Path Of Exile’s Player Base Is Surging And Surpassing Its Sequel!

Feb 27, 2025 Author: POECurrency.com

In December of last year, the beloved Path of Exile released its sequel, becoming one of the most concurrently played games on Steam. Although the player base churn in POE was not too severe at the time, the number of daily active players and total players was declining.

But now, nearly three months after the release of POE 2, a new event has brought numerous players back to the game: during the Legacy of Phrecia event, the number of concurrent players reached a peak of 91,948, while POE 2 was only 80,879 at its peak, which is far more than the sequel!

But strangely, the number of concurrent players of the sequel was not greatly affected during the event, so where did all these players come from? And although POE may never break the heights set by POE 2, what are the reasons behind this phenomenal popularity? Will we see this again in the future?

These questions are the topics that are currently being focused on in the player community and social platforms, and this guide will answer these questions for you one by one based on the existing information and leaks. Whether you are a loyal fan of the original game or a player who is exploring the sequel and hesitating whether to enter POE to try it, the answers here may give you a correct direction.

Reasons For The Popularity Of POE

First of all, let’s take a look at why the original POE has set off such a phenomenal popularity, that is, because its game content has not been updated or improved for a very long time. Previously, Path of Exile would update four leagues every year, and each one would bring a lot of game content updates to players, such as new mechanisms, new bosses, and new POE 2 Items.

Before the early access release of POE 2 last year, in order to ensure the normal operation of the sequel, the developer used all the work teams that originally worked on POE 1 to develop POE 2, which led to the delay of the league that should have been updated in the original game. Although POE 3.25 Settlers Of Kalguur League was highly praised by players before, players lost interest in it during this long period of repeated grinding and exploration.

POE 3.25 Settlers Of Kalguur League

When this Path of Exile 2 was released in advance, it was thought that Grinding Gear Games would return the staff of the original game, but they did not. They have been solving some minor problems that POE 2 players have been struggling with, and officially announced that they will continue to use this team to develop the sequel until the release of Patch 0.2.0.

This caused some players who were loyal to the original game to protest because the developer broke the promise to treat both games equally to all players. After that, the players in the original game had no hope for new leagues or new patches, and jokingly called this the longest drought period in POE.

But fortunately, after announcing this news, the developer released a notice about the Legacy of Phrecia event to be held in POE, which will last for a month. And announced that it would destroy all existing classes and replace them with new game-changing ascendancies, which means that all 19 ascendancies will be redesigned, and those gear that could only be upgraded with POE Currency have also received some upgrades and improvements.

This was unexpected for all players, and made players feel that they had wrongly blamed Grinding Gear Games before, because this kind of experimental design also requires a very long time to study and explore. So many players who had given up the original game before began to return, and some players who were used to the old design also wanted to try these new game rules and gameplay, which gave this long-dormant game a new lease on life.

Why Hasn’t The Number Of Concurrent Players In POE 2 Decreased?

Although POE and POE 2 are both games of the same genre and have the same unique systems, they are fundamentally different because the original Path of Exile has decades of updates and quality of life upgrades, with the depth and level design that most pleases players, and it is difficult for new games to catch up with this depth of game content in a short period.

Especially the endgame of POE 2, although it uses a lot of data from the original to determine what players want in it. For players who have only tried this sequel, this exciting and difficult battle makes it a different game experience, but for fans of the original, the endgame here is not pleasing to them.

So the explosion of POE has little impact on the player group of POE 2, because the two groups essentially like completely different things, and there will be a steady stream of new players during the current POE 2 Early Access period, because they all want to try the extremely difficult gaming experience of farming POE 2 Currency.

Most importantly, one of POE’s most impressive feats is that it can retain players longer than other games. On July 1 last year, Settlers Of Kalguur League was able to reach 228,398 concurrent online players, which is the highest record for the game. At the end of July, the number remained at 163,118, which is a very outstanding number for a game that has existed for more than ten years.

The last question is, can POE maintain this super high popularity and move forward steadily? The answer is yes, because the sequel is currently only released in Early Access, and the official release time and game content are not completely determined, which leads to the players becoming bored again after the experience time is over. At this time, a POE with a better game experience and similar gameplay may become their next prey.

