2019 was an exciting year for the action RPG Path of Exile. We will look at how the game has developed compared to Diablo 3.
Diablo 3 and Path of Exile target a similar audience, yet there are significant differences between the titles. Diablo 3 is more geared towards the casual market, appealing to players who want a quick and straightforward gaming experience.
Path of Exile, on the other hand, is significantly more complex and aims to satisfy those who are looking for something deeper.
It was quiet in Diablo 3
What happened in Diablo 3 in 2019? The past year was relatively quiet for Blizzard’s hack ‘n slash. Essentially, the big highlights were just the seasons:
- Season 16 (01/18/2019 – 05/12/2019)
- Season 17 (05/17/2019 – 08/18/2019)
- Season 18 (08/23/2019 – 11/10/2019)
- Season 19 (11/22/2019 – expected mid-February 2020)
The seasons brought new challenges. Additionally, patches were released that mainly brought balancing adjustments and fixed bugs. There were no new contents.
The highlight for Diablo was the announcement of Diablo 4 during Blizzcon in November. However, it was a very quiet year for Diablo 3.
Path of Exile ramped up
What happened in Path of Exile in 2019? The hack ‘n slash from Grinding Gear Games, on the other hand, had a different story. 2019 brought a whole array of innovations and improvements. And the player numbers skyrocketed.
- 45 smaller updates were released
- There were also larger changes, such as to the melee system, the atlas, necromancers, and wizards, as well as a system for managing master missions
- Path of Exile 2 and Path of Exile Mobile were announced
- Path of Exile launched in South Korea
- The hack ‘n slash was released on PlayStation 4
- An online record was set with 224,000 concurrent players
- In 2019, 8.7 million players played Path of Exile, while there were “only” 4.5 million in 2018 – the player count thus nearly doubled
- The soundtrack was remastered
- The development team grew from 122 to 147 employees
- A new viewer record was set on Twitch
Moreover, four major expansions and leagues were released in 2019:
- Synthesis
- Legion
- Blight
- Conquerors of the Atlas (with the Metamorph league)
Where do the games stand at the beginning of 2020?
Much has happened with Path of Exile. It is becoming increasingly popular; almost twice as many played in 2019 compared to 2018, and the developers are still busy introducing not just expansions but also major and minor changes and improvements.
In contrast, there is significantly less happening with Diablo 3. The seasons are ongoing, and there are occasionally balancing updates and bug fixes.
2020 could see this continue. It will be exciting when both Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 are released. However, neither game has a release date yet.
Which do you prefer? Diablo 3 or Path of Exile?
