PoE2 to Prioritize Updates Over New Classes

Path of Exile 2's game director revealed that new character classes won''t be featured in major upcoming patches. Discover the reasoning behind this strategic shift and the developers'' vision for the game''s evolution.

New Characters May Not Appear in Every Update

Expanded Ascendancy Options Will Take Priority

During a Q&A session with Path of Exile 2 Game Director Jonathan Rogers, he explained that unpredictable development cycles prevent regular class introductions in future patches.

When questioned about expectations for new class releases, Rogers stated, While I''d love to deliver a new class with each update, we''ve learned from experience that making classes the focal point of patches was a misstep.

Rogers elaborated on the development challenges: Our insistence on including the Huntress delayed the expansion far beyond our projections. Moving forward, we''re prioritizing fixed release dates over unpredictable content development.

The director emphasized that while class releases will continue, they''ll come when ready rather than being tied to specific updates. I won''t promise classes in particular expansions because that would force us to compromise our release schedules, he explained.

Rogers outlined the reasoning behind this decision: Players deserve consistent updates rather than waiting half a year or more for major additions. That''s why class releases need to remain flexible.

However, players can look forward to regular Ascendancy additions with each update. Rogers also suggested the possibility of post-launch class expansions: We''ll definitely continue adding Ascendancies, and I''m eager to introduce more classes even after the full release.

Dawn of the Hunt Overhauls Endgame Difficulty

Developer Promises More Challenging Boss Encounters

The upcoming expansion introduces over 100 new skills, support gems, and unique items focused on mid-to-late game progression. These changes support GGG''s commitment to making endgame content significantly more difficult.

Some builds are allowing players to trivialize mechanics far too early, Rogers noted. While we want players to eventually reach incredible power levels, that shouldn''t happen before completing their initial progression.

Rogers expressed disappointment with how quickly players dispatched Pinnacle Bosses: Our vision was for these to pose major challenges, but elite builds were defeating them in seconds. The revised progression system aims to restore the intended difficulty curve.

He clarified the design philosophy: Your first Pinnacle encounter should be legitimately difficult. Only through repeated attempts and gear optimization should players reach the point of dominating these fights.

Director Stands By Game''s Challenging Nature

Player Skill Development Affects Perception

Addressing campaign difficulty discussions, Rogers explained how player skill affects perceptions: Many complaints came from veterans comparing the new experience to mastered versions of the original game. As players adapt, these concerns typically disappear.

He observed a common pattern: Players often assume we''ve rebalanced content when they complete subsequent playthroughs more easily, when in reality, they''ve simply improved their skills.