Path of Exile 2 Pivots to Content Over New Classes

The game director for Path of Exile 2 has clarified that future major updates will not center on releasing new character classes. Find out the reasoning behind this strategic shift and the developers' perspective on the game's current direction.

Path of Exile 2: New Character Releases Won’t Anchor Every Update

Expanded Ascendancies to Become the New Focus

In a recent Q&A, Path of Exile 2 Game Director Jonathan Rogers advised players not to anticipate new character classes with every upcoming patch, citing the unpredictable nature of their development cycle.

When questioned about the potential for a new class per major update, Rogers explained that the team now believes making a class the focal point of a patch was a misstep. He stated, Ideally, I'd like every release to include a class, but we learned a valuable lesson during this development cycle: using a new class as the central pillar for an expansion was a mistake.

He detailed the core dilemma: choosing between a fixed release date with variable content or a guaranteed amount of content with a shifting schedule. Prioritizing the inclusion of the Huntress in the next patch forced the release date to be repeatedly postponed.

Because we were committed to having the Huntress in the next patch, the launch date became fluid, ultimately causing the expansion to take much longer than we intended, Rogers elaborated.

He expressed a preference for locking in release dates moving forward, which means the team can no longer promise when new classes will arrive. Although I'm eager to include a class in the next expansion, I won't make that promise, as it would prevent us from setting a firm date, he added.

Learning from the development of 'Dawn of the Hunt,' Rogers clarified that future patches should not be expected to deliver new classes. The unpredictable development timeline for classes conflicts with the goal of delivering consistent, timely updates to the player base.

Players want to see consistent progress and don't want to wait six to nine months for a major update, Rogers noted. It's crucial we deliver new content in a reasonably timely manner, which makes class releases less predictable.

However, this doesn't mean a lack of new content. Rogers assured players that every future major update will introduce new Ascendancy specializations. He also remains enthusiastic about adding more classes even beyond the game's Early Access period. As I mentioned, we can definitely deliver new Ascendancies. We may even continue adding more classes after the full release, as I'm certainly interested in doing so, Rogers said.

Path of Exile 2's Dawn of the Hunt Reinvents the Endgame

A Pledge for a More Demanding Climax

Alongside the Huntress, the upcoming patch will bring over 100 new skills and support gems, unique items focused on mid-to-late game, and more. These changes support Grinding Gear Games' (GGG) commitment to significantly increase boss difficulty. Rogers explained the need to extend the time it takes for a character's power to trivialize endgame challenges, while affirming that reaching that peak power fantasy remains possible.

Some adjustments are necessary because certain builds completely trivialize specific mechanics, Rogers explained. Players are reaching levels of outrageous power a bit too early. You should be able to get there eventually, but not before you've completed the initial challenging climb.

Rogers even expressed disappointment at how quickly players defeated the Pinnacle Bosses. He described an ideal first encounter as an extremely tough battle, where the first player in a league to attempt it would face a serious struggle. The reality, however, saw a boss defeated in just fourteen seconds due to a min-maxed character build.

He hopes the revamped progression and balance changes will lead to a different first-time experience with Pinnacle Bosses. Your first Pinnacle Boss fight should be incredibly hard and chaotic. As you fight it more, optimize your build, and acquire better gear, you can eventually reach a point where you defeat it in fourteen seconds. That just shouldn't be your first experience, Rogers said.

The power scaling has gone a bit off the rails, making it too easy to acquire overwhelming strength too quickly. That's the core issue, Rogers added. He concluded that the balance changes aim to slow the journey to becoming all-powerful, stating, Players should always be able to feel powerful and live that fantasy—just not right from the start. That's where a lot of our balancing efforts are focused.

Path of Exile 2 Director Content With Its Ruthless Challenge

The Game Didn't Get Easier—You Got Better

The campaign difficulty in Path of Exile 2 sparked debate, with some players finding it too easy and others too hard. Rogers stated his satisfaction with the current challenge level and believes player perceptions will evolve. The team found that many complaints came from veterans of the first game who hadn't yet played the sequel, leading them to compare experiences between the two titles.

Rogers anticipates fewer complaints this time, saying, I don't expect nearly as many complaints now because once you learn how to play, the experience feels much easier. He acknowledges that if this isn't the case, they'll have more data to guide adjustments but is optimistic the situation will differ.

It often surprises people. Many times on a second playthrough, players will claim we must have rebalanced the game, when in reality, they just improved their skills, Rogers concluded.