Path of Exile 2 finally has an end date for Early Access. Grinding Gear Games confirmed at Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25 that the action RPG launches its full 1.0 version on December 11, 2026, almost exactly two years after its December 6, 2024 Early Access debut (Yahoo/GosuGamers). At that point, the current purchase requirement for Early Access disappears and the game becomes permanently free-to-play, following the model of the original Path of Exile.
And after nearly two years of new classes, balance fights, and endgame redesigns, one of Gamescom's biggest reveals was refreshingly simple: swords are finally coming. The trailer introduced the Duelist, a sword-and-shield melee class trained in the Grand Arena who fights on behalf of those who can't defend themselves (Yahoo Tech). Swords have been one of Path of Exile 2's most conspicuous missing weapon types throughout Early Access, and the Duelist finally brings them into the playable arsenal. PC Gamer put it best: players are finally getting "swords, and also the rest of the game."
