Path of Exile
News, coverage and analysis tracking Path of Exile across the outlets.
Latest coverage
MMO Week in Review: FFXIV in Berlin, Black Desert in SoCal, and Jimothy saturation
This week's MMO news covers Final Fantasy XIV's Fan Festival in Berlin, Black Desert's Heidel Ball, and the early access launch of SEED. Updates were also provided for Dungeons & Dragons Online, Aion 2, and The Guild reunion movie. Several games saw controversy including World of Warcraft staff cheating, Elder Scrolls Online capacity issues, and Microsoft layoffs.
Mastering Path of Exile Xbox Risk and Reward Mechanics
This guide details the risk and reward mechanics in Path of Exile for Xbox players, focusing on the Atlas of Worlds endgame. It explains how currency, map tiers, modifiers, and defensive layers contribute to a player's success and the high cost of death. The article also touches on Atlas specialization and the game's unique crafting item economy.
Betawatch: Aion 2 outlines head start plans as Guild Wars 3 outlines its story premise
NCsoft has detailed head start plans for Aion 2, which is slated for a global launch in September 2026. Guild Wars 3 has also outlined its story premise, with a beta expected in fall 2027. The article also provides an extensive list of other MMORPGs currently in various stages of testing and development.
Path of Exile 1: Curse of the Allflame Released
The latest expansion for Grinding Gear Games' action RPG Path of Exile 1, titled Curse of the Allflame, has been released for PC and consoles. Further details can be found on the official Path of Exile website.
Path of Exile 1’s Curse of the Allflame arrives today with a new challenge league and Scion Ascendancy class
Path of Exile's latest content update, Curse of the Allflame, is now live, introducing a new challenge league, improvements to Abyss and Legion, and a new Ascendancy Class for the Scion. The update also features an all-new endgame system and is available on PC and consoles.
Overwatch, Path of Exile, and the In-Game Economy: What Virtual Currency Systems Reveal About Real Money Design
This analysis explores how virtual currency systems in games like Overwatch 2 and Path of Exile are designed to psychologically influence players and abstract real-world spending. It contrasts Blizzard's stable but awkward dual-currency model with Grinding Gear Games' player-driven orb economy, highlighting how these designs reduce the 'pain of paying' and encourage continued engagement. The article also touches on the migration of these principles to other digital sectors and offers advice for players on budgeting for in-game purchases.
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
NVIDIA announced new games coming to GeForce NOW, including an expansion for Path of Exile. Separately, Xbox and Meta are expanding ways to enjoy Xbox Game Pass, highlighting the growing trend of subscription services and cloud-based gaming.
Path of Exile's total skill gem overhaul is the perfect moment for new players to jump in
The upcoming Path of Exile 3.29 update, Curse of the Allflame, introduces significant changes to skill gems, making the game more accessible for new players. Grinding Gear Games is removing gem-specific socket color restrictions and rebalancing over 150 skills, with a focus on spellcasters. Game Director Mark Roberts hopes these changes will encourage diverse build experimentation beyond the traditional 'Rolling Magma' starter skill. The update launches July 24, 2026, and both Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2 will continue to receive alternating updates.
Path of Exile 2 players broke the game by summoning 2,000 skeletons and then lured unsuspecting players into the…
Players in Path of Exile 2 have pushed the game's limits by summoning approximately 2,000 skeletons, causing severe performance issues and frame rate drops. Streamer Empyriangaming and friends experimented with minion builds to test the game's capacity, leading to unplayable lag and even using the chaos to lure players into a trap in their hideout.
Path of Exile devs want it to be easier for new players, but still won't let you skip its 20-hour campaign every league—at least not yet: 'It feels very wrong to me'
Grinding Gear Games developers have stated that they will not implement a campaign skip for Path of Exile or Path of Exile 2, despite frequent player requests. Game director Mark Roberts believes completing the campaign is integral to the player's connection with their character and the overall game experience. While some systems have been updated to improve the new player experience, the lengthy campaign remains a core, non-skippable element.
