Path of Exile 2 will go free-to-play for the first time from August 29 to September 1, coinciding with the launch of The Third Edict, the game’s second-ever league season. Released in December 2024, Path of Exile 2 had a massively successful launch, amassing over 570,000 players on the first day of release. Since then, however, its player base has been steadily declining, a trend that was only worsened after the game’s first league, Dawn of the Hunt. With Version 0.3, it looks like Grinding Gear Games is pulling out all the stops to try and stem the bleeding, as evidenced by the free weekend.
Unlike its predecessor, Path of Exile 2 requires players to buy a supporter pack to gain access to the game’s content. Only those who previously bought a top-tier pack for Path of Exile 1 or have spent $480 in lifetime purchases receive automatic access. While Path of Exile 2 will eventually adopt the same free-to-play model as PoE 1, Grinding Gear Games has explained that the current paywall helps fund development costs and filters out players who are only casually interested in the title.
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Path of Exile 2 Free Weekend Dates
- August 29 at 1 PM PDT - September 1 at 1 PM PDT
Alongside the recent content reveal for Path of Exile 2’s upcoming league, The Third Edict, GGG announced a free weekend for Path of Exile 2, running from August 29 (1 PM PDT) to September 1 (1 PM PDT) on PC and consoles, giving all interested parties a chance to try the game. During this window, all players will have unrestricted access to the full game, including the new exclusive content coming in The Third Edict. Progress made during the free-to-play window will be saved to the players’ accounts, so if they do decide to purchase the full game when the time trial ends, their characters, gear, and currency will carry over.
Notably, the free trial has no limits on leveling or progression, making it possible for players to even access endgame content if their progression speed is fast enough. However, Path of Exile 2’s campaign is lengthy, to say nothing of the hundreds of hours worth of content available in the Atlas of Worlds. Players sampling the game over the weekend will only get a taste of what the full Path of Exile 2 experience has to offer.
August 29 will mark the very first time Path of Exile 2 will go free-to-play, as the supporter pack requirement has never been waived in the past. For those interested, this is the best time to check out what the sequel has to offer without committing to a supporter pack. With Version 0.3, The Third Edict, GGG is overhauling the campaign, improving Path of Exile 2’s endgame, buffing all classes, introducing new ascendancies, adding dozens of new items, and reworking controversial mechanics.
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
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash, MMORPG
