8BitMMO

VS

Last Epoch

8BitMMO is a sandbox-style indie MMORPG that launched in 2015. While it is a persistent world with MMO elements, its indie status and age make it unlikely to have a large active playerbase today—most similar indie MMOs decline to a small but loyal community after 5+ years. The lack of major publisher support or recent updates further limits its reach. Estimated daily players likely in the low hundreds.

Last Epoch is an action RPG released in early 2024, developed by Eleventh Hour Games. It has received strong attention from the ARPG community, especially in the wake of Diablo IV's mixed reception. Daily player count is estimated around 70,000 based on Steam charts peaks and genre trends for new, well-received indie ARPGs. Continued post-launch content could sustain or grow this. It is not an MMO, as it does not feature a true persistent world or large-scale multiplayer environments—multiplayer is limited to smaller parties.