The hack-and-slash action RPG 'Last Epoch' is currently facing a massive backlash from its community after announcing a paid class, a move that flies directly in the face of previous promises.

Developed by Eleventh Hour Games, Last Epoch entered early access in 2019 before its official launch last February. Arriving when 'Diablo 4' was faltering and before the arrival of 'Path of Exile 2', the title enjoyed a spotlight for its developer's commitment to transparency, especially whenever its competitors stumbled.

However, the mood has soured. Since late November, the game has been hit with a wave of negative feedback. Its recent Steam rating has plummeted to 'Mostly Negative' (26% positive), with reviews since November 25th sitting at 'Overwhelmingly Negative' (18% positive).

The turmoil stems from an update roadmap unveiled on the 25th. The developers previously swore that no content beyond cosmetic items—such as expansions—would ever be sold for a fee. Yet, they have now revealed that while the Season 4 expansion will be free, the new 'Paradox' class will be a paid addition, built upon a system that fundamentally differs from the base game.

The community is, quite frankly, fuming. Players are firing back with comments like: "They haven't even fixed the broken campaign, bugs, or tooltip errors, so why should we trust them now?", "A paid class will inevitably be overpowered, which spells disaster for the meta," and "I'm off to play Path of Exile 2."

Some argue this was an inevitable shift. Eleventh Hour Games CEO Judd Cobler mentioned back in July that the studio had grown to over 100 employees, with plans for further hiring. Keeping a live-service game afloat of that size while offering every expansion for free is, to put it mildly, an economic fantasy. Many analysts suggest the studio's acquisition by Krafton in July was fueled by these very financial pressures.