Summary
Path of Exile 2has been for a long time on many action RPG fans' wish lists after seeing the dramatically improved graphics over the original game’s as well as the fact thatPoE 2intends to introduce an incredible number of boss fights, each with unique mechanics. Given thatPath of Exilewas a smashing successon launch and grew exponentially from there, it seems natural that its sequel is going to be a huge deal for fans of the genre as a whole. WithPath of Exile 2originally dropping in early access on November 15, a delay of three weeks with the launch scheduled on December 6 has pros and cons.
As shown by many fans in the comments of the video posted byPath of Exile 2Game Director Jonathan Rogers, who announced the delay and explained the reasons for it, the ARPG will have plenty of support regardless of its release date. The reasons for the delay also speak volumes about the dedication of Grinding Gear Games, which intends to have the smoothest launch experience possible. However, these specific reasons make the delay a double-edged sword, as the experience needs to truly be polished to avoid backlash.
The Pros of Path of Exile 2’s Early Access Being Delayed
GGG’s Reasons For PoE 2’s Delay Explained
There are various key points that GGG addressed in the video announcing the delay. These are:
Given that the reasons are all tied to a polished launch with no big issues tied to accounts, microtransactions, and both new and old data, the delay makes sense. This is especially true seeing how Rogers said that GGG could maybe have managed to hit the original launch date, but the team feared that mistakes could happen.Path of Exile 2’s delay is not all bad, considering that November and December are both stacked with releases, and if anything, this puts more distance between the launch of the ARPG andDiablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion.
The Cons of Path of Exile 2’s Early Access Being Delayed
At the same time,Path of Exile 2’s early access delayexposes it to potential backlash should the launch not be as smooth as GGG wants it to be - something that has happened before withPoE. A lot ofPath of ExileLeagues had issues on launch either due to bugs or server capacity, and with how bigPath of Exile 2is set to be, it can be hard to make sure that everything works perfectly even with the delay. This could be exacerbated if some players still happen to not have all their previous cosmetics andPath of Exile 2launches alongside a bunch of new microtransactions.
One of the big reasons why this is important for GGG to nail, even more so with the delay, is that both the original game and the sequel are free-to-play, but they have Supporter Packs for players to purchase in order to help the company make the games the best they can with more resources. This also gives players microtransactions from the Supporter Packs themselves, and then in-game current to purchase even more. As such,Path of Exile 2’s early access datechange is likely a blessing, but it can just as easily turn into a curse.
Path of Exile II
WHERE TO PLAY
Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more. Play with your friends without losing any progress with couch co-op, cross-play and cross-progression.
