Path of Exile 2 'Return of the Ancients' league recap
PoE2's 0.5.0 patch launched May 29 with the 'Return of the Ancients' league — the final Early Access league before 1.0. Biggest content drop of EA, full endgame overhaul, 2 new ascendancies, 1.0 targeted late 2026.
Path of Exile 2's 0.5.0 "Return of the Ancients" patch launched May 29, 2026 and is the final Early Access league before 1.0. The patch is the largest content drop of the EA period.
What's in 0.5.0
- Runes of Aldur league (new challenge
league, 4-month duration)
- Full endgame overhaul (Atlas rework,
new map system)
- 2 new ascendancies (Huntress + Smith
of Kitava)
- 2 ascendancy reworks (Monk, Sorceress)
- Improved campaign length (25% shorter
main story)
- Player and monster balance (1,000+
changes)
- **Passive tree, items, skills, supports,
and uniques** — all touched
The new league: Runes of Aldur
Runes of Aldur is a "craft your own dungeon" league in the same vein as the Fate of the Vaal league (0.4.0). Players discover ancient rune fragments across Wraeclast and combine them to create their own end-game dungeons, each with custom modifiers and reward tables.
The league is the most-popular league in PoE2's history — 300,000+ players in the first 24 hours (the previous record was 220,000 for 0.4.0).
The new ascendancies
- Huntress — the new class, a dual-wield
DEX class with pet summons
- Smith of Kitava — a strength/intelligence
hybrid focused on weapon crafting mid-combat
Both ascendancies are designed for late-game min-maxing. The Huntress is the strongest farming class; the Smith of Kitava is the strongest bossing class.
The endgame overhaul
The Atlas system is the biggest change in 0.5.0:
- Atlas Passive Tree is now character-
level-based (was map-tier-based)
- Map modifiers are now deterministic
(no more RNG rolls)
- Waystones (the new map currency) replace
the old scroll-based system
- New pinnacle boss (the Forgotten
King) replaces the old Atziri in the Atlas
The rework makes endgame progression predictable for the first time in PoE2's history.
The 1.0 release target
Grinding Gear Games has confirmed that:
- 0.5.0 is the final Early Access league
- No 0.6.0 patch is planned
- 1.0 ships in late 2026 (specific date
not yet announced, but likely Q4)
- 1.0 ships with a full marketing push
and a console launch (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S)
The 1.0 launch is the most-anticipated ARPG release since Diablo 4. Expect a major marketing campaign and a free trial on console at launch.
What's next
- August 13: 0.5.0c patch (balance +
bug fixes)
- September 17: Mid-league patch with
1 new Unique and 1 new Skill
- October (estimated): 0.5.0 ends
- November (estimated): 1.0 launches
- December (estimated): 1.0's first
league
FAQ
When did PoE 2 Return of the Ancients launch?
May 29, 2026 at 20:00 UTC.
When is Path of Exile 2 1.0?
Late 2026, most likely Q4 (October-December). No specific date yet.
What is the new league mechanic?
Runes of Aldur — craft your own dungeon from ancient rune fragments, each dungeon with custom modifiers and reward tables.
Will 1.0 be on console?
Yes, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S at 1.0 launch. The console version is being developed in parallel with the 1.0 PC version.
Is the Runes of Aldur league hard?
The league is the most-popular in PoE2 history but also the most-demanding. The difficulty curve is steeper than 0.4.0 — expect to die more often in the first 2 weeks.
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