Path of Exile 2, which kicked off its new league on the 13th, has crawled back into the rankings after a two-week hiatus. While 21st place isn't exactly a disaster, it’s a far cry from the momentum seen during previous league launches. Despite the arrival of the new 'Druid' class, the mood among local players has soured quite rapidly, with many already threatening to walk away. The ranking may have climbed thanks to the 'new league effect,' but the threat of a steeper drop-off is looming large.

The consensus among players is clear: the endgame—the very heart of the experience—is just plain dull. This league centers on building and exploring temples, a slog that feels more like a chore than a challenge. Rewards are measly compared to the time invested, leaving a bad taste in players' mouths. While the 'Druid' has earned a few nods of approval, the persistent complaints about the lackluster endgame remain unaddressed, and frankly, players are fed up.

For a seasonal hack-and-slash like Path of Exile 2, the loop is sacred: blast through leveling, mow down hordes of monsters, hoard loot, and refine your build. If the endgame fails to hook people, the entire seasonal model—a system that relies on bringing players back periodically—risks collapsing entirely.

Grinding Gear Games launched Path of Exile 2 into early access last December, promising a full release six months later, but that date has been pushed back repeatedly. They’ve been force-feeding new leagues into the first game to plug the gap, perhaps hoping that the two titles would complement each other. Instead, sentiment toward the sequel is souring, and there’s a growing sense that the original has hit its ceiling. Unless they pull off a massive overhaul of the endgame by the time the full version launches, we might be looking at a long winter for the franchise.

While Path of Exile 2 stumbles, its direct rival, Diablo 4, is sprinting ahead. It also launched a new season on the 12th, but the atmosphere is night and day. The new content, themed around the return of Azmodan, is hitting the right notes, and revisions to the tempering and masterworking systems have made the gear grind feel genuinely rewarding for once.

To top it off, the synergy with the upcoming 'Vessel of Hatred' expansion is paying dividends. The star of the show is the new 'Spiritborn' class—which you can play early if you pre-purchase the expansion. It’s a compelling reason for fans of the Paladin or Crusader from previous entries to jump back in. It seems Diablo 4 finally has all its ducks in a row, resulting in a well-deserved surge in the charts.

In the upper echelons, Lost Ark has climbed for two consecutive weeks, landing at 6th place. The momentum stems from the December 10th update, which introduced the new 'Dragon Knight' class. PC bang usage data confirms a spike in activity, proving that the update successfully lured players back. The real question now is whether Lost Ark can keep this steam up and claw its way back into the Top 5.

Down in the lower ranks, Hogwarts Legacy has entered the fray at 46th place. A massive spike in search volume tells the story: the game was offered for free on the Epic Games Store starting the 12th, and that 'freebie' factor has clearly piqued interest. It’s a solid, high-budget title, so it’s no surprise that people are jumping at the chance to grab it at no cost.