Path of Exile 2 creators admit it, players are right when they say the RPG is too “harsh”. Still, Grinding Gear Games considers the high difficulty of the endgame to be part of the overall experience.
Grinding Gear Games has introduced a new update for Path of Exile 2, focusing on enhancing the endgame. The patch brings highly requested features, such as additional maps, checkpoints in specific locations, adjustments to monsters, and general quality-of-life changes. However, the controversial difficulty level associated with death in the endgame, often criticized by the community, will remain untouched.
Jonathan Rogers, the game director, discussed this topic during a Twitch interview with streamers DarthMicrotransaction and GhazzyTV (via PC Gamer), sharing his perspective on why the difficulty won’t be adjusted. “It’s a matter of maintaining the game’s identity. The idea that ‘death has consequences’ is a crucial element of the gameplay,” Rogers explained. “We had debates about the Pinnacle boss content—should we add checkpoints or portals everywhere? Ultimately, we decided against it because that would compromise the sense of achievement. We tested this thoroughly to ensure the challenge feels meaningful and requires effort to overcome.”
For Rogers, the demanding difficulty of Path of Exile 2 aligns with its design philosophy, emphasizing that “some risk of failure is necessary for an engaging experience.” He further elaborated on how this ties into the game’s XP loss penalty, which affects players in the endgame. “The penalty is meant to keep players at an appropriate level of progression. If you’re dying too frequently, it’s likely an indicator that you’re not ready to move forward.”
Mark Rogers, another developer from Grinding Gear Games, offered a slightly different viewpoint during the same discussion, acknowledging the community’s frustrations. “There are too many layers of penalties right now,” he admitted. “When you die repeatedly, it’s harder to gather the resources needed for progress. I believe the combination of all these factors is overly punishing. The initial sections of maps are particularly challenging, and we should consider easing the difficulty a bit before gradually increasing it.”
Community Feedback Will Shape Future Updates for Path of Exile 2
Despite their firm stance on retaining the high stakes of death in Path of Exile 2, the developers are committed to listening to player feedback. They will closely monitor reactions to the update and remain open to suggestions for refining the experience. While major aspects of the RPG will remain consistent with its current design philosophy, there is potential for new features to be introduced, making the game more accessible for players.
Source: 3djuegos
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