Summary
Grinding Gear Games, the developer behind the critically acclaimed ARPGPath of Exile, officially announced thatPath of Exile 2is no longer an expansion for the original title and is considered a full-fledged sequel. Originally announced in 2019 at the ExileCon event,Path of Exile 2was touted as an expansion ofPath of Exilereplete with overhauled mechanics, a new campaign, new playable classes, a richer endgame, and much more. Three years and a lot of feedback later, Grinding Gear Games has decided to changePath of Exile 2’s course, possibly for the better.
Path of Exileis an Action RPG renowned for its rich combat, complex mechanics, and ludicrously expansive endgame systems that feed into each other. Players can create specialized builds using numerous skills, looted or crafted gear pieces, andPath of Exile’s signature passive treeto embark on various challenges, such as fighting endgame bosses or clearing swathes of enemies with one cast. At the time of its announcement,Path of Exile 2was supposed to overhaul pre-existing mechanics like linking gem slots, simplify features such as aura activation, and introduce abilities like Shapeshifting, all the while sharing the same game client with the original.
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In the official ExileCon 2023 demonstration, Grinding Gear Games announced thatPath of Exile 2is now a completely separate sequel, thanks to the ever-growing scope of the game. Throughout the presentation, Director Jonathan Rogers explains thatPath of Exile 2now boasts over six unique campaign acts, 100 bosses, 600 new monster types, 1500 passive skills, 240 active skills, 700 unique equipment types, and many other unannounced features. The game now features six new classes, each with three ascendancies alongside the pre-existing six from the original title, pushing the total number of ascendancies to 36. The previously mentioned Shapeshifting has been turned into the Druid class, as showcased in the demonstration.
The gameplay demonstration began in the ruins of the Vaal civilization that veterans are all too familiar with, which will be a part of the new campaign’s third act. The featured class for this demo was primarily the Monk, with an appearance from the Sorceress in the latter parts. Director Rogers explained thatPath of Exile 2’s playable classesare now heavily catered toward the primary attributes, with each stat having two associated classes.Path of Exile 2will feature a dodge mechanic that will generate invulnerability frames, and the previously mentioned bosses will offer permanent stat bonuses, further incentivizing players to explore the corners of maps and zones.
While the new trove of information is exciting, the developers insist on delivering a polished product instead of a rushed one.Path of Exile 2’s closed beta will begin on June 23, 2025, but those attending the upcoming Gamescom and PAX West events can try the large demos.
Path of Exile 2is currently in development and set to release around 2024 for Mac, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
