Comparison in one table
As of 16.10.2026. Diablo 4 with the Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred expansions, Path of Exile 2 in Early Access (version 0.5.5).
| Path of Exile 2 | Diablo 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Early Access now via packs from $30; free from December 11, 2026 | base game $49.99 (Steam); Lord of Hatred $39.99 (includes Vessel of Hatred); Age of Hatred Collection bundle also available |
| What else costs money | stash tabs and cosmetics; GGG: "Never Pay-To-Win" | premium season pass 1,000 Platinum (about $9.99) and cosmetics with no gameplay advantage |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic, standalone client), PS5, Xbox Series X|S | PC (Battle.net, Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 (since 15.09.2026) |
| Game Pass | not needed, the game will be free | base game yes (Premium, PC, Ultimate); expansions: not confirmed |
| Permanent internet connection | yes | yes, plus a Battle.net account |
| Crossplay and cross-progression | yes, all platforms | yes, all platforms |
| Online co-op | up to 6 players | up to 4 players |
| Couch co-op | yes, on consoles | yes, on consoles, 2 players |
| Languages | 9, voice-over English only; no Polish, Italian or Turkish | 14, full voice-over in 13 |
| Classes | 8 of 12 announced, 22 Ascendancy classes; Duelist in 1.0 | 8: five in the base game, Spiritborn (Vessel of Hatred), Paladin and Warlock (Lord of Hatred) |
| Campaign | 4 Acts and 3 Interludes, first playthrough about 20 hours or more (player estimates); six Acts in 1.0 | base game story about 26 h, each expansion about 10 h (HowLongToBeat) |
| Endgame | Atlas with maps (Waystones), Towers, Precursor Fortress, Arbiter of Divinity boss; new leagues with major updates | War Plans from Lord of Hatred: Nightmare Dungeons, The Pit, Helltides, Infernal Hordes, Lair Bosses; seasons about every 3 months |
| Trading | full: official trade site, Instant Buyout, Currency Exchange in game | direct trade in game only, no auction house; Mythic Uniques and upgraded items cannot be traded |
| Build complexity | about 1,500 passive skills (GGG figure), two passive sets, up to 5 supports per skill | skill tree reworked in Lord of Hatred, Paragon from level 60 (up to 5 boards) |
| Metacritic / OpenCritic | no Metascore (Early Access); OpenCritic 88 (reviews from December 2024) | 86 on PC (2023); Lord of Hatred 84 on PC; OpenCritic Lord of Hatred 83 |
| Steam reviews (English, Steam purchasers) | 77.7% positive of 97,903 | 73% positive of 22,220 |
| Steam players, last 30 days | average 29,249, peak 65,708 | average 26,569, peak 62,488 |
| Minimum requirements (PC) | i7-7700 / Ryzen 5 2500X, GTX 960 3 GB, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB | i5-2500K / FX-8350, GTX 660, 8 GB RAM, 90 GB on an SSD |
Player and review numbers come from Steam and SteamCharts (16.10.2026). Diablo 4 sells mostly through Battle.net, consoles and Game Pass, so Steam shows only part of its player base. PoE 2 also has its own client, Epic and console versions. Diablo 4's peak came with the start of Season 15 and a free trial week on Steam (15–21.09.2026).
Language depends on how you play. Diablo 4 has 14 languages, 13 of them fully voiced (including French, German, Italian and Polish). Path of Exile 2 has 9 languages for interface and subtitles, voice-over only in English, and no Polish, Italian or Turkish. If you don't want to play in English, this is one of the biggest differences. More: Path of Exile 2 languages.
On Xbox, online multiplayer in both games requires Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate. For Diablo 4, the PlayStation Store says PS Plus is required for online play, while Blizzard said in 2023 that no subscription is needed to play solo. Check before you buy. Whether PoE 2 on PS5 will need PS Plus after it goes free-to-play has not been confirmed.
Choose Path of Exile 2 if…
- You want to play for free. From December 11, 2026 the game costs nothing. You only pay if you want to: for stash tabs and cosmetics. To sell through asynchronous trade you need the paid Merchant's Tab (40 points, which is $4). Details: is Path of Exile 2 free.
- You love planning a character. According to GGG the passive tree has about 1,500 skills, plus two passive sets for two weapon sets, Ascendancy classes and up to 5 supports in every skill. See best class to start with.
- You want to trade. There is an official trade site with Instant Buyout and the Currency Exchange in game. How it works: trading in PoE 2.
- You play in a bigger group. Co-op for up to 6 players, with crossplay between PC and consoles.
- You are fine with a steeper learning curve. Until December 11 the game is in Early Access, and 1.0 brings a big balance patch.
Choose Diablo 4 if…
- You want to play in your own language. 13 languages are fully voiced, including French, German, Italian and Polish.
- You want a finished game with a long story. The base game and two expansions add up to about 46 hours of campaign according to HowLongToBeat.
- You play on Switch 2, PS4 or Xbox One. Path of Exile 2 is only on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- You have Game Pass. The base game is in the Premium, PC and Ultimate plans. The Xbox Store lists Lord of Hatred as a separate purchase.
- You prefer a quick start and shorter sessions. Media and players describe Diablo 4 as more approachable for new and casual players.
- Your PC is weaker. Diablo 4's minimum requirements are lower (CPU and graphics card), but it requires an SSD.
What media and players say
- Switchblade Gaming (26.05.2026, Diablo 4 with Lord of Hatred and PoE 2 0.5): Diablo 4 offers a "low barrier, fast rewards". Verdict: for most players in 2026 the practical answer is to "play both".
- Icy Veins (10.12.2024, start of PoE 2 Early Access, older article): PoE 2 is "undoubtedly more complex", while Diablo 4 is the approachable choice for casual players.
- Player on r/ARPG (May 2026): if you want long-term build depth and don't mind learning systems, PoE 2 is "probably the better investment", but one game doesn't replace the other.
- Player on r/ARPG (May 2026): Diablo 4 is better for new players because it is a full game, while PoE 2 is still in Early Access.
These are opinions, not measurements. Some of them predate changes in both games.
Calendar: what's coming
| Date | Game | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| since September 15, 2026 | Diablo 4 | Season 15 "Season of Hell's Legacy" is running (Diablo's 30th anniversary) |
| November 6–7, 2026 | Path of Exile 2 | ExileCon stream, GGG will reveal the Duelist's Ascendancy classes (keynote November 6, 1 PM PST) |
| December 11, 2026 | Path of Exile 2 | version 1.0, free-to-play, Duelist, Acts V–VI, big balance patch |
| no date | Diablo 4 | end of Season 15: Blizzard has not announced a date, GameWatcher expects mid-December |
| first half of 2027 | Diablo 4 | paid pack with the new Amazon class |
| spring 2029 | Diablo V | announced at BlizzCon 2026; Blizzard promises to keep supporting Diablo 4 afterwards |
What exactly 1.0 brings: Path of Exile 2 1.0, what's new.
Verdict
Both games are actively developed and both have crossplay and co-op. The difference is how much time and learning you want to put in.
Path of Exile 2 is for you if ARPGs are a hobby for hundreds of hours: build planning, trading and a bigger challenge. From December 11 you can try it without spending money.
Diablo 4 is for you if you want to pay once, play in your own language, enjoy a fully voiced campaign and feel progress quickly.
If you can't decide, do what Switchblade Gaming suggests: PoE 2 costs nothing from December, so you can try both.
