Path of Exile 2 Early Access Launch Date Delayed to December by Three Weeks

After many years of anticipation, fans were finally given a glimpse of hope when a release date for the much-anticipated action RPG sequel, Path of Exile 2, was announced in August. During the Gamescom event, Grinding Gear Games confirmed that the game was set to launch on November 15. However, just weeks ahead of the planned release, the studio has announced a three-week delay, pushing the launch to December.

Initially revealed in 2019, Path of Exile 2 was meant to be a direct successor to the first game, akin to the transition from Overwatch 1 to Overwatch 2. Yet, in 2023, Grinding Gear altered their strategy, deciding to release it as a standalone title instead. Fortunately for players, most of the microtransactions from the initial game will be transferable to this sequel. This process, however, is partly responsible for the recent delay.

In a recent developer update video, Jonathan Rogers, the game director for Path of Exile 2, explained that while the game development is on target, issues are arising with the server-side systems:

“One of our primary commitments is that all your microtransactions will be valid across both Path of Exile 1 and Path of Exile 2. To achieve this, we must merge the account systems for not just Path of Exile 1 and Path of Exile 2, but also for the console versions. This required significant modifications. We are tasked with creating numerous new systems while ensuring that the legacy data remains compatible.”

The studio is actively addressing database issues to ensure that players retain access to their purchased items in Path of Exile 2.

“It’s essential that we get everything just right to ensure that no one loses access to their purchases, and that no accounts are compromised,”stated Rogers. “Simultaneously, the adjustments to our back-end code necessitate extensive load testing to ensure stability under the anticipated surge of players at launch.”

Path of Exile 2 is set to enter early access on December 6 across multiple platforms, including PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Grinding Gear Games plans to host a live stream shortly before launch to showcase the features and endgame content available in the early access version.

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