Lost Ark was, with over 1.3 million players at launch, the largest MMORPG on Steam. Today, these numbers look different. Recently, only 42,000 people played during the 24-hour peak. But is that due to Diablo 4?
How are the player numbers of Lost Ark evolving? Very negatively. Anyone looking at the curve over the last 6 months can clearly see a negative trend that does not seem to recover (via steamcharts.com).
Especially after the release of Diablo 4 on June 6, it’s noticeable that the player numbers of Lost Ark have fallen again. From still 52,000 players during the 24-hour peak on May 31 to 42,016 on June 12. Of course, not all days look as bleak, but a decline is noticeable.
Are players switching to Diablo? Some will definitely check out Diablo 4. The similarities between the two titles are hard to deny, especially as Diablo wants to focus even more on MMO aspects.
However, it is unlikely that hardcore Lost Ark fans will switch. They miss the epic effects, the engaging raids, and the MMORPG aspects in Diablo (via reddit). But Diablo comes at an opportune time. For several weeks, Lost Ark fans have been dissatisfied with their game and are leaving in droves (via reddit).
Too much and too little content at the same time
Why is Lost Ark still losing players? Lost Ark is primarily struggling with the issue that there is a significant gap between hardcore fans and casual players in the community. Some complain about too little content, while others complain about too much new content.
For casual players, gatekeeping is also a major problem, which many cite as a reason for leaving the MMORPG. Gatekeeping means that new and inexperienced players find it hard to join raid groups. Raiding itself, however, is essential to achieve a higher gear score in the game.
Hardcore players, on the other hand, are also leaving Lost Ark. They often cite the mountain of “homework” that needs to be done daily as a reason. If you want to be at the top in Lost Ark, you need to plan 3 to 4 hours a day for daily tasks. This is in addition to at least 18 raids per week. Veterans often mention the “Lost Ark Burnout” (via reddit).
Pay2Win is a problem: Furthermore, the weapon for 75,000 euros has disturbed many players. Because even if you are a hardcore fan, it is hardly realistic to achieve this without a mountain of real money.
In short, Lost Ark is finding it extremely difficult to retain new players for long, as they often drop out quickly. At the same time, it is also losing long-term fans because they lose interest and true new content, like continents and story, is only coming in slowly (via reddit).
What is Lost Ark doing about it? Amazon has already announced massive steps to counter the negative trend and the problems. They will make even the toughest raids easier to mitigate gatekeeping.
At the same time, the publisher wants to overhaul the entire leveling process to keep new players engaged longer. Out of the current 4 item levels, two will be removed so that new adventurers can reach the endgame and good equipment much faster.
What do you think of the current numbers and plans? Do you think Lost Ark will still find new players and be able to grow again? Did you leave the MMORPG for Diablo 4 yourself? Or do you even believe that Lost Ark can’t be saved anymore? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
Aside from the mentioned plans, there are currently some really good events running to make your entry into Lost Ark as pleasant as possible.