Next: Path Of Exile 2 Patch 0.4.0 Update Predictions | ToTA, Delve, Breach Rework & New Classes

Previous: How To Find And Defeat Zicoatl Who Plays A Vital Role In The Main Story Of POE 2? - Locations & Strategy

Predicted Release Date For Patch 0.4.0

Based on the four-month release cycle of PoE 1 and the fact that Rise of the Abyssal League launched at the end of August, it is speculated that PoE 2 patch 0.4.0 will be released soon. Considering the development team’s Christmas break, they typically don’t release new patches right before the holidays, so patch 0.4.0 should arrive in the first half of December.

The next league’s launch event is usually held the week before the current league ends, and the likely date is December 6th, which also marks the one-year anniversary of PoE 2. The official release of patch 0.4 is expected around December 13th. It’s anticipated that full patch notes for 0.4.0 will be revealed in the last week of November.

Of course, the development team might also announce a delay due to unfinished content, releasing it after Christmas holidays in January 2026.

Possible New Content

ToTA Mechanics

ToTA (Trial of the Ancestors) mechanic was originally planned for patch 0.3.0 but wasn’t completed, so patch 0.4.0 is almost certain to introduce it. It will be a full gameplay mechanic, not a small seasonal feature, and may be tied to Ascendancy Class system.

Delve

Delve is one of Game Director Jonathan’s favorite mechanics. The related content was already present in the patch 0.3.0, which is Isle of Kin.

Since tablets in PoE 2 now function similarly to scarabs in PoE 1, introducing a mechanic like Delve - which consumes PoE 2 currency to enter - is a logical next step. Delve is also a nearly infinite long-term mode that can sustain player engagement, making it an ideal feature for a Christmas season release.

Breach Rework

Breach received a major rework in PoE 3.27, and the outcome was well-received. PoE 1 currently acts somewhat like a beta realm for PoE 2, so the developers may rework systems in PoE 1 to refine them before porting them into PoE 2. Therefore, Breach is very likely to receive a rework in patch 0.4.0.

New Classes

Patch 0.4.0 will likely introduce new classes, as patch 0.3.0 made very few updates to classes and ascendancies. To deliver a strong seasonal update impact during Christmas, the official team is expected to release at least one new class. While nothing is confirmed yet, several possibilities exist.

Druid

Druids were mentioned alongside Huntresses in patch 0.2.0, suggesting that development on the class may already be complete. Therefore, seeing a Druid class in patch 0.4.0 seems logical. However, Druids are inherently complex, with form-shifting mechanics that may conflict with certain design systems, so delays are possible.

Templar

If Delve is added, PoE 2 will need more tank-oriented classes capable of enduring sustained damage. Warrior and its ascendancies alone may not be enough. Therefore, introducing Templar class alongside Delve is a strong possibility.

With the introduction of new classes comes a wave of new skill gems, support gems, and possibly new weapon types.

These new skills will not be restricted to the new classes; all classes can use them, which will inevitably impact existing builds and the broader meta. Some balance changes are expected, potentially affecting overperforming builds such as Lightning Arrow Deadeye.

Predicted Content

Atlas Endgame Overhaul

Patch 0.3.0 added more unique maps, further refined Atlas Tree, and removed the requirement to use Towers, completely changing how players cultivate the map.

These changes lower the reward ceiling for top-tier players on maps, but simultaneously raise the reward floor for average players, making farming smoother for less hardcore players.

Patch 0.4.0 is likely to include a major overhaul of the endgame. Since patch 0.3.0 already adjusted towers and tablets, this may be a prelude to even larger changes.

If currency-intensive mechanics like Delve are added, the existing Atlas passive skill tree may require adjustments. Additionally, there are signs that the team favors certain PoE 1 endgame philosophies. They may keep the large otherworldly maps of PoE 2 but rework how they operate, improving tower interactivity to make gameplay more engaging and reduce the current tendency toward mindless grinding.

