Last Epoch will give the Orobyss expansion for free to players who already own the game. But many players are angry because the game will also include a paid DLC class.
Last Epoch has found a strange position in the world of action RPGs. It stands between two giant games. One is Diablo 4. The other is Path of Exile 2. Both of these games are huge names. Both have large fan bases. Both have long histories. Few expected Last Epoch to compete with them. Yet here it is placed in the middle almost like it belongs there. Eleventh Hour Games made a game that many players enjoy. Some say it has become a rival to the big names. It has completely captivated many players. Some players who were once focused on Diablo or Path of Exile have moved away from them and turned their attention to Last Epoch. They talk about it like that well known meme where one person turns his head away from the old and suddenly looks at something new. The charm of Last Epoch comes from its blend of two styles. It has Diablo style simplicity and accessibility. It has Path of Exile style depth and build freedom. It mixes the best parts of both styles. This combination makes the game feel unique and fresh. Many players believe that it has the potential to stay around for many years.
Now we will begin with the good news. According to a new post from the CEO of Eleventh Hour Games named Judd Cobler the expansion called Last Epoch Orobyss will be free for all players who already own the game when it arrives in the year 2026. This includes everyone who has purchased the game before the expansion goes live. The expansion will come after Season 4 and Season 5. Seasons in Last Epoch normally last around four months. So most people expect the expansion to arrive sometime around late August or early September of 2026. This is not an exact promise but it is a reasonable guess based on how seasons have worked so far. There is also more detail for people who will buy the game later. Players who join the game after the expansion has launched will need to buy an updated bundle which will include the expansion as part of the base game. We still do not know a lot about the upcoming seasons. Cobler did not give many deep details. He only said that Season 4 will begin in early 2026. Season 4 will introduce a new seasonal mechanic plus several updates that players have been asking for. These updates are expected to help the quality of life in the game and fix systems that people find annoying. It sounds like a solid plan.
However there is one part of the announcement that truly upset players. It is the reveal that the first version of a new paid class system called Paradox Classes will be included with the Orobyss expansion. A Paradox Class is described as a completely new playable class. It is not a small subclass. It is not a cosmetic add on. It is a full class built on special systems that function differently from all other classes in the game. According to Cobler these classes will allow the studio to experiment in new ways. They want to try designs they could not do with normal classes. They want to take risks and push gameplay in new directions. They believe new systems may create new fun experiences.
Cobler had already talked about why the studio would need paid content. In a blog post from October 3 he explained the financial situation. He said that the first three seasons of Last Epoch did not make enough money. They were not profitable. The studio had to spend more time and more money on development than they expected. The team also grew larger. Game development costs increased. The cosmetic shop sales were not strong enough to cover the full cost of development. The original dream of never charging for content became harder to maintain. Cobler said that in the early days the team was small. They met on Reddit. They wanted to keep everything free except cosmetics. They wanted fairness. They wanted trust. But that dream could not cover reality. They now had to consider other revenue streams if they wanted to continue developing the game for the future.
The news shocked many players. Some fans understood that development is expensive. However many could not accept the idea that entire classes would be locked behind payment. They said that this feels wrong. The concern is not only about money. It is also about balance. Nobody knows how strong Paradox Classes will be compared to normal ones. The fear is that paid classes could become very powerful. If they become too strong players might feel forced to buy them. We have already seen examples in other games. In the game Warhammer 40k Darktide paid classes turned the balance upside down. Many players pointed at that incident. They said this could be the same thing. They said this could ruin the game if the developer is not careful. It is a slippery slope that the studio must navigate wisely. Some players said they are willing to wait and see. They said maybe it will be fine. But many others already started attacking the studio online. Some said they will not support the game anymore. Others said they feel betrayed. One player wrote Paid classes. Gross. RIP Last Epoch. They posted it under Cobler’s newest announcement. Another person on Reddit said Lol paid classes. Of course they will be overpowered to boost sales. That is sarcastic. It shows no trust. It shows bitterness.
Meanwhile Steam reviews have started to change in a visible way. Many negative reviews have appeared since the news was revealed. The game used to have very strong reviews. For a long time Last Epoch was shown as Mostly Positive. Now its recent reviews are listed as Mixed. This change matters because it shows that many players are leaving bad feedback. They want others to see their frustration. They want to warn new buyers. They want the developer to feel pressure. This is not a small thing. When Steam ratings fall it can affect sales. It can affect perception. It can affect long term community support.
There are also other problems the studio must deal with. Eleventh Hour Games was purchased earlier this year by Krafton. Krafton is a large company. It is known for PUBG. When news of the acquisition first came out many fans became worried. They feared the game would become more monetized and more business focused. They wondered if the new owner would force aggressive money making strategies. Things became worse when Krafton made comments about becoming an AI first company. Many players reacted badly to that. They said this change is terrible. They said they do not want AI to design games. They said they do not want AI to take jobs. They said they do not want AI involved in decisions. Many players became nervous. They thought that Last Epoch would be transformed. They worried the studio that once cared about players would lose control.
Cobler responded to these fears. In the most recent update he said that the development approach will not change. He said the game will still be built the same as it has always been. He said the team will continue using a hands on design style. He said they will focus on the player experience. He said Krafton will not push AI into their work. He tried to calm the players. He tried to assure them that nothing will be forced on them. He said Last Epoch will remain the game they want to build. It was an attempt to restore trust.
Even with all this the controversy about paid classes remains the biggest topic. Many players believe that if cosmetics do not make enough money there are other ways to earn revenue. They say you could sell expansions. You could sell battle passes. You could sell skins. But you should not sell classes. They say classes are part of the core game. They say every player should have equal access. They say locking them behind money breaks the spirit of the game. They say it divides the community into those who pay and those who cannot. They say it makes rich players stronger and poor players weaker.
The studio faces a hard choice. Development is expensive. Teams grow larger. Salaries must be paid. Tools must be purchased. Servers must be maintained. New features must be created. If the studio earns little money it must find a solution. Some fans understand this. They say the studio must survive. They say it cannot build the game for free forever. They say players need to be realistic. They say the team needs support. But even these supportive fans often say the plan for Paradox Classes is risky. They say this method could damage the game more than it helps. They say there is danger in selling core features.
At the end of the day we should be glad that the studio has not rushed into other worrying paths. They have not replaced the team with AI. They have not abandoned development. They have not stopped updates. They are still trying to push forward. But the road ahead is uncertain. Paradox Classes might be the wrong step. They might split the fan base. They might cause long term problems. If cosmetics do not make enough money something had to change. But many players believe that this is not the answer. They worry that this decision will harm Last Epoch instead of saving it. They worry that trust once broken will not return. They worry that the game they love will become something different.
Only time will tell if the studio makes the right choice. The expansion Orobyss will arrive. Seasons will move forward. Paradox Classes will launch. Players will test them. Players will talk about them. The future will unfold slowly. If the new classes are fair and balanced maybe players will accept them. If they are not the backlash will grow. The studio will either win respect or lose it. In the end the community is watching. The players hope for good decisions. The studio needs money. The game needs long term support. The world of Last Epoch moves toward an uncertain tomorrow.
0 Comments