AQ First Contact

VS

Last Epoch

AQ First Contact is a strategy game released in 2019 by indie developer Seven Point Red. As a multi-platform title with modest social presence and no major publisher, it likely peaked early and now maintains a small core audience. It does not have the hallmarks of an MMO (no evidence of persistent world or large-scale multiplayer).

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.