New Acts

If patch 0.4.0 already includes large systems like Delve and ToTA, the team may not have enough development bandwidth to finish Acts 5 and 6. These may instead be introduced next year in patch 0.5 or 0.6.

Players can remain optimistic about PoE 2 Patch 0.4.0, as Patch 0.3.0, by adjusting the pace between PoE 1 and early PoE 2 versions, has brought significant improvements in player numbers, playtime, and player satisfaction. Therefore, future updates to Path of Exile 2 will continue to move towards hyper blast fun.

Path Of Exile 3.27 Top 10 Best Builds | Overpowered League Starters & Fast Mapping Builds

Path of Exile 3.27 has been running for over two weeks, and many players have moved beyond the early campaign phase and are focusing on mapping.

At this point, players typically need builds that offer high survivability and fast map-clearing speed to improve farming efficiency. Below are 10 of the strongest builds currently available.

1. Kinetic Blast Wander Build

Kinetic Blast Wander build theoretically boasts over 20 million DPS, making it an extremely powerful build, though it's highly likely to be nerfed in the next patch. This build primarily utilizes Bloodline node, Farewell to Flesh, and the new skill gem Kinetic Blast.

Kinetic Blast is a ranged projectile skill that explodes into multiple additional explosions upon hit, all of which hit a single enemy.

Farewell to Flesh node amplifies the damage of each Herald skill as long as mana is preserved. Combined with Herald of Thunder and Herald of Ice, it achieves nearly 90% mana preservation. This build also boasts a permanent 24% shell, elemental immunity, and energy shield over-life drain, making it exceptionally survivable.

Early on, place Herald gem in Honourhome helmet, focusing on stacking power and elemental focus. Use Essence Worm Unset Ring for double scaling. Later, stack Herald effects with Tattoos, Cluster jewels, and Corruptions to ensure the buffs are self-circulating.

2. Earthshatter Berserker Build

Earthshatter Berserker is a classic power-based build, excelling in Hardcore SSF and the trade league. It's fast, brutal, and surprisingly tanky.

During the campaign, you can focus on crafting physical weapons, using PoE currency appropriately to ensure your magical or rare weapons have suitable affixes. During the farming phase, you can acquire an axe through gambling, then stack life, resistances, and movement speed on rare items.

While farming, you need to constantly use Blood Rage to maintain exerted attacks and destroy everything in its path. This build is very easy to gear up, allowing for high damage even on the first day of your league journey.

3. Archmage Hierophant Build

This build requires a transfigured version of Frostbolt, making Frostbolt have no cooldown and heavily reliant on cast speed scaling, and its gameplay is similar to a spell-based Flicker Strike.

By unleashing Frostbolts to fill the screen, you can instantly destroy hordes of monsters, while simultaneously adding overlapping explosions with Vortex of Projection. You no longer need to manually cast Vortex, and it's automatically triggered by the projectiles, allowing you to maintain movement and safety. After acquiring Echoing Shrine, it transforms into a spell-based Gatling gun.

4. Venom Gyre Deadeye Build

Venom Gyre Deadeye build scales damage and defense directly from Dexterity. Each point of Dexterity translates into Speed, Poison Power, and Evasion.

Early on, you can use Cobra Lash for a smooth upgrade path, switching to Venom Gyre later in the game. This build blends melee and projectile gameplay, excelling in content like Legion, Breach, Blight, and Strongboxes thanks to its high-resolution map speed and mobility.

5. Energy Blade Inquisitor Build

Energy Blade is a hybrid build that converts the energy shield into pure lightning damage, and it can enhance almost any spell. Initially, you only need a small number of Divine Orbs. Later, their powerful AOE capabilities provide substantial rewards, and you can use them as a base to develop various playstyles.

6. Penance Brand Of Dissipation Build

This build primarily involves placing brands to attach to enemies, accumulating energy, and then exploding them into pulse waves.

Mind Over Matter and Eldritch Battery can absorb damage using mana. The energy shield is used as mana, making this build incredibly tanky when fully charged.

In boss fights, timing and control are crucial. The explosion deals the most damage when the brand reaches maximum energy.

