Is Path of Exile 2 Free to Play?

The first Path of Exile was free, but will the sequel follow suit?
Image via Grinding Gear Games via screenshot

Path of Exile 2 has many fans of the game wondering if the new sequel will be free to play.

Path of Exile fans will soon be thrust back into Wraeclast as players will be able to gather parties up to six players and battle monsters together. Yet, fans are wondering if Path of Exile 2 will be free to play or if you need money to play the game. While Path of Exile was a free game with in-game purchasing available, many are uncertain if this same model will follow suit in the sequel. 

Will Path of Exile 2 be Free to Play?

Path of Exile 2 early access
Image courtesy of Grinding Gear Games

Sort of.

Path of Exile is free to play for those who have spent a large sum of money on the first Path of Exile. In short, the more money you spent on the first Path of Exile, the more likely you will be granted an early access key. In fact, if you spent over $480 USD on the first Path of Exile, you will be granted Early Access for free.

That being said, players new to the Path of Exile genre will likely need to spend some money in order to get early access. There will also be in-game purchases in Path of Exile 2 that will help speed up the process of making your character even stronger. 

However, Grinding Gears Games will be handing out early access codes to a select group of interested players each day. So while your chances increase the more you spend, it can technically be free.

What Time will Path of Exile 2 Be Released?

Path of Exile 2 Global Release is at 11am PT on December 6, 2024.

Here are the times of release for various timezones:

  • 2pm ET
  • 1pm CST
  • 8pm CET
  • 12pm MST

To be clear, this date is not the official release of the game and it is an Early Access release. This means that Grinding Gear Games are still working on the game. However, a small base of players will be able to play Path of Exile 2 while the game is fixing its bugs and working on the game before its official release sometime in 2025. 

Path of Exile 2 will be playable on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC. 

Those looking for more Path of Exile 2 articles should be sure to check out our guide detailing how you can get Early Access to the game. Additionally, fans looking for a more comprehensive Path of Exile 2 Release Guide should be sure to check out that piece to know the important dates and updates to the highly-awaited sequel.


Published
Sage Datuin
SAGE DATUIN

Sage got his start in esports as a volunteer writer in 2016 for esports organization, Dignitas. Since then, he has continued to work on his craft as a journalist and reporter for a number of established esports publications, such as esports.gg, Unikrn, Akshon Esports, Howla, The Player’s Lobby, Nerd Street Gamers, and most recently Dot Esports. Now, as a member of Esports Illustrated’s content team, Sage’s primary duties are centered around creating groundbreaking written and video content about the esports industry that impacts the community in a meaningful way. Sage graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and Informatics. There, he was a member of the Rutgers Esports Executive Board, both as the head of the fighting game community and a videographer/photographer for the Content team.