors Behind Player Loyalty
Despite these challenges, a strong factor behind player retention seems to be the goodwill and trust built by the developers. Grinding Gear Games has consistently made efforts to keep the gameplay engaging and enjoyable, although many adjustments and nerfs were introduced in patch 0.2.0, which disappointed some players.
While we cannot fully understand the motivations of every player, there appears to be a general sentiment of patience and willingness to overlook the early difficulties in hopes of improvements. For instance, a recent hotfix was implemented to lower the health of early-level enemies, addressing player concerns about their tankiness.
Although there are certainly frustrated players, there are equally many who are committed to enduring these initial hurdles, optimistic that the developers will address their grievances. Overall, from a numerical standpoint, the game is performing admirably just days after the latest update.