Path of Exile 2 Guides: Release Date, Classes & Tips

Path of Exile 2 is a dark-fantasy action RPG set in Wraeclast, built on two systems that carry everything else: skill gems (an active skill plus the support gems linked into it) and an enormous passive tree with dual specialisation. Gear, currency and enemy difficulty all orbit those two choices.

Where the game currently stands

Early Access began on 6 December 2024 and has grown steadily since, with new acts, classes and endgame content arriving over the period. The studio has announced 1.0 for 11 December 2026 (PST), which is also when the game is planned to move to free to play. Until then you are playing a client that keeps changing — which is a feature if you like watching the meta settle, and a nuisance if you want your build to be final.

Co-op and grouping

Steam lists online co-op for up to six players, alongside solo play and multiplayer categories. Grouping pays off the way it does in any action RPG: one character committed to damage, one to the utility that keeps the fight winnable, and a shared economy that is faster than six separate ones.

How building actually works

An active skill is only as good as what is linked to it. Support gems change how that skill behaves and how its damage scales, so a build is really a set of gem links first and a pile of stats second. The passive tree then decides whether those links land: dual specialisation lets one character commit to two clusters instead of spreading thin. Because power comes from the combination, a single overpowered gem or unique is rarely the whole answer.

Start here

The starter route covers class choice, your first gem links and how far the campaign should take you before endgame matters.