Diablo 4 Season 11 is doing something that previous seasons struggled with, and that is keeping players around for longer.
It has now been roughly 3 weeks since launch, and Season 11 is still holding onto around 50-60% of its Steam player base, which is unusually strong retention for an ARPG. These numbers come from SteamDB and only reflect Steam players, but even as a partial snapshot, the sentiment carries across all platforms. The actual number is likely much higher once Battle.net and console players are factored in.
But what exactly is different this time?
Strong Retention for an ARPG Season
For context, most ARPG seasons drop off much faster. Even very successful seasons in games like Path of Exile usually struggle to stay near that amount by week three, unless the league mechanic is incredibly fun. Hitting that number this late into a season often signals that players are genuinely enjoying the loop, not just rushing through content.
Season 11 also compares very well against earlier Diablo 4 seasons, which tended to fall off more quickly once the initial hype faded.
Why Season 11 Is Sticking
A few changes clearly helped Season 11 perform better than expected:
- The Paladin brought back many players who skipped earlier seasons
- Sanctification gives players a reason to keep farming even after gearing up
- Progression feels faster and less forced
- You can finish the season ranks (previously known as season journey) without grinding everything
Most players describe this season as more relaxed, more rewarding, and less like a checklist. When you take a quick look at Diablo communities, you will see that even people who usually burn out early are sticking around longer.
Not Perfect, But a Step Forward
As good as it is, Season 11 is not without criticism. Inventory clutter, stash space, and Pit rewards at very high tiers are still common complaints. Boss farming, especially Azmodan, can also feel repetitive.
Nevertheless, the overall sentiment is noticeably more positive than in previous seasons. A lot of players see this as a great turning point, especially with the Lord of Hatred expansion ahead.
If these retention numbers stay similar, Season 11 might end up remembered as the season where Diablo 4 finally found a rhythm that works for its core audience. Now we just have to hope that the systems that made this season more fun stick around, come back, or are replaced by even better mechanics in Lord of Hatred. Otherwise, we might end up right back at the same old routine.
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