Path of Exile 2 Can’t Beat Diablo 4 to the Punch with One Class

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 12, 2025 2 Views 7 Min Read
Path of Exile 2 Can't Beat Diablo 4 to the Punch with One Class

Summary

  • Path of Exile 2 excels with 6 base classes, high player numbers, and constant updates, potentially overshadowing Diablo 4.
  • Diablo 4 urgently needs a new class like Crusader/Paladin to stay competitive against PoE 2’s growing popularity.
  • Diablo 4 risks losing hype if it doesn’t announce classes or expansions soon, while PoE 2’s success may pose a threat.

Diablo 4 came out around one year and a half ago, and it immediately sparked many conversations regarding the action RPG genre. Now that Path of Exile 2 has been out in early access for over a month, the same is happening all over again, especially since this is an incomplete game that will get more content over time. Comparisons between Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 are inevitable, both because of their shared genre and because they very much share a lot of DNA thanks to each game’s emphasis on going back to the roots, which means Diablo 2. Both games are now technically competing for yet another Diablo 2 throwback, and Path of Exile 2 may win the race.

Diablo 4‘s starting roster of classes comprised the Sorcerer, the Druid, the Barbarian, the Necromancer, and the Rogue, each with their dedicated skill trees to upgrade for more abilities and passive effects. The Spiritborn was Diablo 4‘s sixth class from its Vessel of Hatred expansion, and while it’s a unique mixture of various elements from the franchise’s history, it’s not the highly anticipated Crusader/Paladin archetype. Path of Exile 2 already has its answer to fill that void, and whether or not it comes before Diablo 4‘s, Blizzard’s ARPG may be in trouble.

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Related


What to Expect From Path of Exile 2 in 2025

Path of Exile 2 is a little over one month into its early access launch, and GGG will likely support it in multiple ways throughout 2025.

Why Path of Exile 2 is Primed to Take Diablo 4 Fans By Storm

Path of Exile 2 features six base classes and two Ascendancies for each of them, with the plan being to add six more classes total and their respective Ascendancies and weapon archetypes. Grinding Gear Games’ new standalone sequel has skyrocketed to the top of Steam charts on launch, with an average of over 400,000 concurrent players, making it a smashing hit. Diablo 4‘s player numbers have been dwindling over time, and Vessel of Hatred’s additions didn’t manage to retain many players. As such, it desperately needs a seventh class – the Crusader or Paladin.

Diablo‘s Crusader and Paladin are arguably two sides of the same coin, and while they do have some key differences, they are ultimately the same class archetype. Path of Exile 2‘s predecessor already had the Templar to draw from these themes, and now the sequel is inevitably going to add it back into the roster of classes at some point during early access or upon the game’s full release. What follows is that Path of Exile 2 is now in a prime position to deliver this class because, unlike Diablo 4, it’s a matter of when rather than if.

Diablo 4 Needs to Reveal Its Next Class and Expansion Sooner Rather Than Later

Some fans even speculated that Diablo 4‘s witchcraft themes for Season 7 may be foreshadowing the return of the Witch Doctor class, or some new spin on it. Since there is no confirmation yet about possible new classes in Diablo 4, nor has the next chapter of the game been announced just yet, it’s hard to consider the Crusader or Paladin as “confirmed,” regardless of fan feedback and how vocal some players have been about it. It remains a likely possibility, but if Diablo 4‘s next expansion launches around one year after Vessel of Hatred, it’s still going to be around nine months away from now.

Diablo 4’s Next Class Addition May Find Itself Between The Hammer and The Anvil

It’s equally possible that Path of Exile 2‘s additional classes, including the Templar, will see the light of day much further ahead, which would give Blizzard all the time to fill the niche of a modern take on the Crusader/Paladin archetype before its competition. Still, Path of Exile 2 is seeing a lot of support from its devs and success among fans, which doesn’t bode well for Diablo 4. If Path of Exile 2 launches its Templar class earlier than Diablo 4 does, it could kill some of the hype for it; at the same time, if it comes out afterward, it could steal Diablo 4‘s thunder.

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