Grinding Gear Games has set December 11, 2026 as the full 1.0 launch date for Path of Exile 2, ending its Early Access run with a new trailer shown during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25 (Grinding Gear Games official forum post). The action RPG will become fully free to play across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on that date.
The studio confirmed the 1.0 build will introduce the Duelist, a long-awaited class first shown in the Gamescom trailer, alongside the complete campaign and endgame. Path of Exile 2 originally entered Early Access on December 6, 2024, and has stayed in that state for just under two years while Grinding Gear expanded its systems.
Unlike many live-service launches, the 1.0 release keeps the game’s free-to-play model rather than charging for the full version. Existing Early Access owners keep their progress, and Grinding Gear is encouraging both new and returning players to sign up at pathofexile2.com/register for launch news and milestone rewards.
A complete build at last
The December date marks the first time players get a finished campaign rather than an evolving early build. Grinding Gear has used the Early Access window to roll out classes, leagues, and balance passes, and the 1.0 launch is positioned as the moment the studio considers the experience complete. The new trailer mixed gameplay with cinematics to show off the Duelist’s skill set. Path of Exile 2 is the free-to-play sequel to Grinding Gear’s 2013 action RPG, and the studio has developed and published both titles in-house.
For players planning to experience the launch on a desktop, display choice still matters: our best budget gaming monitors 2026 guide covers panels that keep fast action readable without a premium price. Path of Exile 2’s dense combat benefits from a smooth, high-refresh screen.
The full release also arrives as the action-RPG field stays busy. We recently looked at Black Myth: Zhong Kui’s first 15 minutes of gameplay, another title using a gameplay reveal to build momentum ahead of launch, and at The Blood of Dawnwalker’s console 60fps mode, a reminder that performance promises are now a core part of any release conversation.
Path of Exile 2’s 1.0 launch lands just before the holiday period, giving Grinding Gear a wide window to draw lapsed players back. With the Duelist joining the roster and the campaign declared finished, December 11 is the line the studio has drawn under Early Access.
