Anticipated Release Timeline for Exiting Early Access of 'Path of Exile 2'
Path of Exile 2 is an engaging experience, drawing in a massive crowd of over a hundred thousand active players nightly on PC. However, it's essential to note that the game is still heavily in development, and players may be curious about when it will emerge from its Early Access phase.
While some titles can linger in Early Access for years, Path of Exile 2 seems less likely to follow suit. We have two noteworthy pieces of information to help us estimate a timeline.
- Way back, approximately two generations ago, the initial beta phase of Path of Exile ran from August 2011 to October 2013, a duration of more than two years.
- The game's official FAQ, released alongside the Early Access launch, stated a minimum of six months before leaving Early Access. They also suggested completion by the end of 2025, meaning a timeframe considerably shorter than the initial game's duration. If the 2025 date holds, it would mean at least 13 months remaining, with an exit by May 2025 at the latest.
Throughout Early Access, expect adjustments and updates to the game, alongside significant content additions. Grinding Gear Games aims to expand the game by roughly doubling its size, incorporating elements such as additional Acts, six new classes with Ascendancies, and numerous new skills, gems, and items, which are currently absent from the game.
Regarding character wipes during Early Access, the developers have clarified that there won't be any. However, when the game officially launches, your character will be transferred to a separate "league," giving you a head start when you eventually start anew with the fully-released game. Most players may not have issues commencing another adventure six to twelve months later.
Path of Exile 2 is a formidable rival to Blizzard's Diablo 4, one of their remaining prominent ongoing projects outside of World of Warcraft and Overwatch. In Early Access, it demonstrates impressive numbers, and upon its launch, it will remain free-to-play, unlike Diablo 4. Diablo 4 is planning to continue with ongoing seasons, as well as potential annual expansion packs, such as the recently released Vessel of Hatred. It's interesting to wonder if they're considering changes in response to Path of Exile 2's growing popularity, while perhaps maintaining its more "casual" alternative appeal to the Diablo 2 throwback. We shall see.
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Given the historical duration of Path of Exile's initial beta phase and the stated minimum timeline for leaving Early Access, fans might anticipate an early access date for Path of Exile 2 to fall somewhere between late 2023 and mid-2024, potentially even exiting early access by May 2025.
Since Path of Exile 2's Early Access phase won't include character wipes, players can look forward to progressing without losing their characters when the game officially transitions out of Early Access.
