Editor’s Note: A lawsuit has been filed against Activision Blizzard, makers of Diablo 4, by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleges the company has engaged in abuse, discrimination, and retaliation against its female employees. Activision Blizzard has denied the allegations. The full details of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit (content warning: rape, suicide, abuse, harassment) are being updated as new information becomes available.

Unfortunately for fans of dungeon crawlers, neither Diablo 4 nor Path of Exile 2 will arrive this year, with both games expected to have a 2023 or 2024 release window. As the two games will undoubtedly compete with one another, anticipation around their release dates is high. The fourth game in the Diablo series, Diablo 4 is an upcoming dungeon crawler RPG developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Diablo 3, the last installment in the franchise, is one of the best-selling video games of all time, with over 30 million copies sold. Upon release, Path of Exile was criticized by some for not having Diablo 3's polish (despite Diablo 3's problematic state at release), but the free-to-play indie game built a substantial following that continues to draw in new players thanks to continual DLC additions and updates to the game's systems and visuals.

Diablo 4 was first announced at BlizzCon 2019, Blizzard Entertainment's annual convention to promote its titles. Although a release date has yet to be announced, the developers have confirmed that Diablo 4 won't arrive in 2022 despite marking the tenth anniversary of the release of Diablo 3. A few months after the announcement of Diablo 4 at BlizzCon, Grinding Gear Games announced Path of Exile 2 during Exilecon, Path of Exile's dedicated convention. Path of Exile 2 is less of a sequel to the ever-evolving Path of Exile but rather a new campaign available alongside the original storyline, sharing the same game client and endgame system. Path of Exile 2's beta was originally expected to arrive in late 2020, however, this was delayed due to the COVID pandemic.

Related: Every Game Xbox & Its Acquired Studios Is Working On

In a podcast last year, Grinding Gear Games' Chris Wilson advised Path of Exile 2 is expected to be released before 2024, with a public beta taking place within the next year or two. Nearly a year has passed since the podcast with no further updates, so it seems like Path of Exile fans may be waiting closer to the two-year mark for the beta alone. If the public beta doesn't start until 2023, but the developers are aiming to release Path of Exile 2 before 2024, the game's release window can't be sooner than late 2023.

Diablo 4 May Be Released Before Path Of Exile 2

Will Diablo 4 Release Before Path Of Exile 2 Gameplay

Diablo 4 isn't coming in 2022, but a 2023 release is likely as the Diablo franchise has historically released its games three to four years after their initial announcement. However, the COVID pandemic has had an unparalleled impact on video games, causing production-related delays throughout the gaming industry. The game's development has also been impacted by the ongoing lawsuits against Activision Blizzard and the consequent staff turnover, including the departures of Diablo 4's director Luis Barriga and lead designer Jesse McCree. While it seems like Diablo 4 will arrive before Path of Exile 2, and possibly before the Path of Exile 2 beta, the latest installment of the Diablo series comes at an unprecedented time which could result in longer than expected delays.

As Path of Exile 2 has confirmed a public beta ahead of the game's launch, the release date of which has yet to be announced, it's likely fans of dungeon-crawlers can expect to get their hands on Diablo 4 before the final version of Path of Exile 2. While further delays for either game aren't out of the question, hopefully fans of dungeon-crawler RPGs will soon have the Path of Exile 2 beta to keep them entertained while they await the final releases of these two heavyweights.

Next: Dark Fantasy RPGs To Play While Waiting For Elden Ring & Diablo 4

Source: Tarke Cat/YouTube