PoE2 New Classes Will Not Be Focus of Future Updates

Path of Exile 2's game director has revealed that new classes will not be the main focus of major updates moving forward. Learn why this decision was made 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

During a Q&A session, Path of Exile 2 Game Director Jonathan Rogers emphasized that players should not anticipate new classes in every upcoming patch due to the unpredictable nature of development.

When asked about the expectation of a new class with each patch, Rogers noted that the team has learned that focusing on new classes can hinder development. 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 highlighted the challenges of balancing a fixed release date with the development of new content, using the example of the Huntress class causing delays. Rogers explained, 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.

Rogers expressed a preference for fixed release dates over promising new classes, stating, 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 experience with the Dawn of the Hunt development led Rogers to conclude that new classes should not be expected in future patches due to their unpredictable development timelines. He stressed the importance of delivering updates in a timely manner, saying, 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.

Despite this shift, Rogers assured players that new Ascendancies will be introduced with every patch, and he remains eager to add more classes even after Early Access concludes. 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 the Huntress, the upcoming patch will feature over 100 new skills, support gems, and unique gear aimed at enhancing the midgame and endgame. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) is committed to making bosses significantly more challenging. Rogers mentioned the need to extend the time it takes for players to reach overwhelming power levels that trivialize the endgame, while still ensuring players can achieve that level eventually.

Rogers discussed the necessity of some nerfs, saying, 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 emphasized the importance of a balanced progression, 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.

Rogers expressed disappointment with how quickly players defeated Pinnacle Bosses, envisioning a more challenging initial encounter. He hopes that the new progression and balance changes will alter how players experience these fights, 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 that the balance changes aim to slow the progression to ultimate power, stating, 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. 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 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 opinions will evolve over time. He noted that many complaints stemmed from players comparing their experiences with the previous game without fully engaging with the new one.

Rogers is optimistic that fewer complaints will arise this time, 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 this doesn't hold true, they would gather more data to make necessary adjustments, but he remains hopeful.

Rogers concluded by highlighting a common player experience, 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.