Highlights
- Diablo 4's Season 1 update has sparked controversy among players, leading to dissatisfaction over increased grinding and minimal payoff.
- Many players have become burnt out with Diablo 4 and may turn to Path of Exile 2 as a refreshing alternative if the dev can deliver an open beta soon enough.
- Path of Exile 2 has a prime opportunity to snag some of Diablo 4's player base if it capitalizes on the dissatisfaction and generates hype at ExileCon 2023.
Diablo 4's Season of the Malignant has been marked by controversy as many players are unhappy with the changes the Season 1 update brought to the game, claiming that the game has been made more of a grind to play for minimal payoff. As a result, many players have become burnt out with the game and may be looking to move on to something new and refreshing away from the grind of Diablo 4, though they should be aware Blizzard is looking into this. Either way, this situation presents the perfect opportunity for Diablo 4's potential competitor Path of Exile 2 to swoop in and steal some of the game's player base if the game strikes while the iron is hot.
Originally announced at ExileCon 2019, Path of Exile 2 is the long-awaited sequel to Grinding Gear Games' free-to-play ARPG that many fans have seen as an alternative to the Diablo series. Path of Exile 2 was re-revealed at Summer Game Fest 2023 but was somewhat overshadowed for appearing so close to Diablo 4's launch. However, now that many fans have been turned off by Diablo 4 Season 1's disappointing update, Path of Exile 2 is in a better position than ever.
Path of Exile 2 Could Potentially Steal Diablo 4’s Thunder after the Season 1 Update Controversy
Diablo 4 players have had some major gripes about the changes this seasonal update has made to the game, including a blanket nerf for all Diablo 4 classes and a buff to enemies that made playing already weak classes like the Sorcerer even more of a headache to play. On top of all that, arbitrary changes like longer times for exiting a dungeon and an increase in the number of Aberrant Cinders needed for some Helltide Chests made it feel like Blizzard was trying to artificially increase the time players spent in the game. While the developers addressed these concerns during their recent Campfire Chat, the damage may have already been done.
With a good deal of the Diablo 4 community putting the game down while Blizzard works to reverse these controversial changes, Path of Exile 2 could step up as a refuge for these players if it plays its cards right. Currently, Path of Exile 2 is slated to launch sometime in 2023, but with the year now in its second half and no concrete release date announced, Grinding Gear Games needs to capitalize on Diablo 4's missteps while it can. Luckily, ExileCon is just around the corner happening from July 29-30, and this event presents the perfect time to generate hype for Path of Exile 2.
Ideally, ExileCon 2023 will yield Path of Exile 2 open beta dates that can give players a tangible timeline to look forward to. The earlier an open beta is scheduled for Path of Exile 2, the more likely disgruntled Diablo 4 players will be to check it out as the sting of Diablo 4's recent update will still be fresh. The timing of Diablo 4's controversy is also ideal for Grinding Gear Games as it could, in the pure spirit of competition, tailor the content presentation for Path of Exile 2 to contrast the controversial aspects of Diablo 4.
Although many fans assumed the competition between Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 would be very one-sided in favor of Blizzard's ARPG, the recent blunder may actually swing the competition in Path of Exile 2's favor depending on if Grinding Gear Games is able to entice Diablo 4's player base to its side. Path of Exile 2's free-to-play status already gives it a lower barrier to entry than Diablo 4, and if the developer can learn from its competitor's mistakes regarding seasonal content, Path of Exile 2 could potentially have a huge launch. The game's open beta will be its most telling sign of success, and it needs to happen sooner rather than later.
Diablo 4 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
