My hype level forPath of Exile 2is officially at its maximum. With the Early Access launch ofPOE2just a couple of weeks away—it’s set to release on June 06, 2025—I had a few concerns about the amount of content to expect in Early Access. After today’s Early Access reveal livestream, I no longer have those fears, asPOE2will launch in EA with a massive amount of end-game content, six playable classes, and much more. Let’s go over everything revealed in today’sPath of Exile 2reveal.
Leave it toPath of Exile 2game director Jonathan Rogers to quickly assure me that this isn’t some half-baked Early Access reveal. According to Jonathan, about five months ago the team realized that it would be important to make sure the game launched with plenty of end-game content. Even though the rest of the campaign, Acts 4-6, is about 80% completed, GGG made the decision to switch focus to fleshing out the end-game content available in Early Access. After all, like the originalPath of Exileand most ARPGs, the end-game is what determines the long-term success of the game.
Over the roughly 1.5-hour livestream, Jonathan detailed everything players can expect to explore when the Early Access forPath of Exile 2goes live on December 6. For the most part, everything revealed in the stream is new, so strap as we deep dive into everything that was revealed.
An increased focus on the story
WhilePath of Exilecertainly has a story, it’s somewhat barebones and more in the background compared to sayDiablo 4which puts the storyline front and throughout its campaign. InPath of Exile 2, the story is more front and center and the storytelling elements have been improved. In fact, the livestream started with a reveal of the intro cinematic forPath of Exile 2that sets the stage for the events in the sequel.
The story kicks off 20 years after the events of the originalPOE. Wraeclast has been free from corruption during that time, but the Count of Ogham is looking to harness the power of corruption, causing the dead to rise and monsters to mutate. It’s up to the player to track down the Seed of Corruption which is the source of all the madness, taking down fearsome bosses, meeting new characters, and uncovering lost civilizations along the way.
The story is definitely intriguing, especially at the end of the cinematic in which we see a corruption-tentacle-beast entrapped in a cage. I’m not sure exactly what the twisted eldritch horror is, but I want to know more. What really caught my interest though is the discovery and advanced civilization, the precursors. Several end-game gameplay elements revealed throughout the stream seem based around the precursor civilization, so I’m excited to learn more.
6 Classes now, with 6 more coming later
When Early Access launches, six of the twelve classes will be playable. According to Jonathan, the other six classes are near completion and will be added toPOE2over the course of Early Access. WithPOE2a similar league-release cadence to the original, I imagine each new league will add one or two new classes until all twelve are in the game.
Here are the six playable classes in Early Access:
Each of the classes inPath of Exile 2also has three unique Ascendancy Classes to further specialize their playstyle. At the start of Early Access, only two of the three are available for the six playable classes. But by full release, all twelve classes will have three Ascendancy Classes making there 36 total Ascendancies inPOE2. Here are the 12 Ascendance Classes at the start of Early Access:
Massive Endgame in Early Access
Now for the fun part. Over the yearsPath of Exilehas had many leagues that have added and built upon the end-game the ARPG has to offer. It’s also received several reworks and revamps to the system as a whole, which in turn has made it so there’s plenty of content to explore once you reach the end-game.
Even though the Early Access forPath of Exile 2will only have three of the six acts, Grinding Gear Games was sure to include a ton of end-game content for players to explore even during the EA period. The leveling process has been reworked specifically for the EA launch, and is now as such:
At full release, Acts 4-6 will be where players level from 45-65 before heading into the endgame. Since those acts aren’t ready, players will go through a harder version of Acts 1-3 to get from levels 45-65 with increased difficulty but also increased rewards. Then, the massive endgame begins.
The Atlas and Portal Device fromPOEreturns, but it works a little different. The Atlas itself is massive and infinite. As you progress through maps, you’ll access Waystones that increase the tier and level of monsters you will face in areas in which you use the waystone. Not all maps will have bosses, with only 1 in 4 actually having them. As such, to completely clear the map, you simply need to defeat all powerful Rare and Unique enemies that are in it. Completing the map will allow you to push further through the map into the next area.
However, if you die, the map can no longer be run and will be blocked off, forcing you to find another way around the map. As you progress through the Atlas, you’ll encounter plenty types of end-game content including some returning from the originalPOEand some brand new toPOE 2. There are seven distinct systems for endgame at the start, with more coming over the course of Early Access. Each of the types of content have their own unique Atlas Passive Tree that you can progress through, increasing your potential difficulty and rewards of completing that type of content.
Here are all the endgame content types coming at Early Access launch inPath of Exile 2:
Alongside the return of these classicPOEmechanics, there are also some new types of content in the endgame forPOE2including the Trial of Sekhemas which allows you to push further into the trial in the end game, acquiring Relics and pushing even further in. The Trial of Chaos also extends into the end-game resulting in an encounter with the Trial master. If that’s not enough, you can also come across a Fortress with a pillar of flame and ash on your atlas that is ancient in origin and home to the ultimate pinnacle boss. Each of the factions vying for power in Wraeclast has their own Uber Act Boss that can be encountered after defeating two of their lieutenants. Once you defeat all the Uber Act Bosses, you will gain access to this fortress and the pinnacle end-game boss ofPOE2Early Access.
Bigger than most full releases
Even though it’s technically an Early Access, the massive amount of content inPath of Exile 2is quite staggering. Most full-release games don’t have this much content. While GGG estimates a first-time run through Acts 1-3 to take about 25 hours, Cruel Mode and then all the end-game content can take hundreds of hours for someone to play through it all and reach the pinnacle end-game boss that awaits.
I’m happy to see thatPath of Exile 2isn’t just launching as a big demo for what the reworked ARPG has to offer, but as a full-fledged game with a trove of content. I can’t wait to jump in when Early Access forPath of Exile 2begins on December 6. Those interested in checking it out can pickup a Early Access supporter pack for as low as $30 to jump into the EA release when it begins.
