Path of Exile 2, the highly anticipated action RPG, and Marvel Rivals, the team-based PVP arena shooter, both enjoyed incredibly successful launch weekends, captivating a massive player base. Let's delve into the details of these remarkable achievements.
A Weekend of Record-Breaking Player Numbers
The gaming world witnessed a phenomenal weekend with the simultaneous launch of two highly anticipated titles. Both Path of Exile 2 and Marvel Rivals attracted an astounding 500,000 players each on their respective launch days. Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play game, opened its doors on December 6th, followed by Path of Exile 2's Early Access release on December 7th.
Path of Exile 2's Early Access success was particularly noteworthy. The game reached a peak of 578,569 concurrent players on Steam alone, a truly impressive figure for a paid Early Access title. The game's launch day also generated over 1 million Twitch viewers, highlighting its immense popularity. The sheer volume of players attempting to access the game even temporarily overwhelmed SteamDB, the popular database site, leading to a humorous public acknowledgment from SteamDB itself.
The anticipation surrounding Path of Exile 2 was palpable, with over 1 million copies sold even before launch. This unprecedented demand forced the development team to implement a last-minute database upgrade to handle the influx of new players. Despite these efforts, some players experienced login issues and disconnections, highlighting the game's overwhelming popularity and the challenges of managing such a massive player influx.
Read Game8's comprehensive review of Path of Exile 2's Early Access version!
