PoE2: Future Updates Won't Focus on New Classes

In the world of Path of Exile 2, players have been eagerly anticipating new classes with each major update. However, Game Director Jonathan Rogers recently shared insights during a Q&A session that have shifted expectations. Learn why new classes won't be the main focus of future updates and how this decision impacts the game's development.

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

You Can Expect More Ascendancies Instead

Jonathan Rogers, the Game Director of Path of Exile 2, has made it clear that players should not anticipate new classes in every upcoming patch. He explained that the development process for new classes can be unpredictable, leading to delays and extended release cycles.

Rogers emphasized that the team learned a valuable lesson during the production of the current cycle, stating, 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.

The focus on including the Huntress in the next patch, for instance, resulted in constant adjustments to the release date. 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 prefers a fixed release date over promises of new classes, noting, 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.

The unpredictability of class development and the desire to provide players with timely updates are the driving factors behind this decision. Rogers stated, 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. 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 of new content can still look forward to something exciting. Rogers guarantees the addition of new Ascendancies with every upcoming patch and expresses enthusiasm for adding more classes post-Early Access. 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, he stated.

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

Promising the End to Be A Lot Harder

Alongside these changes, the upcoming patch, Dawn of the Hunt, will introduce over 100 new skills, support gems, and unique gear focused on enhancing midgame and endgame experiences. However, the core of these changes is aimed at making bosses significantly more challenging.

Rogers explained that the goal is to extend the time before players reach a power level that trivializes the endgame. He noted, There are certainly some things that are going to have to be nerfed because they’re completely trivializing certain mechanics. People are getting [to] the point of complete outrageousness a little bit too early.

He envisions a balance where players can eventually reach extreme power levels, but not immediately. Rogers shared his disappointment with how quickly players defeated Pinnacle Bosses, stating, I think that you need to be able to get to the point of outrageousness at some point, but you don’t want it to be that you get to that point before you even finish your initial climb.

He hopes that the new progression and balance changes will lead to more engaging first encounters with Pinnacle Bosses. 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 explained.

The main focus of these balance changes, according to Rogers, is to make the journey to becoming overpoweringly strong more gradual. He concluded, 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 difficulty of Path of Exile 2’s campaign has been a topic of debate among players. Some feel it's too easy, while others find it too hard. Rogers is content with the current difficulty level and believes that player perceptions will evolve over time. He pointed out that many complaints stem from players who have experience with the previous game but haven't yet adjusted to the new one.

Rogers is optimistic that the community's feedback will improve, 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 acknowledges that if the difficulty remains a point of contention, they will gather more data to make necessary adjustments.

He also highlighted a common phenomenon among players, noting, 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.