Path of Exile 2 Can Flood the Gates, But Diablo 4 Keeps the House Full on Steam; Which One To Pick?

Anyone who is into the ARPG genre of games is well aware of the Diablo and Path of Exile series. However, if you’re new and plan to get started choosing which one to pick out of the two can be tricky. Both these games have a substantial fanbase and can be said to be similar in gameplay yet different altogether in other aspects.

In order to decide which one would be the right pick between the two, several factors such as what the game offers to the players, the learning curve of the game, and other factors.

Which Game To Choose From & What the Majority of Gamers are Playing

Diablo 4 offers an accessible, highly polished, and fast-paced cinematic experience designed to get players straight into the action. In contrast to it, Path of Exile 2 is a hardcore, deeply complex, and unforgiving action RPG that rewards complex theory crafting and long-term mechanical mastery.

Now which one is the right pick for someone is a little difficult to decide based on that alone. But according to steam player base charts, it is clearly visible that Path of Exile 2 have more players with numbers reaching up to 400k this past weekend, but when it comes to retaining those players over a long run Diablo 4 has much better steady player count throughout the year. Again, PoE 2 only sees spike in player count during the free weekends and is not so good at hooking its players to stay.

(Note: Diablo 4 is playable on PC through other source as well so the player count can be much higher than as shown on Steamdb)

There are several reasons why this might be happening, one of which is how difficult is the game. Diablo 4 is clearly way more friendly for new players as compared to Path of Exile 2, since players are introduced to the game gradually, allowing them to grasp each concept deliberately with a relatively compact skill tree and the choice of class type system being a plus.

While on the other hand Path of Exile 2 is a rather punishing game for all new players for each wrong move or choices they make, making it a difficult experience for players with no ARPG experience in the past. But for anyone who has played or finished Diablo 4 or similar games in the past and is craving for a more challenging combat and a massive skill tree with over 2400 nodes, then Path of Exile 2 could be a better choice. Another reason for the spikes in number for PoE2 could be due to players waiting for the to free-to-play mode and only playing the game during the free weekends as and when they come. More about this is covered in detail below.

More About Path of Exile 2, Diablo 4: Pricing And Platform Details

Path of Exile 2 –

Sequel to the first Path of Exile which debut in 2013, Path of Exile 2 is an upcoming action role playing video game developed and published by Grinding Gear Games. The game was first introduced as a paid early access title on December 6, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. However, it will be free to play upon release, which is tentatively scheduled this year as shared by the developers. Fans are still awaiting an official announcement about the launch date in question.

Here is a list of prices and where players can get their hands-on Path of Exile 2 on their respective platforms:

Players can get the base game early access for cheaper with frequent sales giving up to 50% off making it $15 for the base pack. If someone is still unsure about getting the game in early access or not, Grinding Gear Games usually gives players a chance to try out their game for free with their weekend promotions from time to time.

Diablo 4-

Fourth installment in the fan-favourite Diablo series was launched on June 5, 2023. The ARPG was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment and is available to play on PC, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

The game offers character customization, as players get to create a character from one of eight playable classes that suits their playstyle the best during combat, being Barbarian, Sorcerer, Druid, Rogue, Necromancer, Spiritborn, Paladin, and Warlock.

Here is a list of prices and where players can get their hands-on Diablo 4 on their respective platforms:

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