Last Epoch's Game-Changing Update: Players' Voice Leads to Mid-Season Nerfs and New Leaderboard Strategy

Eleventh Hour Games (EHG), the team behind the acclaimed action RPG Last Epoch, has revealed significant upcoming changes to the game, following a comprehensive player survey. These modifications will specifically target and adjust overpowered (OP) builds that have arisen from unintended bugs, with the developer pledging to address these issues more promptly than in the past, based on player input.

This commitment comes in the wake of a massive player poll where EHG sought guidance on how to handle such OP builds. Garnering over 69,000 participant votes, the survey illuminated player preferences regarding the game's balance. According to a detailed blog post by EHG, a majority of 55.5% of participants advocated for the immediate nerfing of particularly OP bug-induced builds within the ongoing game season. Specific targets for these adjustments include abilities like Profane Veil’s Vampiric Pool and Sanguine Runestone.

The survey also showed a preference for EHG to communicate upcoming nerfs through the game's public forums, with a striking 73.2% of voters in favor of this approach. When it comes to OP builds not stemming from bugs, opinions varied, with a notable portion of the community in favor of preserving the uniqueness of highly and mildly OP builds to some extent.

Interestingly, the survey indicated no desire for a leaderboard reset due to bug-exploited OP builds. Instead, EHG will annotate leaderboard entries with the time and game patch, avoiding any negative stigma by not highlighting whether a player benefited from a bug.

This strategic direction signifies a new phase for Last Epoch, where bug-related OP builds will be adjusted mid-season, marking a shift from the previous policy of allowing such issues to persist. The decision to detail leaderboard entries rather than flagging them for bug exploitation reflects a thoughtful approach to maintain game integrity and community respect.

Since its release, Last Epoch has surged in popularity, with peak online player counts reaching 265,000 and securing "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews on Steam. This move to refine the game based on community feedback underscores EHG's commitment to enhancing the player experience, positioning Last Epoch as a strong competitor in the ARPG genre alongside giants like Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2.