When Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred expansion was first announced, there was widespread concern that it might be overshadowed by the popularity of Path of Exile 2. Fortunately, however, Vessel of Hatred seems to have managed to avoid direct competition with Path of Exile 2, at least for now, as the latter has announced that the early access release date has been postponed to December 6.

Now that Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred expansion has been released for more than a month, it not only deepens the storyline between Neyrelle and Mephisto but also introduces a new class to the game and brings a series of novel game mechanics and skills.

Now, players can’t wait to see how the next expansion will unfold. Especially in key issues such as the fate of Nahantu and the future of Sanctuary, it has become a very necessary practice to buy Diablo 4 Gold.

Next Expansion Needs To Keep An Eye On Path Of Exile 2

While Path of Exile 2 was originally scheduled to launch in mid-November, the release date was pushed back to December 6 to ensure that players can seamlessly transfer micro-transaction content from the previous game.

This delay has given long-awaited fans a little more time to wait, but it also shows that the development team Grinding Gear Games attaches great importance to the integrity of the game experience. As Early Access approaches, the industry expects that Path of Exile 2 will set off new waves in the action role-playing game field with its depth and complexity.

Path of Exile 2 is committed to optimizing the onboarding process while retaining the game’s signature challenge, making it easier for new players to get into the game while also meeting the expectations of veteran players.

The sequel introduces a series of innovative features, including new Skill and Support Gems, twelve character classes to choose from, and a couch co-op mode that supports local cooperation. With Path of Exile 2’s upcoming debut, it is likely to be in direct competition with the next expansion of Diablo 4.

Next Expansion Needs To Avoid Direct Competition With Path Of Exile 2

Although Vessel of Hatred introduced a versatile new class, Spiritborn, its narrative structure was criticized for some hasty endings and unresolved plot threads. The community expects subsequent expansions to not only resolve the cliffhangers left by Vessel of Hatred, but also surpass its predecessor in terms of content quantity and quality, providing a richer and deeper gaming experience.

However, the importance of all these efforts also depends on whether Diablo 4 can stand out in the face of the upcoming and highly anticipated Path of Exile 2.

At present, the length of Path of Exile 2’s Early Access is not yet clear, but Early Access phase usually lasts at least a year, so the game may launch a 1.0 update around December 2025. If the next expansion of Diablo 4 is scheduled to be released at the same time next year, it will face direct competition from Path of Exile 2.

Especially in the divided reviews received by Vessel of Hatred, this competition may pose an additional challenge to Diablo 4’s market performance.

Path Of Exile Offers A Recipe For Success For Next Expansion

Vessel of Hatred expansion was released more than a year after the base game, and based on this timeline, its next expansion is expected to be available in late 2025, close to the release of Path of Exile 2 1.0. Path of Exile 2 is about to enter the Early Access phase, but there is no clear end date yet.

It provides Diablo 4 with ample preparation time to carefully build its next expansion to ensure that it can stand out in a competitive market. For example, the development team can consider how to optimize the way players obtain Uniques.

Path of Exile’s class system adopts Ascendancy mechanic, providing three specializations for each base class, while Scion only has one Ascendancy. This design provides players with more customization options and strategic depth, and may be the inspiration that Diablo 4 needs in the class system design.

With its seven base classes and 19 Ascendancy classes, Path of Exile provides a wealth of build diversity. The game undergoes numerous balance updates throughout the year, providing players with a good reason to return to the game after the end of A League.

Each Ascendancy class brings new and diverse enhancements to the base class, and not all enhancements can be unlocked at once, which makes it possible for players to repeatedly make the same character and try new builds. Although Diablo 4’s class system is not exactly the same, the design of the sub-class can solve this problem in the best way, providing similar variety and depth.

With the next expansion of Diablo 4 and the upcoming release of Path of Exile 2, players will undoubtedly enjoy a feast of action role-playing games. No matter which game can stand out in the end, the real winner will be the players who love the game and pursue the ultimate experience.

Finally, you can pay attention to Giveaway channel in IGGM discord, which will release Diablo 4 product giveaway information from time to time. Remember to be more active in the discord group.