Path of Exile 2 leaves early access on December 11, 2026. Grinding Gear Games’ trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 closed on “full 1.0 release” and “play for free, December 11th 2026”, with Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S logos and a prompt to register at pathofexile2.com for updates and exclusive rewards. Host Geoff Keighley repeated the date on stage.
The trailer is a montage of the action RPG’s isometric combat: a torch-lit dungeon, a warrior wreathed in blue lightning, a red-armoured fighter scattering enemies with a whirling blade in a snowfield, a mercenary firing gold-flecked volleys across a ruined village, ice shards erupting from the ground, a purple bolt raking a corpse-strewn courtyard, and a rooftop fight above a walled town. It ends on the cinematic side: a knight lowering his head in a rain-soaked arena, a lone swordsman facing a wall of foes, and the words “the time has come”.
Path of Exile 2 has been in paid early access since December 2024; the 1.0 release is when it becomes free to play for everyone.