Path of Exile: Ascendancy

VS

Dune: Awakening

Path of Exile is a well-established action RPG released in 2013 by Grinding Gear Games, with continued support and regular expansions, like Ascendancy. The game enjoys a dedicated core audience, although not at its earlier peaks. It remains relevant on Windows and console, with updates helping to maintain a stable daily player base.

As of late August 2025, Dune: Awakening had approximately 14,000 concurrent players, reflecting a significant decline from its peak of over 189,000 concurrent players shortly after launch in June 2025. This decrease is attributed to factors such as player burnout, game design issues, and technical problems. Despite these challenges, the developers remain optimistic, citing strong player retention and a 10-year development roadmap that includes plans to explore new planets and regions within the Dune universe. ([gamesradar.com](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/mmo/dune-awakening-dev-says-player-retention-has-been-extremely-good-and-the-mmos-10-year-plan-still-has-so-much-to-pull-from-in-the-lore-well-go-to-new-planets-eventually/?utm_source=openai))