"PoE2 Updates to Shift Focus Away from New Classes"

Path of Exile 2 enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating updates on the game's development, particularly regarding new classes. However, in a recent Q&A session, Game Director Jonathan Rogers announced a shift in focus that might surprise some fans. Rogers explained that the development team has learned valuable lessons about managing content releases, and as a result, new classes will not be the primary focus of major patches moving forward. This decision stems from the challenges faced during the development of the upcoming patch, Dawn of the Hunt, which included the introduction of the Huntress class.

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

You Can Expect More Ascendancies Instead

Rogers highlighted the unpredictability of class development as a key factor in their decision. He expressed a desire to include a new class with every release but acknowledged the pitfalls of making such commitments. "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 stated. The focus on the Huntress led to repeated delays, as the release date had to be adjusted to accommodate the class's development.

Rogers emphasized the importance of maintaining a fixed release schedule over promising new classes. "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 explained. Moving forward, Rogers is hesitant to make promises about new classes, prioritizing timely updates over class introductions. "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," he added.

The decision to de-emphasize new classes is also driven by player expectations. Rogers noted that fans are eager for frequent updates and don't want to wait extended periods for significant content. "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 stated. "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."

Despite the shift away from new classes, Rogers reassured fans that the team will continue to introduce new Ascendancies with each patch. He also expressed 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 concluded.

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

Promising the End to Be A Lot Harder

In addition to the shift in focus regarding new classes, the upcoming Dawn of the Hunt patch will introduce over 100 new skills, support gems, and unique gear focused on the midgame and endgame. A significant aspect of these changes is the promise of increased difficulty, particularly with bosses. Rogers emphasized the need to extend the time before players reach a power level that trivializes the endgame. "There are certainly some things that are going to have to be nerfed because they’re completely trivializing certain mechanics," he noted. "People are getting [to] the point of complete outrageousness a little bit too early."

Rogers expressed disappointment with how quickly players defeated Pinnacle Bosses in the past, hoping for a more challenging experience in the future. He described his ideal scenario for fighting a Pinnacle Boss as a difficult encounter that should take time and effort. "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," he explained.

Rogers concluded that the balance changes are focused on slowing down the climb to becoming overwhelmingly powerful. "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 stated. "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 found it too easy, while others felt it was too hard. Rogers, however, is satisfied with the current difficulty level and believes that player opinions will evolve over time. He noted that many complaints came from players who had played the previous game but not the current one, leading to comparisons between the two experiences.

Rogers is optimistic that as players become more familiar with the game, the difficulty will feel more manageable. "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 stated. He also pointed out that players often mistakenly believe the game's balance has changed when, in reality, they have simply improved their skills. "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," Rogers surmised.