After the Legacy of Phrecia event, Path of Exile is experiencing a significant comeback, hitting an impressive peak of 91,977 players concurrently on Steam. Previously, Path of Exile was somewhat in the backseat, overshadowed by the anticipation for its sequel. However, the recent offering from Grinding Gear Games has flipped the script, eclipsing the player numbers of PoE 2.
Originally, Path of Exile paved the way for its sequel, PoE 2, which promised to be a more sophisticated upgrade of the beloved free-to-play RPG. PoE 2 began as an expansion for the first game, but as development progressed, it became clear that it needed to evolve into a standalone sequel. As PoE 2’s early access date approached, Grinding Gear Games shifted most of their focus to the new title. Unfortunately, this shift caused delays in delivering promised updates for fans of the original Path of Exile.
In response to these delays, and after issuing an apology to players, Grinding Gear Games launched the Legacy of Phrecia event, which turned out to be hugely successful. Within a day of its launch, the game saw nearly 92,000 players online at the same time, surpassing the 87,222 concurrent players of its sequel. This surge demonstrates that fans are still deeply invested in the first installment, despite the excitement surrounding PoE 2. While update 3.26 was the primary anticipation, players dove into the event, making their interests known to the developers.
The excitement continued as the Path of Exile Legacy of Phrecia event started on February 20, introducing a fresh set of Ascendancy classes. Players were enticed with rewards like the Havenwood Cloak obtainable through Twitch drops, and an armor piece from the Autumn Knight set awarded every 20 levels, up to level 80.
Fans’ eagerness for news about PoE 1 was growing, with frequent inquiries on social media about the awaited update 3.26. Addressing this, Jonathan Rogers, the game’s director, announced another delay. He cited the tough time the team was having managing both the current game and the launch of PoE 2’s early access. Despite the challenges, Rogers assured fans that while the sequel remains the priority, they would return to PoE 1’s update once PoE 2’s patch 0.2.0 rolled out. The success of the Legacy of Phrecia event highlights a continuing demand for content in the original series, showing there’s still a vibrant community eager for more adventures in the world of Wraeclast.