7. Cyclone Hollow Palm Gladiator Build

This build utilizes the signature Cyclone skill, but forgoes weapons. Every drop of its damage and defense comes from Dexterity, which simultaneously increases damage, attack speed, and evasion.

You can pair it with Devoto's Devotion helmet for increased attack speed, and Purity of Elements for elemental resistance, making your character almost impossible to hit. Gladiator Ascendancy also provides block and damage reduction, which, combined with potion effects and Ralakesh's Impatience boots, allows for even faster attack speed, making it one of the fastest map-clearing builds in the game.

8. Animate Weapon Of Ranged Arms Necromance Build

This classic summoner build is reborn with the new support ability Bladefall of Trarthus. The new ability eliminates the need to manually cast it every few seconds to generate weapons; it now continuously generates blades, perfectly maintaining the duration of Animate Weapon.

This build is more powerful, more resilient, and more flexible. It's viable in hardcore mode, capable of pinnacle bosses, and requires only simple gem switching between farming and boss fights. The primary damage comes from Animate Weapon itself, supplemented by Spectres, Animate Guardian, and Despair.

9. Poisonous Concoction Of Bouncing Build

This is the most beginner-friendly build and performs exceptionally well in the current version. It's fast, deadly, and has extremely low gear requirements, making it virtually immune to bad luck. Because its damage relies entirely on the character's health, potions, and skill gem levels, players don't even need a weapon. Simply stack health, resistances, and dodge on your gear to achieve this. Pathfinder provides permanent flask effects, a huge amount of movement speed, and powerful poison sustain.

10. Flicker Strike Frost Blades Champion Build

Flicker Strike is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and chaotic skills in Path of Exile, and in version 3.27, it returns faster, stronger, and more insane.

The fun of this build lies in its extreme speed and chaos. You can teleport infinitely between enemies, sometimes even your screen can't keep up with your movements. The rework of Champion Ascendancy further enhances this.

That concludes these PoE build recommendations. Hopefully, this will help you find a more fun and easier build.

Path Of Exile 3.27 Keepers Of The Flame Uber Boss Kill Event Guide | Dates, Rewards, And Best HCSSF Builds To Reach Level 50

It's been almost two weeks since Path of Exile 3.27, but most players should already have a general understanding of the league. The official event is Keepers of the Flame Uber Boss Kill event.

The event challenges players to defeat Uber Incarnation of Dread in designated matches, rewarding the first to succeed with prizes including a gaming laptop.

Date

The event lasts for one week, starting this Thursday:

Start Time: November 13, 2025, 1 PM PST or November 13, 2025, 3 PM CST.
End Time: November 20, 2025, 1 PM PST or November 20, 2025, 3 PM CST.

How To Participate?

To participate in this event, several conditions must be met:

Your character must be on HC SSF. This is to prevent you from receiving help from other players (console players can participate through Softcore Self-Founded Server).
Account sharing or similar activities are prohibited; otherwise, you will be disqualified.
Players who participated in Alpha test server, as well as former and current employees of the official team, are not eligible for rewards.

This event is open to all players. The event panel will appear on the character selection screen 30 minutes before the event starts. Click Join to participate. Your character cannot move before the event starts. The official team also stated that if the event encounters technical issues, such as server instability, the team will launch a new league and restart the event.

Console players may not be able to receive the first-place physical prize, which is only available to PC players. However, console players can still claim other virtual item rewards.

Rewards

The first player to kill Uber Incarnation of Dread will receive a grand prize, while the top five players will each receive a microtransaction bundle. All players who participate in this event and reach level 50 during the event period will receive a Third Edict Mystery Box. Final rankings will be determined by the official team.

