Summary
- Diablo 4 faces competition from Path of Exile 2's upcoming early access release.
- Path of Exile 2's hype could draw players away from Diablo 4, impacting its player base.
- Diablo 4 must unveil something significant in Season 7 to retain players amidst Path of Exile 2's potential allure.
Diablo 4 recently saw a bit of an uptick in its player base with the release of its Vessel of Hatred expansion, which includes the hugely popular Spiritborn class. Unfortunately, some controversy surrounding Vessel of Hatred's story hasn't helped it at all, and Diablo 4 may need a big shot in the arm moving forward, especially in light of another game set to compete with it in December 2024.
The original Path of Exile has been around for over a decade now, so while it might currently have a difficult time pulling players away from Diablo 4, the same might not be true of its sequel, Path of Exile 2. Currently, Path of Exile 2 is set to launch in an early access state on December 6, 2024, which could potentially pull players out of Diablo 4 and into the world of Path of Exile. With its launch window and the fact that it is aiming to be a more accessible experience for newcomers, Path of Exile 2 may eventually prove to have the upper hand, at least for the time being. As such, Diablo 4 will need to do something big to maintain its player base in December 2024.
Diablo 4 Will Need to Somehow Outshine Path of Exile 2 in December
Path of Exile 2's Impending Early Access Release Gives Diablo 4 Steep Competition
Since the first Path of Exile is over a decade old, there is quite a bit of hype surrounding Path of Exile 2, and this would especially make sense for any Diablo players who feel they have more recently been burned by Diablo 4. While Diablo 4 has had its ups, it has also had its fair share of downs, thereby giving Path of Exile 2 and the hype train it's currently on a bit of an advantage. At the very least, Path of Exile 2 could potentially see players leaving Diablo 4 for a short period of time and then returning to their first love at a later date. However, should Path of Exile 2 effectively hook them, they may not go back to Diablo 4 at all.
Diablo 4 Needs to Do Something Big to Avoid Being Overshadowed by Path of Exile 2
With that in mind, Diablo 4 will need to do something big to avoid being overshadowed by Path of Exile 2 in December 2024 and beyond. Currently, Diablo 4's next season, Season 7, is likely to launch near the end of January, which would potentially give new Path of Exile 2 players over a month to decide whether they're sticking around with it for the long haul or heading back to Diablo 4. In light of that, it might not be enough for Diablo 4 to simply rely on its next season to keep players around and pull those who might have left back in.
It may not even be enough for Diablo 4 to do a special limited-time event in December to keep players invested.
What Diablo 4 could do is, first of all, use Path of Exile 2's December release window as a time to build hype for Season 7. Of course, simply revealing Season 7 might not be enough. Instead, Diablo 4 would need to ensure there is something worthwhile that will arrive in Season 7 that could compete with Path of Exile 2. Blizzard did confirm in a recent mid-season Campfire Chat that there would be several promotionals for Diablo 4 in the coming weeks — including a free trial for new players that would let them try out the Spiritborn Class — which could lead to an influx of players. However, this is ultimately just a free trial for a game that has been around for some time trying to have an edge against a different, brand-new game like it.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest downsides of Diablo 4 Season 7 that Blizzard also confirmed in the Campfire Chat is that it promised to repair any broken Spiritborn builds, which has been a huge driving force behind the popularity Vessel of Hatred and Season 6. This could work against Diablo 4, especially if it hopes to overshadow Path of Exile 2 on the longer road ahead. Hopefully for it, Diablo 4 has something else up its sleeve that players might prefer over Path of Exile 2. Otherwise, there may be a major shift in the ARPG scene come December 2024.
Diablo 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
WHERE TO PLAY
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action-RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot.
Embark on the epic campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through a gripping story in a beautifully dark world, or explore an expansive end game: battle iconic bosses for powerful loot, fight back the encroaching onslaught of Hell in Helltides, master the Forge to create your ultimate weapons and progress powerful characters, with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
Discover the critically acclaimed franchise that defined the Action RPG genre. As the battle between the High Heavens and Burning Hells rages on, hatred devours Sanctuary as evil spreads and a new wave of cultists and worshippers arise to embrace Lilith’s coming. Only a brave few dare to face this threat and bring light to the all-consuming darkness.
Expansive Open WorldForge your own path through the corrupted lands of Sanctuary, an ever-growing, fully explorable world teeming with challenges, quests, enemies, and loot. Join your fellow adventurers, rescue and retake besieged towns, delve into nightmarish dungeons and uncover lost secrets as you fight back evil. The many zones of Sanctuary are yours to explore, and with rotating areas of extreme peril like World Bosses and Helltide, danger lurks at every turn.
Immersive Character DevelopmentCreate and customize your character to face the encroaching darkness. Choose from one of five classes and build your hero with skills, abilities and cosmetics, creating a champion that is uniquely your own. Grow stronger as you progress through powerful Skill Trees and develop even more unique end game specializations with Paragon Boards.
Legendary Gear, Epic BattlesDiscover and experiment with a vast arsenal of powerful weapons, armor and more to fight back against the demons threatening Sanctuary. Explore unique combinations, create your own upgrades and collect a plethora of powerful tools to battle in immersive, action-packed combat against the deadliest of enemies.
Seasons & EventsThe tales of Sanctuary continue to unfold. Create Seasonal Characters and join in fresh adventures - master new mechanics and take on the latest threats in each new Season. Complete harrowing feats of the Season Journey and earn new Battle Pass rewards. Plus, sharpen your swords and get in the spirit of the seasons when Limited-Time Events sweep through Sanctuary.
End Game UndertakingsThere’s even more Diablo® IV to explore as you reach higher levels and more fearsome World Tiers. Face the greatest challenge yet as you take on the most powerful demons in The Pit, steel yourself against Uber Bosses to reap uber unique rewards, fight back overflowing armies of Hell as Helltides emerge across Sanctuary, battle larger-than-life World Bosses, and master the Forge to create the mightiest weapons fit for a hero.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Diablo
- Number of Players
- 1-2 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- File Size Xbox Series
- 158.25 GB
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 players (console only)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
