'I'm Really Sorry for How This Went Down' — Work on Path of Exile 1 3.26 on Hold Until Path of Exile 2 0.2.0 Has Shipped, Dev Says

Grinding Gear Games (GGG), the developers behind the beloved action RPG series Path of Exile, have issued an apology to fans of the original game. The studio had initially committed to ongoing updates for Path of Exile 1, which has been captivating gamers for over a decade, even after the launch of Path of Exile 2. However, the much-anticipated 3.26 update for Path of Exile 1, initially slated for a late October release and later postponed to mid-February, has been delayed further. This decision comes as the entire team shifts focus to address critical issues with Path of Exile 2 ahead of its early access release.

In a heartfelt video message, Jonathan Rogers, the game director of Path of Exile 2 and co-founder of GGG, explained the situation. The team working on Path of Exile 1 was reassigned to help refine Path of Exile 2's endgame, with the hope that they could swiftly return to finalize the 3.26 update. Yet, the complexity of the problems facing Path of Exile 2, including crashes and balance issues, made it clear that this was not feasible. "We were fooling ourselves," Rogers admitted, acknowledging the urgency of stabilizing Path of Exile 2, which had already faced several delays and was set to launch on December 6, 2024.

Rogers expressed his regret over the decision to divert resources from Path of Exile 1, recognizing the impact on its dedicated community. "How could I justify taking some of the most experienced developers we have off PoE2 when it's on fire?" he questioned, underscoring the gravity of the situation. The Path of Exile 1 team will remain focused on Path of Exile 2 until at least the release of version 0.2.0, with no definite timeline provided for the 3.26 update. "Unfortunately, I just can’t promise a date right now," Rogers stated, reflecting on the challenges of managing two major projects simultaneously.

Despite these setbacks, Path of Exile 2's early access launch was a resounding success, becoming the 15th most-played game on Steam ever. For those eager to dive into the new game, guides on choosing the right class, such as the Mercenary and Sorceress builds, along with tips on acquiring Spirit, trading, and ascending, are available to enhance your gaming experience.