The new Metamorph league of the action RPG Path of Exile is very popular. We take a look at why that is.
What is Metamorph? In the new league, you set out to hunt monsters. This may sound relatively unremarkable. However, you collect essences from each defeated enemy. You then combine these essences to create unique boss opponents that you eventually must defeat.
The corresponding update also improved the balancing for ranged characters and introduced new items that affect all classes.
A successful league
How is Metamorph received? As the player numbers on Steam show, the new league has once again caused a resurgence.
In November, the numbers of concurrent players according to Steamcharts averaged 12,077. Now, with the start of Metamorph, this number has risen to 17,792. That is an increase of over 47 percent. The peak was even at 117,757 concurrent players. That is almost as high as last December, when the previous record of 123,462 was reached.
This shows that the new league has brought back many players.
It is also evident on Twitch that interest in Path of Exile has risen sharply with the new league. On December 14 and 15, PoE with almost 139,000 viewers was briefly the most-watched game on the streaming platform.
What has been the problem so far? The last leagues were not well received by players. Especially Synthesis was plagued by bugs and performance issues, leading to a loss in the player count for Path of Exile. However, the developers have now shown that they are back on track.
Players are excited
What do players particularly like about the new league? The players are mainly – but not only – excited about the new gameplay mechanic that allows them to create boss monsters. The combination possibilities are very vast, making each fight something special.
Moreover, the balancing adjustments are well received, especially those for ranged characters. Not only is it more fun to play ranged characters, but the loot drops are also better.
Of course, this time it also plays a role that the new league runs very stably.
Roflhammer states in the official forum: “With this league, I’m having more fun than ever.”
One thing that most people like, even though it is not yet in the game: Grinding Gear Games has announced an auto-pickup feature. This will allow the essences from monsters to be automatically picked up.
Exxxiled665 writes: “Good, my hand has gone numb from all the clicking!”
Metamorph has done a lot of things right and has ensured that Path of Exile is back on the path to success after the rather disappointing last leagues.
