The action RPG Path of Exile has received a new addon: Echoes of the Atlas. This has set a new record for the game on Steam. Never before have so many players played simultaneously.
What is this addon? Echoes of the Atlas was released on Friday, January 15, 2021, along with patch 3.13. It is the tenth expansion of the action RPG.
The focus of the addon is on “Ascendancies” among other things. These are roughly equivalent to the specializations of the individual classes in Path of Exile, but are also quite complex. We have embedded the official trailer here for you:
Echoes of the Atlas is supposed to make Ascendancies more exciting by revising many skills and thus allowing for various ways to play. At the same time, the specializations are supposed to become easier through the changes.
New addon causes player record
This many players are playing now: According to steamcharts , Path of Exile reached a new peak of 157,091 players on January 16. Since its launch in 2013, never before have so many players logged in at the same time.
The actual number of players is likely to be many times higher, as not everyone could play at the same time. The influx even caused server problems. According to the developers, the player peak was 11% higher than in any previous patch (via Path of Exile).
Additionally, there is the console version. Path of Exile is also playable on PlayStation and Xbox. Their players are not included in the mentioned peak numbers.
What makes the Atlas addon so good? In early comments on Twitter before the release, players were already speculating about the story of Echoes of the Atlas. One of the new contents lets you face off against 10 bosses at once.
The Maven now serves as the final boss, an entity that absolutely wants to see you fight. Players are wondering what will happen to Sirius, the Awakener of Worlds. He was previously the “final boss” of Path of Exile in the previous addon Conquerors of the Atlas.
In the recent reviews on Steam , players mainly note the aspects that make Path of Exile generally great. Players praise the scope and complexity but also warn that the ARPG can be confusing and overwhelming for newcomers. It requires some acclimatization.
Something big is on the horizon for the future of the ARPG. Path of Exile 2 is set to be released – although this will likely take some time. The “sequel” to Path of Exile is actually more of a massive expansion than a completely new game and aims to compete with Diablo 4. However, there is currently no information regarding the release.
