With the upcoming early access launch of Path of Exile 2 ahead, the developers are currently doing their round of interviews to answer burning questions from media representatives and players. MeinMMO summarizes the most exciting insights for you.
When does Path of Exile 2 launch? The release of Path of Exile 2 in early access is set for December 6, 2024, at 8:00 PM. According to Game Director Jonathan Rogers, the game will remain in early access until at least May 2025, although the final testing phase is not expected to last beyond 2025.
Path of Exile 2 will be available on Steam, via the Epic Games Store, the in-house PC client, PS5, and Xbox. Initially, only supporters who have purchased a package for at least €30 will be allowed to play. Alternatively, you must have purchased a top-tier supporter pack at some point or invested approximately 454 euros or more in the predecessor Path of Exile over the entire game duration.
Or you may be lucky enough to obtain access for early access through a key giveaway. Once the game is officially released, it will be available for free to all interested parties. Here to set the mood is official gameplay footage from the early access version:
Fresh insights into Path of Exile 2
What have the developers revealed? The team behind the hack & slash adventure has recently participated in several interviews covering all areas of Path of Exile 2. A particularly fruitful Q&A session for the Korean audience was organized by Publisher Kakao Games (via YouTube and Reddit).
- There will be several elements from Path of Exile that you will also find in Path of Exile 2. The hub Kingsmarch is expected to be one example. The currency item Mirror of Kalandra will also make a comeback.
- Uniques are intended to attract players to the important endgame content and offer exciting synergies with the new skills. Some unique items from PoE1 are expected to make a comeback in an adapted form.
- Players of the early access version can expect regular updates. The team will only take a break during the Christmas season.
- The base of the new crafting system is intended to be simple and accessible but will expand over time – for example, through the leagues of PoE2.
- As a whole team is working on the controller controls for PoE2, the action RPG should be much more controllable with the controller than its predecessor.
- For the final launch, all cosmetic items from PoE1 will work in PoE2 as well. At the early access launch, there will be cosmetics for which this is not the case yet. The new cosmetics from PoE2 can be tried on in the shop before purchase.
- Cosmetic items in PoE2 will also affect demon and animal forms.
- The team is removing mid-season updates from PoE1 in PoE2, allowing for larger content patches to be released every three months instead.
- You can experience PoE2 from the beginning alone or with up to six players. Reviving teammates will be possible, but only until the endgame.
- Players who die will continue to face a penalty. Whether this will again consist of an XP loss is still unclear. What is clear is that the penalty will not be active during the campaign and in early endgame (via Reddit).
- For mastering endgame bosses and maps, you will only have one attempt each time. Only the best of the best should be able to conquer the toughest content.
- Many bosses will be easier to fight in melee combat, as they will use different abilities when you are at a distance.
- The developers find it important that all players have the same starting conditions at the start of a league. Therefore, you will have to play through all acts again.
On the website mmorpg.org.pl, you will find a few more info nuggets from other interviews. The developers confirmed that the early access characters will not be removed at the final launch. Instead, they will transition into the permanent early access league.
The new loot filter is expected to land on the servers a few weeks after the early access launch. During the early access phase, you can also expect the two classes Druid and Huntress. The last four classes are expected to come only at launch. It is also planned that PoE2 will have a Solo-Self-Found but no Ruthless mode. More about the contents of the early access version: Path of Exile 2 reveals the details of the game – These contents await you on Steam, PS5, and Xbox
