Hardcore?

How many people are playing hardcore? I only see a couple of lobbies on normal mode. It seems way more gratifying to play HC, imo. Is the economy there? I just hit Act 4 and the realization that I haven't died a single time yet is a rewarding thought. I don't open portals before entering areas I'm unsure of, because I know if I die I'm not coming back.. you have to approach things differently. I'm building resistances and working on gear before moving too far ahead. It seems like the way the game was meant to be played TBH. Pretty cool.