Path of Exile co-creator Chris Wilson says hardcore Diablo 2 players want "arbitrary" speed breakpoints because they can't resist ARPG optimization
Path of Exile co-creator Chris Wilson explains that hardcore Diablo 2 players enjoy optimizing characters around 'arbitrary' speed breakpoints in action RPGs. He argues that these specific thresholds for attack speed, cast speed, and hit recovery are a key part of the genre's appeal for dedicated players, who often create spreadsheets to maximize their builds.
Path of Exile is ripping up the rulebook, and nothing is "untouchable" - but don't get your hopes up for a campaign skip
Grinding Gear Games directors Mark Roberts and Christopher Laferriere discussed upcoming changes for Path of Exile 3.29, including the removal of socket colors and the introduction of underwater combat. They confirmed that while no changes are off the table, campaign skips are not currently planned, as they believe the journey is integral to character development and player investment. The developers also touched on the addition of a new Scion ascendancy and the ongoing development of Path of Exile 2.
Roadmaps and Plans
Grinding Gear Games has announced the upcoming 'Curse of the Allflame' league for Path of Exile, introducing new mechanics and significant endgame changes. The update will also see the addition of mercenaries to the core game.
Colorless skill gem sockets are coming in Path of Exile’s Curse of the Allflame
Grinding Gear Games announced upcoming changes to Path of Exile, including a significant rework of skill gem sockets that will remove color restrictions. This change aims to increase player flexibility and reduce barriers to entry for new and returning players. Designers Christopher Laferriere and Mark Roberts highlighted the goal of community growth as a key driver for this and other updates.
Go under the sea in Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame, launching July 24
Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame, the next major update for the action RPG, is set to launch on July 24th. This expansion introduces a new underwater environment, a new Ascendancy class for the Scion called the Luminary, and revamps to Abyss and Legion content. The update also features new crafting mechanics and significant changes to gem socketing.
After 13 years, Path of Exile's devs are finally ready to ditch one of its most iconic and frustrating mechanics
Grinding Gear Games is removing the iconic and often frustrating socket color system from Path of Exile in its upcoming expansion, Curse of the Allflame. This change aims to reduce friction for new players and make the game more accessible. The expansion, launching July 24, will also rework Abyss and Legion activities.
Path of Exile 3.29 just shattered a fundamental rule, and I'm not talking about its new underwater combat
Path of Exile 3.29, Curse of the Allflame, introduces significant changes including the removal of socket color restrictions, a new underwater league mechanic, and the permanent addition of Mercenaries. Game Director Mark Roberts announced the removal of socket colors, a fundamental rule since the game's inception, aiming to improve build experimentation and gear upgrades. The new league features underwater exploration with air pockets, a Voyage system for crafting expeditions, and a new crafting currency called Ducats. The update also includes reworks for Abyss and Legion mechanics, and the introduction of Atlas Anomalies.
The only indie roguelike action RPG that rivals Hades and Diablo for me just got an incredible new expansion
The Cursed War expansion for the roguelike action RPG Hell Clock adds a fourth act, new skills, and deeper crafting mechanics, enhancing the game's already strong buildcrafting and combat. Developed by Rogue Snail, the expansion is praised for its engaging gameplay loop and narrative, which draws inspiration from historical events in Brazil.
MMO Hype Train: Can Scars of Honor overcome its generic WoW clone identity?
Scars of Honor, an upcoming MMORPG from Beast Burst Entertainment, faces scrutiny over its generic identity and past crowdfunding failure. Despite a colorful visual style reminiscent of RuneScape and Albion Online, the game's features list offers little distinction from existing titles. The article questions whether Scars of Honor can overcome its "WoW clone" label and generate sufficient hype to succeed in the competitive MMO market.
Magic the Gathering community stunned as Path of Exile co-creator shows one of the biggest collections in the world, including 14 Black Lotuses, years after selling his cards to "fund the company"
Chris Wilson, co-creator of Path of Exile and former co-founder of Grinding Gear Games, has revealed an extensive Magic The Gathering card collection, including 14 Black Lotus cards. Wilson had previously sold parts of his collection to fund Grinding Gear Games' development but has since rebuilt one of the world's most valuable Magic collections, featuring numerous rare and early-set cards.
