UPDATE: 2025-07-18 15:01 EST BY KYLE GRATTON
Path of Exile 2 Early Access Release Delayed
According to the officialPath of ExileX (formerly Twitter) accound,PoE 2’s early access launch has been delayed to August 14, 2025, three weeks later than its original date. The relevant information below has been amended.
Almost five years after it was initially announced,Path of Exile 2finally has an Early Access release date. Originally planned as something more like an expansion to the first game,Path of Exile2has since had its scope increased, with Grinding Gear Games now developing it as an entirely separate game from the originalPath of Exile. Despite the change in plans, though, the sequel is still promising familiar gameplay, but with the welcome addition of new classes and story, as well as expanded systems for character builds, equipment, and endgame.
From the time of its initial release in 2013, the originalPath of Exilehas received several expansions, each one adding new build options and content, resulting in a game that’s significantly larger than its original version. In contrast to the many expansions of the original game, though,Path of Exile 2seems to have a greater interest in revamping some of the existing systems, making significant improvements to the game’s feel and creating a better base to build on when the sequel eventually receives its own expanded content after launch.
A Single Path Of Exile 2 Feature Confirmed Its The Diablo 4 Killer
There’s one announced feature in PoE 2 that might put the final nail in the coffin for the biggest ARPG franchise ever, and people should take notice.
When Path Of Exile 2 Releases In Early Access
Path Of Exile 2 Goes Into Early Access On July 05, 2025
As was revealed in a new trailer shown at Gamescom 2024 Opening Night Live,Path of Exile 2will be released in Early Access on July 21, 2025, with a full release to come at a later, currently unspecified date. As of right now, it’s unknown exactly how accessible the Early Access release will be for the general playerbase. The most likely scenario is that it won’t be completely open, but instead follow a system similar to previousPOEbetas, where players receive access either through private invites sent out in waves, or through spending money on supporter packs.
As an Early Access release,Path of Exile 2also won’t have all of its content ready and available on December 6. While it isn’t fully clear how much content will be included, impressions from developer statements and previews suggest that the Early Access release will include all six acts of the game’s main story, but may be missing some or all of its endgame content, any sort of seasonal content, and possibly even some playable classes. Over the course of the Early Access period, missing content will be added, and player feedback will be taken into account.
Which Classes Are In Path Of Exile 2
POE2 Has 12 Base Classes, Including (Almost) Every Class From The First Game
Gameplay-wise,Path of Exile 2offers twelve different character classes- of these, Warrior, Ranger, Huntress, Sorceress, Mercenary, Monk, Druid, and Witch have been officially revealed, and the remaining four are assumed to be Marauder, Shadow, Templar, and Duelist, returning options from the originalPath of Exile’s classes list(though some unconfirmed details have Duelist potentially being replaced with or renamed to Gladiator). Not returning from the first game, however, is Scion, the original game’s seventh class, although there is some chance that the class could be reintroduced post-launch.
The Scion class wasn’t originally present in the initial beta test forPath of Exile, having only been added in the game’s full 1.0 release, so although nothing regarding a 13th class forPath of Exile 2has been announced, a Scion class, or another class like it, could be added to the game closer to its full release.
Like in the first game,classes inPath of Exile 2will be based around the game’s three main stats - Strength, Intelligence, and Dexterity- with characters either being based around a single stat or a combination of two stats. With twelve classes, that means thatPOE2will include two character classes for each stat and each possible combination of two stats (but not all three), greatly expanding on the character options offered by the first game. Ascendancy classes will also return from the original game, with three available per base class for a total of 36.
Path Of Exile 2’s Biggest Changes From The First Game
POE2 Is Making Major Revisions To Several Systems From The Original Game
Aside from classes,Path of Exile 2will also include several major systemic changes from the first game, exceeding the scope of an expansion.Included in these overarching system changes is the ability for players to dodge roll, giving them extra options for avoiding damage and canceling animations, and a new resource called Spirit, which will be Reserved in place of Mana for persistent effects like buffs and auras, keeping permanent minions on the field, and making use of Triggering effects on gems.
In terms of gear and equipment,POE2is also making major changes in terms of Skill Gems and weapons, asSupport Gems are now socketed into the Skill Gemsthemselves as opposed to having to be socketed in connected slots, freeing up space for more Skills and allowing players to more easily six-link their Skills. On the weapons side,Path of Exile 2is adding four new weapons types- Spears, Crossbows, Traps, and Flails, with Crossbows uniquely coming in three variations (Burst, Rapid, and Power), each with different properties.
Finally, the sequel is making a major change to the Skill Tree as well, in the form ofDual Specialization, a system that allows players to allocate points between two different setupsthat automatically swap when the player changes weapon sets or uses certain skills. For example, a player might invest points in one weapon type in their first setup, and a different type in their second, with the result being that switching between those two weapon types in their weapon sets would give them the appropriate Skill Tree setup to match each weapon.
Many other changes are coming toPath of Exile 2, most of which have the goal of improving the original’s gameplay while preserving its complexity and depth. In the time since the launch of the original game,Path of Exilehas become one of the premier games in the ARPG genre, gaining success to rival even the likes ofBlizzard’sDiablo. WithPath of Exile 2making a number of promising changes and overhauling some of the first game’s outdated features, it’s hopeful that the sequel will be a true evolution of what the first game had to offer.
Sources:Path of Exile/YouTube,Path of Exile/X
Path of Exile II
The expansion follow-up/sequel to the original action RPG, Path of Exile 2 starts a brand new campaign storyline where players will choose from several different classes as they battle against the corruption that envelops Wraeclast.
