The Path of Exile 2 game director has indicated that major future updates will not focus on introducing new character classes. Discover the reasoning behind this strategic shift and the studio's perspective on the game's current direction.
New Character Classes May Not Arrive With Every Path of Exile 2 Patch
Players Can Anticipate More Ascendancy Options
In a recent Q&A session, Game Director Jonathan Rogers explained that players shouldn't anticipate new classes in upcoming patches due to the unpredictable nature of their development process.
When asked about expectations for regular class introductions, Rogers noted that while the team initially wanted to include a new class with every major update, they've learned this approach creates development challenges. I would love to deliver a new class with every release, but we've discovered that anchoring an expansion's development to a class release was a mistake,
Rogers stated.
He elaborated on the trade-off between maintaining fixed release schedules and guaranteeing specific content, explaining that prioritizing the Huntress class for the next patch repeatedly forced delays.
Because we committed to including the Huntress in the next patch, our release date became flexible, and this expansion ultimately took much longer than planned,
Rogers clarified.
The director emphasized preferring fixed release dates over unpredictable content delivery, meaning the studio cannot guarantee when new classes will arrive. While I'm enthusiastic about adding a class in our next expansion, I won't make that promise because it would prevent us from locking in our release schedule,
he added.
Reflecting on the development experience with Dawn of the Hunt, Rogers explained that classes shouldn't be expected with every future patch. The unpredictable development timeline for classes conflicts with player expectations for regular updates.
Players genuinely want to see consistent progress and don't want to wait six to nine months between major updates,
Rogers noted. That's why it's crucial we deliver content regularly, making class releases less predictable.
However, Rogers assured players that every upcoming patch will introduce additional Ascendancy options. He also expressed interest in continuing to add classes even after Early Access concludes. As I mentioned, we can definitely deliver new Ascendancies. We might even continue adding classes after release, as I'm certainly enthusiastic about expanding our class roster,
Rogers stated.
Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt Introduces Significant Endgame Changes
Promising a More Challenging Conclusion
Alongside the Huntress, the upcoming patch introduces over 100 new skills, support gems, and unique gear focused on mid-to-late game content. These changes support Grinding Gear Games' commitment to making boss encounters significantly more difficult. Rogers explained they're extending the time required for characters to reach power levels that trivialize endgame content, while ensuring players can eventually achieve that strength.
We definitely need to adjust some mechanics that currently make certain content trivial,
Rogers explained. Players are reaching absurd power levels somewhat prematurely. We believe players should eventually achieve that level of power, but not before completing their initial progression climb.
Rogers expressed disappointment at how quickly players dispatched Pinnacle Bosses. He described his vision for these encounters as extremely challenging battles where the first player to defeat one in a league should struggle significantly. Reality differed, with one character defeating a Pinnacle Boss in just fourteen seconds due to an overpowered build.
He hopes the revamped progression system and balance adjustments will create different first experiences with Pinnacle Bosses. Your first encounter with a Pinnacle Boss should be incredibly difficult. As you gain experience, better equipment, and optimize your build, you might eventually defeat them in fourteen seconds. That just shouldn't be your initial experience,
Rogers elaborated.
Things have gotten somewhat out of control regarding how easily players can acquire power, and that's our primary concern,
Rogers added. He concluded that balance changes focus primarily on slowing the progression toward ultimate power, noting, Players should always feel powerful and achieve that fantasy, just not immediately. That's where most of our balancing efforts are concentrated.
Path of Exile 2 Director Satisfied With Ruthless
Difficulty Level
The Game Isn't Easier - You've Improved
Campaign difficulty in Path of Exile 2 has generated divided opinions among players. Rogers expressed satisfaction with the current difficulty and expects player perspectives to evolve over time. The development team found that many complaints came from veterans of the original game who hadn't yet played the sequel, leading them to compare experiences between both titles.
Rogers anticipates fewer complaints this time, explaining, I don't expect we'll receive nearly as many difficulty complaints now because once players understand the mechanics, they'll find the experience much more manageable.
He acknowledged that if this proves incorrect, they'll have data to guide adjustments but remains optimistic.
Players are often surprised. Frequently, during their second playthrough, people comment that we must have rebalanced the game, when in reality they've simply become better players,
Rogers observed.
