As Path of Exile 2’s early access journey continues with this month’s 0.4.0 update, which introduces the Druid as a playable class among many other features, developer Grinding Gear Games has confirmed that the action RPG may reach its 1.0 release without all of its 12 planned classes.
Once the Druid enters the fray, PoE2 will have seven playable classes, each with at least two ascendancies that further evolve gameplay. Given how the developer has repeatedly said it wants to avoid the action RPG’s full launch slipping into 2027, some of their counterparts might arrive after the 1.0 release.
Path of Exile 2’s 1.0 Release May Not Feature All 12 Planned Classes
“I’ve previously said that the conditions that we have to meet are [that] we have to have the campaign finished, we have to have the balance of the game in a good place, and we have to have the endgame in a place that people are enjoying as well,” Game Director Jonathan Rogers told PCGamesN. “Once those are done, once all that’s good, then we will be ready to release. Effectively, that’s our goal, and then we can go out of early access.”
Rogers and the team working on the sequel “definitely want to have all the ascendancies for all the classes that are released,” but he “sort of suspect[s] at this point that it’s likely we won’t have all of them.”
Path of Exile 2’s launch led to some turmoil within Grinding Gear Games, as the developer had to figure out how to distribute resources in order to keep two live service games running, with the original not only still being around, but also receiveing continuous support.
The team eventually settled on being flexible with the content that goes into updates for its two popular action RPGs in order to maintain a steady update cadence, ensuring players have something to return roughly every four months.
“I don’t think it’s as important to have all of the classes as having the full campaign and the endgame good and balanced, right? And all this other stuff,” Rogers continues. “I think the game could survive with ten classes as opposed to 12, for example, or maybe 11 - I think [that would be] enough to be fair to say that it’s a full game experience there.”
One thing that Rogers absolutely wants to see available in Path of Exile 2’s 1.0 release are swords, a type of weapon that has been missing in action during the sequel’s first year in early access.
“Certainly I wouldn’t want to not have swords when we came out. That would be bad.”
Not having all 12 planned classes for Path of Exile 2’s full launch might disappoint those of us yearning to see how the Templar, Shadow, Duelist, or Marauder work in Grinding Gear Games’ ambitious sequel, but with three ascendancies for all the other classes, the amount of choice available should help lessen the blow.
Path of Exile 2’s 1.0 release is currently slated to occur in 2026, provided plans don’t change as development progresses.
For the latest gaming news, follow GameWatcher on BlueSky, check out our videos on YouTube. We sometimes include affiliate links in our posts, which grants us a small commission, thank you. Please support independent Games Media. ❤️
