Grinding Gear Games combined the update release with the opportunity to try the game for free. This decision helped attract a large number of new and returning players.
According to SteamDB, at its peak, Path of Exile 2's online presence on the Steam platform reached 421 thousand people. This is the best indicator since the start of early access about 18 months ago. During the weekend, the game became one of the most popular projects on Steam, second only to perennial leaders like Counter-Strike.
The developers also note high interest on Xbox, although exact data on the console audience is not disclosed.
None of the three previous major updates caused such a surge in activity. For the first time since the launch of early access, when online exceeded 500 thousand people, the game managed to overcome the mark of 400 thousand concurrent users again.
The Return of the Ancients update added new story content, a redesigned endgame system, and a character development assistant for newcomers. Judging by the reviews on Steam, where the game maintains a "mostly positive" rating, the community warmly welcomed the new version.