ARC Raiders has kept around 91% of its playerbase months after launch, which is almost unheard of for a modern online shooter. Most live-service games see a steep drop-off shortly after release, but ARC Raiders has managed to maintain daily peak numbers that sit very close to its launch highs ARC Raiders Coins. That kind of consistency has drawn attention, making the game a rare example of strong first impressions translating into sustained engagement.

The numbers come from comparing the game's all-time peak to more recent 24-hour peaks on Steam. ARC Raiders hit roughly 481,000 concurrent players at launch, and in the weeks afterward, its daily peak hovered around 428,000—about 89–91% of the original peak, depending on the snapshot. In other words, months after release, the game is still seeing peaks only slightly below its launch weekend, rather than dropping to a tiny fraction like many other shooters.

It's worth noting that describing this as literal "retention" isn't entirely accurate. These figures track concurrent players at different times, not the same group of individuals over months. The high concurrency could come from veterans staying, new players joining, or lapsed players returning. Even with that in mind, ARC Raiders' sustained peaks are unusual: most shooters see a steep decline within the first month or after major patches, whereas this game's numbers have remained relatively flat, and even spiked slightly during holidays.

Part of the reason for this stability is the game's core loop: fast, readable extraction-shooter gameplay with satisfying audio-visual feedback, clear short-term goals, and a progression system that rewards effort without feeling punishing. Early updates, like the Cold Snap patch, also helped by introducing meaningful balance changes, spawn tweaks, and quality-of-life improvements instead of just cosmetics, giving players reasons to come back and showing that the developers were actively listening.

Another factor is accessibility. Unlike some hardcore extraction games, ARC Raiders balances approachable onboarding with enough depth to support long-term mastery. Casual players can jump in and have fun, while dedicated fans can explore builds, routes, and strategies without feeling limited. That creates a healthier ecosystem where the core audience sticks around, and new players can join without being immediately frustrated buy ARC Raiders Coins.

Keeping 91% of its peak concurrent players shows that good design, thoughtful updates, and clear communication can make a multiplayer game much more resilient than the typical boom-and-bust pattern. Whether ARC Raiders can maintain or grow its audience will depend on future seasons, events, and expansions, but for now it stands as one of the most impressive player retention successes in recent multiplayer gaming.

Diablo 4's level cap is set to increase with the Lord of Hatred expansion in 2026, and it's shaping up to be one of the biggest structural changes the game has seen since launch. Pushing the maximum level higher won't just add a few more numbers to grind through; it will change how long it takes to reach endgame, how builds come together, and how players interact with skill trees, Paragon boards, and new item systems Diablo 4 Items. Unsurprisingly, the announcement has sparked plenty of debate, with excitement about deeper progression on one side and concern about added grind on the other.

As things stand in late 2025, Diablo 4 caps core character leveling at 60, after which progression continues through the Paragon system, which currently extends up to 300 levels. Blizzard has confirmed that Lord of Hatred will raise the main level cap for every class when it launches in April 2026, stretching out the core leveling experience and granting additional skill points along the way. While Blizzard hasn't locked in a final number publicly, early previews and community discussions suggest the new cap will land well above 100, with some speculation pointing toward levels in the 120–125 range or beyond.

This change ties directly into the broader design goals of the expansion. Blizzard has been clear that Lord of Hatred isn't just about adding content, but about reworking core systems. Skill trees are getting major updates, each class is receiving new skill variants, and the endgame loop itself is being reshaped. On the expansion's official page, level cap increases are mentioned alongside skill tree reworks, which suggests the extra levels are meant to support more flexibility and experimentation, not just pad out playtime. With more skill points available, players should have more room to explore hybrid builds and alternate playstyles instead of locking into a single "best" setup early on.

That said, raising the level cap does shift when players truly feel like they've reached endgame. Since Paragon boards and some of the deepest build customization tools traditionally open up at or near the level cap, increasing that cap means spending more time in the leveling phase before hitting full late-game optimization. For some players, that's a welcome change, making progression feel slower but more meaningful over the course of a season. For others, it risks pushing endgame further away, especially for those who enjoy jumping quickly into high-tier content once a character is up and running.

Community reactions reflect that split pretty clearly. Supporters argue that Diablo 4 has struggled with players burning through seasons too quickly, hitting their goals in a matter of days and then running out of reasons to log in. From that perspective, a higher level cap gives each season more room to breathe and makes character growth feel more like a journey again. Critics worry that between a higher cap and new systems like Talismans, loot filters, and expanded endgame paths, the game could start to feel overwhelming or too grind-heavy, particularly for players with limited time.

From a build-crafting standpoint, the extra levels are both exciting and risky. More levels mean more skill points and Paragon investment, which could unlock builds that simply weren't possible before, allowing players to pick up quality-of-life or defensive nodes without gutting their damage. At the same time, if the cap climbs too high or balance isn't carefully handled, there's a danger that builds start to blur together, with characters eventually having access to too much of everything and losing some of what makes each setup distinct.

What's clear is that Blizzard sees the level cap increase as part of a long-term plan, not a one-off tweak. Lord of Hatred already promises a new campaign, a new region, two additional classes, a revamped endgame, and several systems aimed at giving players more control over how their characters grow. The higher level cap is meant to tie all of that into a longer, more layered progression curve diablo 4 gear buy. Whether players ultimately embrace it will depend on how satisfying those extra levels feel, how much real variety the new skills and Paragon options bring, and whether the slower path to endgame makes Sanctuary feel deeper rather than simply more demanding when the expansion arrives.

