Path of Exile 2 Goes Free-to-Play on December 11, 2026, Ending Nearly Two Years of Early Access
Path of Exile 2 will leave early access and launch as a free-to-play game on December 11, 2026, developer Grinding Gear Games announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live in Cologne, Germany.
The date marks almost exactly two years since the game's initial early access release. Until now, playing has required buying a Founder's Pack — a paid entry point that disappears at 1.0, when the game becomes free for anyone to download on PC and consoles, including Xbox (Eurogamer; IGN).
The full release brings the campaign to a close. Two remaining Acts — the story chapters that structure the game — ship with 1.0, completing a narrative that early access players have seen built in pieces. A new playable class, the Duelist, also arrives with the launch. It is the game's first sword-wielding class, designed around aggressive melee combat and able to use shields (Eurogamer).
Grinding Gear Games posted the announcement on its official forum on August 25, 2026, titled "Path of Exile 2 Fully Releases on December 11!" The studio had teased an exclusive reveal at gamescom 2026 earlier in the month (Path of Exile Forum).
For players who have not yet signed up, the studio is running a free registration campaign between now and launch. As more accounts are created, community-wide rewards unlock — including a pet for all players. Registration is open on the game's official site (Eurogamer; Path of Exile 2).
More details about the early access period and the transition to full release are expected on August 27, 2026, when Grinding Gear Games hosts a livestream titled "Early Access Announcements - GGG Live" on its official Twitch channel, scheduled for 2:30 PM CDT (Path of Exile Forum).
Path of Exile 2 is the sequel to Grinding Gear Games' 2013 action role-playing game, a title in the same genre as Blizzard's Diablo. The original Path of Exile built a following as a free-to-play game supported by cosmetic microtransactions — optional visual items that do not affect gameplay. The sequel has carried the same model into early access, and the 1.0 launch formalises it for the full player base.
For fans, the December date ends a long wait. Early access gave dedicated players a substantial head start, but the free-to-play switch opens the door to everyone — and the completed campaign means newcomers will experience the full story from day one.
