Path of Exile 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the Path of Exile action RPG by Grinding Gear Games, was finally opened for early access on the 6th of December 2024. The new title was initially planned to be an expansion of Path of Exile featuring a different storyline with similar endings. However, the developer eventually decided against going down that route, believing it would be best to separate them into two unique entities with distinct systems and future expansions.
Before launch, there was generally good publicity surrounding the IP, mainly because they decided to share early access keys with players who had spent more than $480 on microtransactions in the decade-old Path of Exile. Grinding Gear Games is also popular for being one of the most free-to-play friendly game developers, so naturally, it has built a dedicated fanbase. However, despite the carefully cultivated goodwill, Path of Exile 2's early access release became controversial due to several server issues that frustrated many players.
Path of Exile 2 Has a Rocky Start to Navigate, Keeping Up with the Gaming Launch Trend
Recently, more games have been launched with inadequacies of some sort. From optimization issues to stutters and texture popping, titles like Cyberpunk 2077 have experienced terrible launches but have turned them around. In Path of Exile 2’s case, the controversy behind its launch was caused by inadequate server capacity.
Over a million players bought early access keys for the Path of Exile 2 launch, and it's safe to say Grinding Gear Games didn't see such a heavy demand coming.
The developer had warned the player base to expect extended queue periods due to traffic, but it appears that was the least of their worries. Following the issue at launch, the official Path of Exile X account created a Launch Day update thread to keep players posted about the situation. The database needed upgrades to handle the number of people in the log-in queues, as the company recently switched to a new database shard system. This system operates by storing a large database in bits across many servers to allow numerous instances of user data access without overloading.
Due to this workaround, there were also instances where multiple characters had the same character ID, and players reported being lumped into parties with other random players. In addition to this "lumping", any players who tried to redeem their Steam keys to join in on the fun couldn't do so because the Path of Exile website crashed.
Despite trying for hours on end to find a solution, players still experienced random server crashes. In the end, the developer resorted to restricting player log-ins. This approach granted players access to the game in batches to monitor the backend and ensure it stayed within capacity. Scathing reviews have been composed for much less, and the messy launch sent dissatisfied gamers on a tirade on Stream, tanking Path of Exile 2's ratings.
Controversial Launch Aside, Path of Exile 2's Early Access is Making Waves
While some gamers have taken to bashing the game, others are excited about its potential offerings. Grinding Gear Games implemented a Soulslike approach in Path of Exile 2's design, and it appears - for now - that the move was a step in the right direction. According to some reviews, the game includes much better bosses than the original, equipped with incredible designs and move sets that make taking them down feel much more rewarding.
There are no difficulty options, and the maps have gotten much larger, reportedly taking about an hour to go from one side to the other. Additionally, Path of Exile 2 features a controller option for ease of accessibility - a quality-of-life upgrade that should sit well with the consuming public. Although the game still has some ways to go to solve its server issues, there seems to be a lot to be excited about going forward.
Path of Exile II
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 100%
- Released
- December 6, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Nudity, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Language, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)
- Developer(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
- Publisher(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Path of Exile 2 takes place in the land of Wraeclast, a dark continent populated by unique cultures, ancient secrets, and monstrous dangers. A sinister threat, long thought destroyed, has begun creeping back on the edge of civilisation, driving people mad and sickening the land with Corruption.
Path of Exile 2 features a brand new campaign with six acts, 100 distinct environments, 600 monsters and 100 bosses.
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.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Path of Exile
- Early Access Release
- December 6, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash, MMORPG
