Path of Exile 2's game director has shared that new classes will not be the main focus of future updates. This decision stems from the challenges faced during development and the desire to deliver timely updates to players. Dive in to understand the rationale behind this choice and get insights into the current state of the game.

Path of Exile 2 New Characters Might Not Be Introduced Every Patch

You Can Expect More Ascendancies Instead

In a recent Q&A session, Jonathan Rogers, the game director of Path of Exile 2, explained that new classes won't be a staple in upcoming patches. He highlighted the unpredictable nature of class development and the lessons learned from previous cycles.

When questioned about the expectation of a new class in each patch, Rogers admitted that the team initially wanted to introduce a new class with every update. However, he stated, I would like it if every release would have a class, but I would say that we actually learned something during the production of this cycle, which is that it was a mistake to have a class as a wedge for the development of your expansion.

He pointed out the trade-offs involved in setting a fixed release date with uncertain content volume versus allowing the content to dictate the release date. Focusing on including the Huntress in the next patch led to constant delays.

Rogers elaborated, We have to have the Huntress in the next patch, so therefore, the date had to float, and that meant that this expansion ended up taking a lot longer than what we had hoped.

He emphasized his preference for a fixed release date over the uncertainty experienced previously, saying, While I’m very keen to have a class in the next expansion, I’m not going to promise that because that would mean we can’t fix the date anymore.

Given the development challenges faced with Dawn of the Hunt, Rogers concluded that players shouldn't anticipate new classes with every patch. The unpredictability of class development and the desire to deliver updates more frequently influenced this decision.

Rogers noted, Players really do want to see forward progress, and they don’t want to be waiting six to nine months before they see a big update. He added, So I think it’s important that we’re constantly giving them stuff in a reasonably timely manner, so for that reason, the classes are less predictable.

However, fans can look forward to new Ascendancies with each patch. Rogers also expressed enthusiasm about adding more classes post-Early Access, saying, As I said, Ascendancies, we can definitely do; maybe even after release, we continue to add even more classes as I’m certainly keen to add more.

Path of Exile 2 Dawn of the Hunt Brings More Changes to Endgame

Promising the End to Be A Lot Harder

Alongside the Huntress, the upcoming patch will introduce over 100 new skills, support gems, and unique gear tailored for the midgame and endgame. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) aims to make bosses significantly harder, ensuring that players' power levels take longer to reach the point where they can trivialize the endgame.

Rogers mentioned, There are certainly some things that are going to have to be nerfed because they’re completely trivializing certain mechanics. He added, People are getting [to] the point of complete outrageousness a little bit too early. He believes that while reaching such power levels is part of the game, it should not happen before players have completed their initial progression.

Rogers expressed disappointment with how quickly players defeated Pinnacle Bosses, describing his ideal scenario as a challenging fight that the first player in a league should struggle with. He recounted a case where a boss was defeated in just fourteen seconds due to an overpowered build.

He hopes that the new progression and balance changes will alter the experience of fighting Pinnacle Bosses for the first time. Rogers explained, The first time you fight a Pinnacle Boss, it’s going to be a hard fight and crazy. But as you fight the boss more times and you get more items and you get to optimize your build and stuff, you can get to the point where you kill the boss in fourteen seconds. It’s just that it’s not your first experience.

Rogers concluded, Things have kind of gotten a little bit off the rails, in terms of the ability to get power too easily there, and that’s kind of the main thing. He emphasized that the balance changes are focused on slowing down the climb to becoming overwhelmingly powerful, saying, You should always be able to feel powerful and certainly should have that fantasy there, just not right off the bat. So that’s where a lot of our balance changes are focused.

Path of Exile 2 Game Director is Happy With Its Ruthless Difficulty

Things Aren’t Easier, You Just Got Better

The campaign difficulty in Path of Exile 2 has sparked debate among players, with some finding it too easy and others too hard. Rogers is content with the current difficulty level and believes player perceptions will evolve over time. He noted that many complaints came from players who had experienced the previous game but not the current one, leading to comparisons.

Rogers is optimistic that the difficulty won't be as contentious this time around, stating, I don’t think we’re gonna get nearly as many complaints about it this time, and that’s because once you know how to play, you’re going to find the experience a lot easier. He added that if the feedback turns out to be different, they would have more data to refine the experience, but he remains hopeful.

Rogers concluded, People are often surprised. A lot of the times what happens is that the second time people play through the game, they will talk about how they (GGG) must have changed the balance, but the actual reality is that they just got better at the game.