Grinding Gear Games has confirmed that Path of Exile 2 will leave Early Access and launch its 1.0 version on December 11, 2026 at which point the action RPG will also transition to a free-to-play model.
Quick Facts
- Release Date: December 11, 2026
- Pricing Model: Free-to-play at 1.0 launch
- Developer: Grinding Gear Games
- Platforms: PC (Steam, Epic Games), Linux/Proton
- Steam Deck Status: Verified
Story Content and Campaign Completion
The 1.0 update delivers the final segments of the campaign, allowing players to experience a full play-through from start to finish. Acts 5 and 6 add 24 distinct new areas, 18 new unique deadly bosses, and over 20 new Champion Rare encounters complete with individual mechanics.
Alongside the campaign additions, the update introduces a passive skill tree rework, tweaks to existing classes, and a wide selection of new items.
New Classes: The Shadow and The Duelist
Two new character classes join the roster for the 1.0 release:
- The Shadow: Utilizes an entirely new stealth mechanic where monsters cannot see the character until within a short distance. Stealth empowers dagger skills with additional bonuses and allows players to place traps that trigger automatically and explode in the order they were thrown. The Shadow launches with the Assassin and Infiltrator Ascendancy classes.
- The Duelist: Centers around a stance system. Players use Ready Stance to enhance sword skills, which can be upgraded into deadlier Sand or Blood Stances. The Duelist launches with the Knight and Master-at-Arms Ascendancy classes.
Platform Compatibility
On PC, the game is available via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The title is Steam Deck Verified and has maintained stable performance on Linux systems utilizing Proton.