Path of Exile 2 Went Standalone to Avoid “Destroying a Game That People Love” – Director

Grinding Gear Games dropped several new details for Path of Exile 2, the follow-up to its popular free-to-play action RPG looter. It was meant to be an update, with a new campaign and Ascendancies leading to the same endgame. However, Path of Exile 2 is now its own game with unique balance changes, endgame and more.

Game director Jonathan Rogers at ExileCon (transcription via PC Gamer) said the sequel began as a means to update old character models that led to other projects like fixing Skill Gems. Eventually, the team decided to make a new game.

“We realized that our plan to replace PoE 1 with PoE 2 would essentially be destroying a game that people love for no reason, so we made a decision. Path of Exile 1 and 2 will be separate, with their own mechanics, balance, endgame, and leagues.”

Players can expect six new classes – Sorceress and Monk are present in the Act 3 walkthrough. There’s also the Huntress, Mercenary, Warrior and Druid. Each has three Ascendancies, all brand new. New Skills like shapeshifting into wolves, cats and bears, the ability to socket Gems within Gems, and new weapons like Spears and Crossbows are also coming. Though unveiled as a seven Act campaign, the developer confirmed it’s now six Acts.

The endgame still focuses on maps, and players can dodge-roll (with dodge-cancelling added as a mechanic). Gold is being introduced as a new currency, but crafting is undergoing major changes – no more Crafting Bench, for instance. Finally, Leagues for both Path of Exile 1 and 2 will happen concurrently every three months.

So you can finish one League and jump into the other with six weeks remaining. Cosmetics purchased are usable in both titles unless it’s exclusive content like Werebear skins for Path of Exile 2.

Path of Exile 2 enters closed beta testing on June 7th, 2024.