Grinding Gear Games has confirmed that Path of Exile 2 will leave Early Access and launch as a free-to-play game on December 11 (PST). Revealed during the ExileCon 2026 keynote in Auckland, New Zealand, Version 1.0 completes the campaign with Acts 5 and 6, adds new playable classes, reworks the endgame, and opens the Conquerors of Wraeclast challenge league.
Quick Facts
- Developer: Grinding Gear Games
- Game: Path of Exile 2, a free-to-play action RPG
- Launch: Version 1.0 on December 11 (PST), exiting Early Access
- Headline additions: Acts 5 and 6, new classes, and the Conquerors of Wraeclast league
- More info: the official Path of Exile 2 site hosts the full announcement
Acts 5 and 6 close out the six act campaign
Version 1.0 finishes the core storyline with two full campaign acts set across 24 new zones. Players will face 18 unique multi-phase bosses plus more than 20 specialized rare monster encounters as the narrative moves toward its conclusion. Act 5 sends players into the devastated city of Oriath to stop the Twilight Order and The Beast, pushing through ruined slums, temple districts, and grand arenas that demand careful positioning and crowd control.
The two-act finale gives the campaign a defined shape after nearly two years of Early Access roadmaps. Grinding Gear Games has kept most Act 6 specifics under wraps ahead of launch, so players heading in on day one will meet fresh zones and boss mechanics with no established farming routes. That blind race atmosphere is part of what makes a full action RPG launch exciting, a lineage that stretches from genre classics to modern fan projects rebuilding the 1996 Diablo in first person 3D.
Conquerors of Wraeclast adds troop command and strongholds
The launch challenge league, Conquerors of Wraeclast, layers a tactical command system over the campaign and endgame. Players recruit defected mercenaries under the leader Varek, spending gold and battle supplies to field unit archetypes such as front-line shield bearers that counter specific enemy formations. More than 70 points of interest and 23 standalone tactical battles feed into the campaign, and victories pay out unique crafting materials that allow targeted modifier re-rolls on gear.
The league extends into the endgame with personal strongholds built in Ezomyte, Maraketh, or Karui architectural styles. Up to three Commanders can be assigned to automate Atlas map clears, and regional play centers on 100 contested strongholds that groups can fight to control. For players who enjoy planning around other people as much as around monsters, this is the deepest meta layer the sequel has offered so far.
Items, passives, and the Atlas get a full rework
Version 1.0 touches nearly every progression system. More than 110 unique items have been added or overhauled alongside 200 base item types, which should shake up trade values and build guides in the opening weeks. The passive skill tree relocates roughly 60 jewel sockets directly into individual passive clusters, cutting down on long treks across the board for jewel hungry builds.
The endgame Atlas tree has been streamlined down to 70 high-impact nodes supported by 25 new endgame maps. Fewer but weightier choices should make Atlas planning more readable for returning players and less punishing for newcomers mapping their first stones. Combined with the targeted re-roll materials from the league mechanic, build crafters get both a cleaner canvas and finer brushes.
Performance gains and the post launch roadmap
Engine work brings a 25 percent CPU performance gain over recent builds while trimming the data footprint by more than 30 GB before 40 GB of new launch assets land. Smoother frame rates in dense ritual and breach style encounters would be welcome, since large monster packs have historically been the sternest test of any Path of Exile client. Players on older hardware should still check the final system requirements before downloading the full client.
Game Director Jonathan Rogers confirmed that 10 of the planned 12 classes will be available at launch. The remaining two classes arrive in post-launch updates, alongside full microtransaction transfers from the original game for longtime supporters. Public anticipation is already running hot well beyond Wraeclast, from the packed ExileCon keynote crowd to an actor publicly clearing his schedule for Path of Exile 2. Players who want the client ready on day one can head to the Path of Exile 2 Steam page to prepare ahead of the December 11 rollout.
When does Path of Exile 2 Version 1.0 launch?
Version 1.0 launches on December 11 (PST) as a free-to-play title, exiting Early Access. The date was announced during the ExileCon 2026 keynote in Auckland.
Is Path of Exile 2 free to play?
Yes. Path of Exile 2 launches as a free-to-play game on December 11, following the same model as the original Path of Exile with optional microtransactions.
What is the Conquerors of Wraeclast league?
It is the launch challenge league for Version 1.0. Players recruit mercenaries under Varek, fight tactical battles for crafting materials, and build strongholds that can automate Atlas map clears.
How many classes will be available at launch?
Ten of the planned 12 classes will be playable at launch. Game Director Jonathan Rogers confirmed the final two classes will arrive in post-launch updates.
Will microtransactions transfer from the original Path of Exile?
Full microtransaction transfers from the first game are planned but will arrive in post-launch updates rather than on day one, according to Grinding Gear Games.
Please note that when you make a purchase through our links at GameHaunt, we might earn a small commission. This helps us keep bringing you the free journalism you love on our site! And don't worry, our editorial content remains totally unbiased. If you'd like to show some support, you can do so here.