First Place Reward

The first place winner will receive an official Alienware 16X Aurora Gaming Laptop, with the following specifications:

Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 275HX, 24 cores
Windows 11 Home
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5070
64 GB DDR5
2 TB SSD
16” Non-Touch QHD+

Top Five Rewards

Each of the top five players will receive one of the following microtransaction bundles:

Celestial Warlord Armour Pack
Celestial Warlord Back Attachment
Divergence Weapon Effect
Celestial Emperor Finisher Effect
Breach Hedron Portal
Midnight Pact Character Effect
Harmony Footprints Effect
Tumbling Exalted Orb Pet

Level 50 Reward

Players who reach level 50 will receive a Third Edict Mystery Box, with a chance to obtain the following item:

Charge Skin Variations (3 variations)
Dodge Roll Effect Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Helmet Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Body Armour Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Gloves Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Boots Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Alternate Helmet Variations (2 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Back Attachment Variations (2 variations)
Fracturing Character Effect Variations (3 variations)
Fractured Dreamer Weapon Skin Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Helmet Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Body Armour Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Gloves Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Boots Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Back Attachment Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Weapon Skin Variations (2 variations)
Goblin Shaman Skin Variations (2 variations)
Giant Sphynx Pet Variations (5 variations)
Shifting Portal Effect Variations (2 variations)
The Forgemaster's Map Device
Molten Portal Effect
Explosion Level-up Effect Variations (3 variations)
Rhoa Mount Variations (2 variations)
Well Hideout Decoration Variations (2 variations)
Doryani's Rare Finisher Effect Variations (4 variations)

How Can Regular Players Obtain Rewards?

Although this event will last for 7 days, the prizes are clearly designed for players with time and skill, such as Ben, Alex, Jung, Exil, etc. However, Third Edict Mystery Box rewards are also quite good for regular players. The question is how to safely and quickly level up to 50 in HC SSF.

In Hardcore SSF, you cannot buy PoE Currency or trade items with other , and your character is deleted upon death. Therefore, to reach level 50, survivability is paramount, followed by damage and leveling. Ideal builds maintain sufficient damage output while also possessing some AoE capabilities, allowing for quick monster clearing.

Melee Slam Builds

These builds utilize Slam-type skills for wide-area, high-damage attacks. Juggernaut is highly recommended due to its extremely high defensive capabilities, making it suitable for Hardcore Fighting (HCSF) progression.

It enhances survivability through Endurance Charge and additional elemental and physical damage reduction. You can complete all content and Tier 17 maps with only 5-link gear.

Alternatively, you can choose Slayer or Berserker, but their defense is not as high as Juggernaut's.

Wand Builds

Wand builds utilize Wands for attacks, primarily launching Projectiles. The wands in PoE 3.27 are incredibly powerful, especially with the new skill Somatic Shell and developer demos focusing on projectile attacks and wands. Three new wands have also been added this league. The damage and upgrade speed of wand builds are undeniable.

Kinetic Blast of Clustering Hierophant and Kinetic Rain Elementalist or Hierophant are also very powerful wand builds, but their survivability is lower than melee Slam builds, requiring a certain level of skill.

Mines builds

Mines builds can use mines to trigger abilities, creating large-area AOE explosions. In the current league, it's recommended to pair them with Exsanguinate and Reap. This proved effective in the previous league and doesn't have high gear requirements.

As for Ascendancy class, you can choose Trickster and Elementalist, although Trickster has been nerfed in this league.

If you're unsure which specific build to play, you can first check the performance of HCSSF ladder builds from the previous league to confirm their viability before choosing trap builds.

That concludes the overview of POE 3.27 Uber Boss Kill Event. We hope you achieve your desired ranking and win the grand prize.

Path Of Exile 3.27 Blights Farming Guide | Mechanisms, Changes And Strategies

The current Keepers of the Flame league in PoE is interesting because it not only adds several new mechanics, but its core mechanic, Breaches, is essentially a reset and echo of the permanent gameplay and the past Breach league.

Besides the new Breaches, which are worth experiencing, some permanent gameplay has been updated through 3.27 league, offering a better experience and a large amount of loot. Among these gameplay, Blights is quite important.

So why does Blights remain valuable among the many new gameplay elements, and how can you farm it in the new league to obtain currency and various items? We will explain.

Blights Mechanism Overview

Blights are essentially a tower defense encounter that generates through Fungal Growths in any map area. Generally, the probability of triggering it on non-unique maps is at least 8%.

In addition, you can also unlock Blight encounters by transferring other normal maps from using the modifiers. Blights on these special maps are larger, allowing you to earn more rewards by killing more enemies.

