Summary
Diablo 4recently 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, somecontroversy surrounding Vessel of Hatred’s storyhasn’t helped it at all, andDiablo 4may need a big shot in the arm moving forward, especially in light of another game set to compete with it in December 2024.
The originalPath of Exilehas been around for over a decade now, so while it might currently have a difficult time pulling players away fromDiablo 4, the same might not be true of its sequel,Path of Exile 2. Currently,Path of Exile 2is set to launch in an early access state on Jul 14, 2025, which could potentially pull players out ofDiablo 4and into the world ofPath of Exile. With its launch window and the fact that it is aiming to be a more accessible experience for newcomers,Path of Exile 2may eventually prove to have the upper hand, at least for the time being. As such,Diablo 4will 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 firstPath of Exileis over a decade old, there is quite a bit of hype surroundingPath of Exile 2, and this would especially make sense for anyDiabloplayers who feel they have more recently been burned byDiablo 4. WhileDiablo 4has had its ups, it has also had its fair share of downs, thereby givingPath of Exile 2and the hype train it’s currently on a bit of an advantage. At the very least,Path of Exile 2could potentially seeplayers leavingDiablo 4for a short period of time and then returning to their first love at a later date. However, shouldPath of Exile 2effectively hook them, they may not go back toDiablo 4at all.
Diablo 4 Needs to Do Something Big to Avoid Being Overshadowed by Path of Exile 2
With that in mind,Diablo 4will need to do something big to avoid being overshadowed byPath of Exile 2in December 2024and beyond. Currently,Diablo 4’s next season, Season 7, is likely to launch near the end of January, which would potentially give newPath of Exile 2players over a month to decide whether they’re sticking around with it for the long haul or heading back toDiablo 4. In light of that, it might not be enough forDiablo 4to 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 forDiablo 4to do a special limited-time event in December to keep players invested.
WhatDiablo 4could do is, first of all, usePath 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 4would need to ensure there is something worthwhile that will arrive in Season 7 that could compete withPath of Exile 2.Blizzard did confirm in a recent mid-season Campfire Chatthat there would be several promotionals forDiablo 4in 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 ofDiablo 4Season 7 that Blizzard also confirmed in the Campfire Chat is that it promised to repair anybroken Spiritborn builds, which has been a huge driving force behind the popularity Vessel of Hatred and Season 6. This could work againstDiablo 4, especially if it hopes to overshadowPath of Exile 2on the longer road ahead. Hopefully for it,Diablo 4has something else up its sleeve that players might prefer overPath of Exile 2. Otherwise, there may be a major shift in the ARPG scene come December 2024.
Diablo 4
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 campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or explore an expansive end game and shared world where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle world bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play, cross-progression, and couch co-op on Xbox.This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
