Path of Exile 2 Player Surge: What Sparked the 30x Growth
- Sagar Mankar
- 21 hours ago
- 1 min read
Path of Exile 2 has made a major comeback as its player count surged dramatically, reaching almost 30 times its usual activity thanks to a mix of well-timed events.
The game originally launched in December 2024 with a bang, peaking at 578,562 players on Steam (via SteamDB). But like many big releases, the hype cooled off, and by July 2025, the player count had dipped to around 13,000. Things were looking rough — until this past week flipped the script.
So what sparked the comeback? Three things. First, Grinding Gear Games ran a free weekend from August 29 to September 1, letting anyone jump in without spending a cent. That alone tends to bring curious players back, but this time it landed perfectly alongside a major content drop: The Third Edict. According to reports, the update delivered exactly what fans had been waiting for, making the free access even more tempting.
Adding to this momentum was the launch of a brand-new league on August 29. Veteran Path of Exile fans know that fresh leagues often act as a magnet, pulling players back in to explore new mechanics and rewards. As per Steam Charts data, these combined events pushed the 24-hour peak to 352,104 players — not quite at its launch numbers, but still a huge improvement compared to its recent lows.
