Editorial: Why Torchlight Infinite Just Hijacked the ARPG Calendar
The Bottom Line: By exploiting a rare "dead zone" in the seasonal calendars of Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2, XD Games has propelled Torchlight Infinite to a new all-time Steam concurrent peak of 23,715 players. The "Vorax" update isn't just a content drop; it’s a strategic masterclass in timing, offering a high-speed alternative while the genre's titans are between cycles.
We’ve been tracking the Torchlight IP since the Runic Games glory days, and frankly, the transition from the polished Torchlight 2 to the absolute mess that was Torchlight 3 left a bitter taste. While Torchlight Infinite initially felt like a departure from that DNA, the Vorax season proves the game has finally found its own footing. Our analysis suggests this isn't just a fluke of the calendar—the mechanical depth added in this patch finally rivals the "big boys" of the genre.
The January Vacuum: Context is Everything
Success in the ARPG space is often as much about the when as the what. We’ve looked at the current landscape, and it’s clear why players are flocking to XD’s latest season:
- Path of Exile 2: Most players have already burnt out their Druid builds and are waiting for the next major milestone.
- Diablo 4: Blizzard’s "Paladin" hype has cooled, and the recent leaderboard beta feels half-baked and lacks the competitive hook needed to retain the hardcore crowd.
- Last Epoch: A personal favorite of ours, but with the next season gated until March, it’s currently in a "maintenance mode" lull.
- The Contenders: Both Titan Quest 2 and Grim Dawn: Fangs of Asterkarn are too far out to satisfy the immediate itch for loot.
Vorax Season: Breaking the Buildcrafting Meta
The core of the Vorax update revolves around two high-impact systems: Monster Growing and Grafting. We believe the Grafting system is the real game-changer here. By allowing players to "break" traditional attribute and trait restrictions, XD is leaning into the power-fantasy scaling that Path of Exile veterans crave.
| Feature | The Mechanic | Our Expert Take |
|---|---|---|
| Grafting | Crafting gear that ignores attribute/trait caps. | This will lead to massive power creep, but it’s exactly the kind of min-maxing the game needed. |
| Vorax Arena | Growing custom monsters to fight for targeted rewards. | A solid QoL improvement for target-farming specific builds. |
| Vendetta Erika | Movement-based Assassin variant. | High-skill floor, but the clear speed is arguably the fastest in the game right now. |
| UI Overhaul | Cleaned up menus and visual clarity updates. | Long overdue. The "visual clutter" was the biggest barrier to entry for ARPG purists. |
Erika and the "Motion Sickness" Problem
The introduction of Vendetta Erika highlights how far XD is willing to push the engine. Her kit triggers attacks automatically during movement abilities, scaling damage based on proximity. She moves so fast that the developers had to include a "slow camera" toggle to prevent literal motion sickness. In our experience, when a developer has to build a specific accessibility feature because their character is too fast, you’ve reached the "zoom-zoom" meta that defines modern ARPG endgame play.
The Numbers Don't Lie
The result of this perfect storm is a record-breaking weekend for the franchise. The previous launch-day highs have been eclipsed, proving that there is a massive market for "mid-tier" ARPGs that provide frequent, meaty updates.
- Steam Global Peak: 23,715 (Achieved Jan 17, 2026)
- Chinese Client Peak: 7,600+
- Trend: Upward (First time exceeding launch numbers in nearly 3 years)
We’ve seen plenty of "Diablo-killers" come and go, but Torchlight Infinite isn't trying to kill the king anymore. It's successfully carved out its own niche by being the fastest, most experimental ARPG on the market. If you’re waiting for March for your next big grind, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not checking out the Grafting system today. It's the most "broken" (in a good way) the game has ever felt.