Path of Exile 2 has entered Early Access with a bang, but Grinding Gear Games (GGG) admits there's still a lot of work to be done before the game reaches full release. Here's a detailed look at where GGG has been, where they're focusing now, and what to expect in the future, based on recent announcements and community feedback.
Current state and achievements
Launch Scale: An unprecedentedly large launch for the game, exceeding expectations.
Patches and Hotfixes: Since launch, GGG has released eight patches and 31 hotfixes to address issues ranging from bug fixes to balance changes.
Key areas of focus
Quality of Life (QoL) Improvements
GGG is committed to improving the player experience with better checkpoint systems, skill replacement costs, and reducing instances where players get stuck. These QoL updates will help keep players engaged during long grinds.
Mapping and Endgame Experience
Endgame Testing: Players are essentially beta testers for the endgame, providing valuable feedback as the endgame was one of the last elements to be developed.
Improvements: There have been increases in rare monster rewards, adjustments to map difficulty, and the addition of more bosses and variety in map layouts.
Itemisation
Existing unique items have been buffed, but there's a push for more "build defining" uniques to give players more build variety and creativity.
Balance Issues
Addressing both overpowered and underpowered skills and builds. GGG has noted the community's resistance to nerfs, especially in Early Access, leading to a strategy of saving major balance changes for major updates.
Crash and performance fixes
Significant efforts are being made to address crashes, particularly those related to the Windows 11 24H2 update and NVIDIA driver issues. We're working with Microsoft and NVIDIA on long-term solutions.
Big problems to solve
Skill and build variety: There's an acknowledged lack of variety in viable build options, with certain combinations such as Herald of Ice and Thunder dominating the screen clear.
In-Game Progression: The current system lacks clear progression milestones, unlike Path of Exile 1 where quests and boss fights marked progression. This leads to a feeling of linear progression without any significant 'stopping points'.
Endgame content: The endgame needs more engaging content and "cool things to find" to keep players interested beyond the initial grind.
Future updates
Patch 0.2.0: Expected to address these major issues, possibly introducing:
A "lure" or new content to reignite player interest.
New classes, weapons or a league mechanic.
Significant skill rebalancing to introduce more build diversity.
Timeline: GGG are aiming for major content updates every few months, suggesting that we could see something substantial around mid-February 2025, in line with their plan to keep the game fresh and engaging.
Thank you for reading
Path of Exile 2 is on a promising trajectory, with GGG actively listening to player feedback and working on critical areas such as balance, progression and content variety. As we approach the next major update, players can look forward to an enhanced endgame experience, new ways to play, and possibly new reasons to dive back into Wraeclast.
May your adventures in Path of Exile 2 be filled with excitement, challenge and rewarding loot as the game continues to evolve.
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