Compared to most Path of Exile encounters or events, Blights are easier to complete and trigger, and more importantly, offer a wider variety and greater quantity of rewards. Therefore, trading Blighted maps is very popular.

When Blights appear, they are represented in-game as fungi. The important NPC Sister Cassia will then place a purification pump on these fungi, causing them to randomly grow roots in various directions.

As the roots extend, you'll find a portal at the end of each root, from which enemies spawn and converge towards the center of the fungus. The number of roots that can spawn depends on the map tier you're in when Blights are triggered, with a maximum of 8 roots.

Your task is to build defensive towers on each root to prevent enemies from entering the fungus's core. Sometimes, certain roots may spawn even more enemies or special Blight bosses.

Furthermore, the enemies on different roots have different resistances, requiring you to build defensive towers based on their characteristics. The resources for building these towers are obtained by completing other game tasks or defeating Blight enemies.

Also Read: Path Of Exile 3.27 Explosive Arrow Champion: Best Starter Build - Easy And Powerful Guide In Keepers Of The Flame

Once an enemy breaches the defensive tower and reaches the core, the durability of the purification pump placed by Cassia will decrease until it disappears. While enemies will stop spawning, this also means your Blight challenge has failed.

However, if you successfully defend against and defeat all the enemies on the roots, a reward chest will spawn at the portal at the end of the root. Even if you fail, a portion of the reward will be retained, preventing you from returning completely empty-handed.

Changes To Blights In 3.27 League

While the main Blight mechanics weren't changed in 3.27 league updates, the experience was improved through several details.

Firstly, now when you open a chest, other chests within a 1.5-meter radius will automatically open, and their items will be automatically collected into your inventory, eliminating the hassle of walking between roots to collect items.

Secondly, the boss summoned by Blight Scarab of Blooming will no longer bring additional monsters, thus appropriately reducing the difficulty of completing Blight encounters and making it easier to earn rewards.

How To Choose Passive Nodes, Scarabs, And Maps?

Keepers League has updated the entire Atlas tree, so to more effectively clear Blights, you need to change your passive tree setup.

To this end, you should prioritize unlocking nodes in both small and large passive nodes that increase the spawn rate of Tier 1-15 maps, thereby increasing the chance of triggering Blight encounters by generating many maps.

An additional node to mention is Singular Focus, which will cause more regular maps to be converted into Favored maps instead of Blight versions, so you should avoid it.

Furthermore, you need to unlock nodes that increase the number or type of Scarabs dropped when killing enemies on the map, thus providing more enhancements to your Blight maps and increasing their farming value. Available Scarab nodes include:

Amplified Artifacts and Remarkable Relics
Scarab of Bosses
Strongbox Scarabs
Scarab of Fortifications
Amplified Artifacts and Remarkable Relics
Scarab Nodes for Specific Mechanics

Based on this, besides the already mentioned optimized Blight Scarab of Blooming, another recommended Scarab is Blight Scarab of Invigoration, which increases the difficulty and loot rewards of all Blight enemies within its effect range.

Since triggering Blights randomly during exploration is too random, converting existing maps is a better way to farm them efficiently. Therefore, we recommend prioritizing converting Toxic Sewer map.

Which Eldritch Altar Should You Choose?

You might find this altar on the map after defeating specific enemies. There are two types: the red Searing Exarch Altar and the blue Eater of Worlds Altar, each applying different buffs to your Blight map.

The red altar increases your chances of obtaining different types of currency, while the blue altar increases the quantity and rarity of your drops.

In 3.27 league, both blue and red altars are viable for Blight maps; the final choice depends on your desired effect: blue altars offer higher overall value and are better suited for upgrades, while red altars require less investment.

Tower Building Strategy

In the current league, Atlas passive skill Templar Ingenuity allows you to build all types of Blight towers and upgrade them to the highest level.

We recommend building one of each type of tower to diversify their attributes and ensure you can defend against a wider variety of enemy types.

These are the tips for continuing to farm loot using the classic Blight farming mechanic in Keepers of the Flame league. We hope this helps you progress through the league!