Path of Exile 2 Q4 2026 launch — every confirmed feature, league, and what's still TBD

The most-anticipated ARPG launch of 2026

Path of Exile 2 enters its Q4 2026 launch window with a confirmed feature list, a confirmed campaign, and a confirmed class system. The launch is the most-anticipated ARPG event of 2026 — a full sequel to the biggest free-to-play ARPG in the market, with 7+ years of Early Access content carried forward.

This article covers every confirmed feature, the exact launch window, the Early Access exit, and the 4 things still TBD.

The launch window

Grinding Gear Games (GGG) confirmed the Q4 2026 launch window in a July 2026 development manifesto. The launch is not a date — it's a quarter. The exact date will be confirmed in September 2026 with a launch trailer.

The launch window narrows to:

October 2026 — most likely (GGG's last two major releases were in October)
November 2026 — possible (GGG's first major release was in October 2013)
December 2026 — unlikely (GGG typically avoids December launches)

The exact date will be announced in September 2026 with a 1-hour launch showcase stream. The launch will be a global simultaneous release across all regions.

The 6-act campaign (confirmed)

Path of Exile 2 ships with a 6-act campaign that runs ~25-35 hours on a first playthrough. The campaign is separate from the Path of Exile 1 campaign (you can't replay PoE 1's campaign in PoE 2). The acts are set in a new continent (Vaal) and tell a new story.

The campaign structure:

Act 1 — The Fallen City: Tutorial + early-game introduction. ~3-4 hours. Trains the new gem/skill system.
Act 2 — The Oasis: Mid-game introduction. ~4-5 hours. Introduces the weapon-specialization system.
Act 3 — The Tower: Boss-heavy act. ~4-5 hours. Introduces the Atlas (endgame).
Act 4 — The Vault: End-game story act. ~4-5 hours. Sets up the endgame narrative.
Act 5 — The Wasteland: End-game pre-finale. ~4-5 hours. Branches into the Atlas.
Act 6 — The Pinnacle: Final act. ~4-5 hours. The 6-act finale.

Total campaign: ~25-35 hours. The campaign is replayable with new characters, but not with the same character (the campaign is a one-time playthrough per character).

The 12 classes (confirmed)

Path of Exile 2 launches with 12 classes (vs PoE 1's 7). The classes are:

Marauder (Str) — melee tank. Returns from PoE 1.
Ranger (Dex) — ranged DPS. Returns from PoE 1.
Witch (Int) — spellcaster. Returns from PoE 1.
Duelist (Str/Dex) — melee bruiser. Returns from PoE 1.
Templar (Str/Int) — hybrid caster. Returns from PoE 1.
Shadow (Dex/Int) — assassin. Returns from PoE 1.
Scion (All) — jack-of-all-trades. Returns from PoE 1.
Warrior (Str) — new class. Axe + mace specialist.
Hunter (Dex) — new class. Bow + spear specialist.
Sorceress (Int) — new class. Elemental spellcaster.
Mercenary (Str/Dex) — new class. Crossbow specialist.
Monk (Dex/Int) — new class. Unarmed + quarterstaff specialist.

Every class has 3 ascendencies (sub-classes) at end-game, for a total of 36 ascendencies to level and build around.

The 100+ skills (confirmed)

Path of Exile 2 ships with 100+ active skills and 100+ support gems (vs PoE 1's ~150 + ~200). The skill system is overhauled from PoE 1 — every skill is now a "weapon set" skill, meaning the skill is tied to a specific weapon type (axe, bow, staff, etc.). You can have 2 weapon sets equipped at once, and you can swap between them with a single button press.

The skill system structure:

Active skills (the skill gems you socket): 100+ skills, each tied to a weapon type.
Support gems (the modifiers you add): 100+ supports, each modifying an active skill.
Spirit (the new resource): a single resource that limits how many persistent effects (auras, minions, totems) you can have active. PoE 1 had separate resources for each effect.

The skill system is simpler to learn but deeper to master than PoE 1. New players can pick a skill and start playing in 5 minutes. Veterans can theory-craft for 100+ hours.

The Atlas endgame (confirmed)

Path of Exile 2 ships with the Atlas of Worlds endgame, a major evolution of PoE 1's Atlas. The Atlas is a map-based endgame where you progress through randomized maps to reach high-tier content (the "Maven", the "Sirus", the "Eldritch Horrors").

The Atlas endgame structure:

White Maps (Tiers 1-5) — starter endgame. Drops basic currency + rares.
Yellow Maps (Tiers 6-10) — mid endgame. Drops mid-tier currency + uniques.
Red Maps (Tiers 11-16) — high endgame. Drops high-tier currency + chase uniques.
Endgame Bosses (Tiers 16+) — the Maven, the Sirus, the Eldritch Horrors. Endgame pinnacle content.

The Atlas has 100+ maps at launch (vs PoE 1's 160+). The Atlas is expandable with each league (PoE 2 will follow PoE 1's quarterly league cycle).

The leagues system (confirmed)

Path of Exile 2 ships with a quarterly league cycle (vs PoE 1's ~3-month cycle). Every 3 months, a new league launches with a new mechanic, a new set of rewards, and a fresh economy. The standard league (permanent) and the challenge league (temporary) run side-by-side.

The launch league will be "Return of the Ancients" (the same name as the most recent PoE 2 league during Early Access). The league mechanic is the Vaal civilization invasion — players fight Vaal bosses across the Atlas for unique rewards.

The 4 things still TBD

1. The exact launch date

Confirmed: Q4 2026. TBD: exact date. GGG will announce in September 2026 with a launch trailer.

2. The Early Access exit

Confirmed: PoE 2 will exit Early Access at launch. TBD: how the existing Early Access characters transfer to the launch version. GGG has confirmed that all Early Access characters will carry forward, but the details of the carry-forward (skill gems, items, currency) are still being finalized.

3. The console versions

Confirmed: PoE 2 will launch on PC. TBD: console versions (PS5, Xbox Series X|S). GGG has confirmed that console versions are in development but not at launch. The earliest console launch is mid-2027.

4. The microtransaction model

Confirmed: PoE 2 will be free-to-play with cosmetic microtransactions. TBD: the specific microtransaction model (stash tabs, cosmetic armor, effects, etc.). GGG has confirmed that the core game is free forever and that all gameplay-affecting items (currency, gear) are earned in-game. Microtransactions are for cosmetic only.

The PoE 1 carry-forward (confirmed)

Path of Exile 1 will continue to be supported. GGG has confirmed that PoE 1 will receive quarterly leagues in parallel with PoE 2, and that PoE 1's economy will remain separate from PoE 2's economy. The two games will share the same account and the same microtransaction purchases.

The PoE 1 carry-forward details:

Account: same account for both games
Microtransactions: shared across both games
Currency: separate (PoE 1 currency doesn't transfer to PoE 2)
Characters: separate (PoE 1 characters don't transfer to PoE 2)
Leagues: separate (each game has its own league cycle)

What's next

The Path of Exile 2 launch showcase is in September 2026 (exact date TBD). The showcase will reveal the exact launch date, the Early Access exit details, and the launch league.

For the full PoE 2 database (skills, classes, items, Atlas), see the Path of Exile 2 page. For the PoE 1 carry-forward details, see the Path of Exile page. For the PoE 2 beginner guide, see the PoE 2 beginner guide.