The Mareep Drop event is now live in Pokémon TCG Pocket, giving players a chance to celebrate the adorable Electric-type sheep Pokémon Mareep. Starting at the beginning of 2026, the event features solo battles against themed AI decks and rewards players with exclusive promo cards from Promo Pack B Series Vol. 2. Running through January 11, it's a great opportunity to grind missions and gather rewards like Shinedust, Shop Tickets, and rare card pulls, making it an ideal way to kick off the year Pokemon TCG Pocket Cards.

The event is structured around four tiers of solo battles: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert. Each tier offers unique first-time rewards and drop chances. Beginner battles give 25 EXP, a Promo Pack, and four Pack Hourglasses on your initial win, with a 51 percent chance for another Promo Pack. Intermediate battles increase rewards with 50 EXP and a Shop Ticket first-time, Advanced gives 75 EXP and six Pack Hourglasses, and Expert tops out with 100 EXP, a guaranteed Promo Pack, and better Shop Ticket drop rates at 75.5 percent.

Each tier also has specific tasks that grant extra Event Hourglasses, encouraging players to plan their decks strategically. Beginner tasks might include knocking out an Active Pokémon with a Fighting-type attack or playing three Basic Pokémon, each task giving four Hourglasses. Intermediate requires Stage 1 evolutions or including Crimson Blaze cards, Advanced tasks ask for 12 or more cards from the current expansion or two Mega Rising cards, and Expert challenges require Stage 2 plays or type-specific wins. Using an autoplay-friendly deck makes clearing these tasks easier without constant micromanagement.

Event missions run alongside the battle rewards, focusing on participation to ensure steady progress. One battle unlocks a Promo Pack, three battles give another, and scaling up to 5, 10, and 15 battles delivers additional packs, including a Promo Card Exchange Ticket at the 10-battle milestone. These missions refill naturally through stamina or Hourglasses, letting players pace themselves across the January 1 to January 11 window without feeling rushed.

The main draw is Promo Pack B Series Vol. 2, which highlights Mareep along with other sought-after alternates tied to the current meta. Drop rates improve as you progress, starting at 51 percent in Beginner and reaching 100 percent in Expert, giving free-to-play collectors several chances at full-art variants. Shinedust at 25 per drop can upgrade cards, and Shop Tickets allow premium pulls, making this event generous for gathering resources.

The Mareep Drop event fits neatly into Pokémon TCG Pocket's early 2026 calendar alongside Holiday campaigns and Wonder Pick rotations. Participating early secures first-time rewards and builds Hourglass reserves for longer sessions Pokemon TCG Pocket Items buy. With the event running through January 11, players have flexibility, whether they log in casually or grind extensively, and it offers a fun, rewarding way to chase Mareep promos and stock up on key resources for the year ahead.

The Roll Treasures event is coming soon to Monopoly GO, giving players a fresh chance to collect dice, sticker packs, and cash. According to community schedules, it is set to start on January 4, 2026 and run for just under two days, which means timing and preparation are especially important if you want to hit as many milestones as possible. Like other dig events, it works by earning pickaxes through normal gameplay and using them on a special treasure board, where each dig can reveal prizes or contribute toward bigger rewards Monopoly Go Stickers.

Roll Treasures is part of Monopoly GO's regular Treasure Hunt and dig event cycle, which breaks up the usual banner events and tournaments. These events usually feature a board or grid where each tile you dig can give instant rewards, chests, or progress toward a larger finale prize. Players who have taken part in past events like Spring Treasures will find the structure familiar: pickaxes are earned from everyday play and ongoing events, and how aggressively you dig depends on your dice reserves and how close you are to the higher-value tiles.

The event is one of the first major activities in January 2026. Many event calendars list a dig event from January 4 to January 6, describing it as a chance to earn more pickaxes and uncover bigger treasures. Dig events often overlap with at least one banner event or tournament, which means you can earn pickaxes while also completing other milestones.

Treasure Hunt events like Roll Treasures are attractive because the reward tracks tend to be packed with high-value items. Past events have included free dice, multi-star sticker packs, Peg‑E tokens, and cash rewards, with the later board levels containing the most lucrative prizes. The challenge is not understanding what to do, but generating enough pickaxes before the event ends. Planning your rolls around active boost events like High Roller, Cash Boost, or Board Rush can help maximize your progress.

Because Roll Treasures is short, efficiency matters more than usual. Spending time on low-value board moves outside of active events can reduce the pickaxes you earn, so it is best to play during banner events, tournaments, or other quick-win periods. A few strategies from past dig events should apply here. Hoarding dice before the event starts lets you begin collecting pickaxes immediately when the board goes live Monopoly Go Stickers buy. Watching for one-hour boosts like Cash Grab, High Roller, or Rent Frenzy helps you roll with multipliers active, which speeds up progress and increases your chances of hitting high-value tiles while maximizing the rewards you gain from other events.

For players who like to plan ahead, Roll Treasures signals a busy start to January 2026 in Monopoly GO. With dig events, banner events, tournaments, and sticker-focused boosts like Sticker Boom coming in quick succession, keeping an eye on daily schedules and community calendars will help you make the most of your dice and pickaxes.