'I'm Really Sorry for How This Went Down' — Work on Path of Exile 1 3.26 on Hold Until Path of Exile 2 0.2.0 Has Shipped, Dev Says

Grinding Gear Games has issued a sincere apology to Path of Exile 1 players following the indefinite postponement of the 3.26 update. The studio had initially committed to continued support for the decade-old action RPG, even after the launch of Path of Exile 2. However, the originally planned October (later mid-February) release has been delayed indefinitely.

In a video message, game director Jonathan Rogers explained that the Path of Exile 1 team was reassigned to bolster the development of Path of Exile 2's endgame before its December launch. The expectation was they could return to work on the 3.26 update in time for its mid-February target. This proved unrealistic due to unforeseen challenges encountered with Path of Exile 2.

Rogers acknowledged the studio's miscalculation, stating they were "fooling ourselves." Path of Exile 2, while ultimately released a few weeks late, experienced significant launch issues, including crashes and balance problems requiring immediate attention. He explained the decision to keep the experienced Path of Exile 1 team focused on resolving Path of Exile 2's critical problems, prioritizing the stability and success of the new game.

The Path of Exile 1 team remains dedicated to Path of Exile 2, with their involvement continuing until at least the release of Path of Exile 2 version 0.2.0, and possibly a couple of weeks beyond. While a new release date for the 3.26 update remains unconfirmed, Rogers expressed regret for the situation and the resulting inconvenience to players.

Path of Exile 2's early access launch on December 6th, 2024, across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, was met with considerable success, achieving a remarkable milestone as one of Steam's top 15 most-played games ever. To assist new players, resources are available including class selection guides, build guides (Mercenary and Sorceress), and advice on in-game mechanics such as Spirit acquisition, trading, and ascensions.