It's been a long time since Path of Exile has touched its lauded Atlas of Worlds system, an endgame progression track where you fight through increasingly difficult maps and bosses. Ever since it was introduced 10 years ago, it's been the main thing that keeps people playing for hundreds of hours every season.
It's been so successful that other games, like Last Epoch and Diablo 4 (in its next expansion), have shaped their endgame progression around the idea of taking on harder and harder monsters for increased rewards—and customizing your experience through a sprawling skill tree.
