Path of Exile 2 Devs Comment on Endgame Difficulty

Path of Exile 2 co-directors Mark Roberts and Jonathan Rogers have responded to an outcry from fans who have commented on the unforgiving endgame difficulty. Existing as a sequel to the 2013 game of the same name, Path of Exile 2 introduced a new skill system containing 240 active skill gems with 12 character classes to choose from, and after completing the six-act story, players have access to the brutal 100 endgame maps.

Since its December 2024 early access launch, the isometric action RPG has gained a healthy player count, and this year promises crucial quality-of-life improvements while fans patiently wait for the full debut. Path of Exile 2 has released its first update of 2025, which combats a series of bugs and crashes, particularly on the PlayStation 5, to improve overall gameplay. Patch 0.1.0 also addresses issues with monsters, skills, and damage.

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In an exclusive interview with content creators Darth Microtransaction and GhazzyTV, Roberts and Rogers discussed the upcoming Patch 0.1.1 and aired their opinion on endgame’s difficulty. The devs defended the challenge, saying “The whole ‘death actually mattering’ thing is actually important. You have to have some level of failure being possible,” and stated the play would not “feel the same” if the design went back to one portal, for example. Path of Exile 2 players previously made their voices heard regarding endgame’s difficulty, as the current design features forceful player builds and speedy monsters, rendering strategic encounters a mammoth task.

Path of Exile 2 Devs Defend Endgame’s Difficulty

Regarding the loss of EXP during a player’s Atlas run, Rogers explained, “It’s keeping you in the place where you’re supposed to be, as in if you’re dying all the time then you’re probably not ready to keep going up the power curve.” However, it was confirmed that the team at Grinding Gear Games was assessing the “moving parts” that form endgame’s difficulty, and identifying which of these were to remain for players to retain the most authentic experience possible. There is a wealth of advanced tips to aid players through Path of Exile 2’s endgame, focusing on conquering high-Waystone Tier maps, salvaging Quality gear, and utilizing portals to players’ advantage, but still, fans are pulling their hair out over the challenge.

Path of Exile 2’s endgame content takes place in the Atlas of Worlds, and the goal is to progress through the activity by unlocking various maps and ridding the Beasts that plague them. After gaining access to the Atlas by completing the main campaign on Cruel Difficulty, each interconnected world in the Atlas features high-level challenges designed for advanced, dedicated players, involving grueling bosses, complex maps, and the optimization of sturdy builds through gear and skill augmentations.

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Path of Exile 2 is a next generation free-to-play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Journey across the deadly continent of Wraeclast, meeting multiple immersive cultures while facing off against evil in many forms. Path of Exile 2 features twelve character classes, 240 Skill Gems, hundreds of equipment base types, a six-act campaign, more than a hundred unique boss fights, a deep endgame system and so much more. Play with your friends without losing any progress with couch co-op, cross-play and cross-progression.

Systems

Franchise

Path of Exile

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer
, Online Co-Op

Engine

Proprietary Engine

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Nudity, Violence

Early Access Release

December 6, 2024

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