A Blockbuster Weekend: Marvel Rivals and Path of Exile 2 Shatter Records at Launch
The first weekend of December delivered two highly anticipated releases for the gaming community. On one front, NetEase Games launched Marvel Rivals, the long-awaited hero shooter set in the Marvel universe. On the other, Grinding Gear Games kicked off the early access phase for Path of Exile 2, the sequel to its groundbreaking ARPG, over 11 years after the original debuted. Both titles launched on Friday, December 6th, and achieved staggering numbers. Below, we break down their explosive starts.
Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals had been one of the most anticipated titles for Marvel fans and hero shooter enthusiasts alike—a genre popularized by the original Overwatch. Earlier this year, the game held a two-week open beta that performed exceptionally well, peaking at over 50,000 concurrent players on Steam (not counting PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series players). This beta was a prelude to an inevitable triumph, which fully materialized last Friday.
The launch of Marvel Rivals was a resounding success. On its first day, it hit over 440,000 concurrent players on Steam, and two days later, it surpassed 480,000—setting its all-time peak and securing its spot as the 20th most-played game in Steam’s history by concurrent users. These figures only account for Steam players, meaning the total numbers (including console users) are far higher. Proof of this came via the game’s Twitter account, which celebrated surpassing 10 million players within 72 hours.
🎉 In just 72 hours, we’ve reached an incredible milestone of 10 million players worldwide! 🎉
— Marvel Rivals (@MarvelRivals) December 9, 2024
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. 🫶
Let’s ignite the battle together! 💖#MarvelRivals pic.twitter.com/5njTulx24e
Path of Exile 2
Sharing the spotlight was Path of Exile 2 (in early access), the sequel to the ARPG that put Grinding Gear Games on the map. As a fan of the original—which I consider the greatest ARPG ever made—I leapt out of my seat when its sequel was unveiled at Summer Game Fest 2023.
Clearly, I wasn’t the only one hyped. On its first day, the game neared 460,000 concurrent players on Steam, and within two days, it soared to a peak of 578,000. This milestone places it as the 15th most-played game in Steam’s history by concurrent users.
A Weekend for the History Books
Last weekend will go down in history as one of the best gaming weekends of the year. It marked the arrival of two titans poised to dominate for years to come. Both titles took rock-solid first steps, securing spots in Steam’s top 20 most-played games of all time—a testament to their explosive debuts and lasting potential.
