What We Know About Path Of Exile 2's Patch 0.4.0 And What It Could mean For The Future

It has been almost three months since we've seen a major update for Path of Exile 2, Grinding Gear Games's early access ARPG. The Third Edict was the last major content patch back in August, which promised some real, meaningful changes to what was then considered a rather shallow selection of content. They did not disappoint - adding a new act, a new temporary epilogue in the form of three interludes, Poe2's first official League mechanic, and thirty-five new areas. That's just to name a few features. The current league, Rise of the Abyssal, will end in a few short weeks. After that, your characters and their items will be migrated to the Standard or Hardcore Early Access League.

But that's old news as we cruise towards the holidays. With the last League firmly in our rearview mirror, one can't help but wonder what's next. In a post made on November 10th, we received an updated timeline letting us know they are still on schedule and are currently planning to launch the 0.4.0 Content Update in early December. More details will be revealed through live streams "very soon". While that's not a whole lot of information to work with, at least we won't need to wait very long to find out more.

We know that patch 3.0 was a temporary fix for the current endgame. So it's a safe bet to expect another wave of major changes to how maps work in conjunction with towers at the higher levels of content. Or perhaps we should expect the removal of towers altogether, in addition to normal balancing changes to certain skills. More weapons and skill combinations are always a possibility, as well.

We can also assume we will get another League mechanic with the next patch. Rumors are that Delve, A mechanic which involves the player escorting a mine cart through twisting tunnels by lantern light in search of rare minerals as the encroaching darkness threatens to swallow you whole, is next on the menu. This would be a great fit with the story beats we hit in the Abyssal League during the last patch. It's not hard to picture us roaming through the dark monster-filled caves or mine shafts of Delve in search of vast treasures. Although due to the sheer amount of content that already exists in the original Path of Exile, the next League mechanic is anyone's guess.

One of, if not the most anticipated part, of any new content update for PoE2 is the possibility of new classes and Ascendancies being added to the mix. The first new class added to Path of Exile 2 was the Huntress, which was released on April 4, 2025, as part of the 0.2.0 "Dawn of the Hunt" update. Initially, the Druid, a powerful caster who combines the forces of the elements and the ability to shape shift into fearsome beasts and even call wildlife for aid, was also scheduled to be released. But it was pushed back due to animation work and technical challenges, which is why many think it's the best candidate for the next update.