Path of Exile 2 is one of the most anticipated games right now, but players won’t have to wait too much longer before this gritty RPG launches into Early Access. To help you prepare for this adventure, I’ve put together all of the information you want to know including what the plot is, the exact release times around the world, a countdown clock, and how to preload the game for PC or Xbox.
Without further ado, let’s dive in and see what this dark game has in store.
What is Path of Exile 2?
- Genre: This is an RPG, dungeon-crawling, hack and slash game.
- Plot: Set 20 years after the events of the first game, Path of Exile 2 has players taking on the role of an exile who is on a quest to stop the corruption from spreading throughout the land of Wraeclast. It apparently features seven acts.
- Gameplay: Path of Exile 2 shares a lot in common with Diablo IV, with the HUD even looking relatively similar. Both games utilize a top-down view and display health and magic in orbs at the bottom of the screen. In Path of Exile 2, you’ll spend time traveling around the corrupted land of Wraeclast, diving into dungeons while hacking and slashing your way through enemies.
- Difficulty: Those who got to preview the game before Early Access have said that it is very difficult. So, if you’re up for a challenge, Path of Exile 2 is perfect for you.
Path of Exile 2: Release date and launch times
Path of Exile 2 launches into Early Access on Friday, December 6, 2024. The exact time of launch will be different depending on where you live:
| Time zone | Release time |
|---|---|
| Pacific Time (PT) | December 6, 11:00 a.m. |
| Eastern Time (ET) | December 6, 2:00 p.m. |
| UK (GMT) | December 6, 7:00 p.m. |
| Europe (CET) | December 6, 8:00 p.m. |
| Japan (JST) | December 7, 4:00 a.m. |
| Austraila (AWST) | December 7, 6:00 a.m. |
Does Path of Exile 2 have Early Access?
Yes, the sequel is launching into Early Access on Friday, December 6, 2024. It’s currently unclear how long the game will be in Early Access for, however, it’s expected to be somewhere between a minimum of six months to a year before full launch.
Path of Exile 2: Countdown clock
This Path of Exile 2 countdown clock shows how long is left until the game releases into Early Access. Of course, the exact date and time of launch will depend on where you live.
Path of Exile 2: How to preload the game
The Path of Exile 2 team is very aware that thousands of players are excited to dive into this sequel. As such, the developer has already been planning for predownloads. Xbox players already have predownloads available, and Grinding Gears Games says there will “likely be updates on launch.”
With Path of Exile 2 launching into Early Access soon, we’ve had a lot of players asking for pre-download to ensure they can play on launch. To accommodate this, we’ll be making the standalone PC client available for download at 5pm on Dec 5th (PST).https://t.co/vT6L4kd7qw pic.twitter.com/szPjUH8cV7December 3, 2024
As for PC players, the official X account has already explained that a “standalone PC client” will be available to download at 5:00 p.m. PT on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Players will specifically need to get the client download from the official Path of Exile website. What’s more, Grinding Gear Games will “also be providing a torrent with the client download at the same time.”
Predownload info on the official Path of Exile forum explains that players will not actually be able to login until the time of the actual Early Access launch in your time zone.
Can I predownload Path of Exile 2 for PC and Xbox?
Yes. Predownloads are already available for Xbox players. Meanwhile, a specific PC client for predownloading the game will be released via the Path of Exile website on December 5, at 5:00 p.m. PT, but PC players won’t be able to login until launch time.
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Path of Exile 2: Platforms and gaming handhelds
Path of Exile 2 Early Access is coming to PC (Steam and Epic Games), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
It’s currently unclear how well the game will play on gaming handhelds like Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, and Legion Go. When it comes to Steam Deck compatibility, Path of Exile 2 is listed as “Unknown” on the official Steam page. However, during a group interview, a Grinding Gear Games developer did say that the game would be playable on Steam Deck (thanks, RPG Site).
Considering that Path of Exile 2 PC system requirements aren’t all that intense, it seems very likely that the game will run well on ROG Ally and Legion Go. After all, the game supports Xbox Controllers as well as PlayStation controllers, so it should also have good button layouts on these handheld devices.
Path of Exile 2: Download size
According to the official Path of Exile 2 Steam page, this sequel requires PC players to have 100GB of free space. The Xbox page is more specific, explaining that the game requires 96.57GB. While this isn’t the biggest game file size we’ve seen this year, it’s still a decent amount of room.
To prepare for launch, you might want to check your system and rearrange game data to make room for this upcoming title.
Path of Exile 2 is coming to Early Access on Xbox Series X|S , PS5, and Windows PC on December 6, and looks to be one of this year’s best Xbox games and best PC games. It is free to play, but you can purchase supporter packs if desired.
