Path of Exile 2 will exit early access on December 11, 2026 with its full 1.0 release, Grinding Gear Games revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026. The action RPG will become completely free-to-play across all platforms (PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S), replacing its current paid early access model.
The trailer shown at the event unveiled the Duelist class, a sword-wielding character marking one of the community's most anticipated features. The class represents the first Path of Exile 2 character to wield swords as a primary weapon, bringing new combat mechanics and customization depth through the game's extensive skill gem system.
The title has been in early access since December 2024, accumulating over two years of development time. In 1.0, players will access a deep endgame featuring more than 100 maps and challenging boss encounters, alongside hundreds of active and passive skill gems that define the franchise's customization complexity.
The free availability on December 11 represents Grinding Gear Games' final push to establish Path of Exile 2 as the successor to the original, maintaining the free-to-play model that sustained the first game's community.
