With “Return of the Ancients,” Path of Exile 2 is getting what is likely its most important Early Access update: The endgame is being massively revamped, and version 1.0 is getting closer.
It took a little longer than originally planned, but Grinding Gear Games has clearly put the extra time to good use: The wait for version 0.5 ofPath of Exile 2, the biggest update yet for the action RPG, should have been more than worth it.
Under the name “Return of the Ancients,” a complete overhaul of the endgame awaits youon May 29, 2026, at 9 p.m.And according to Game Director Jonathan Rogers, this is the last major milestone before the action RPG leaves Early Access behind.
The endgame finally gets some structure
Until now, the post-campaign period in Path of Exile 2 sometimes felt a bit aimless. The vast Atlas lay before you, but a real sense of direction in the endgame was often missing. With the new update, that changes fundamentally.
Grinding Gear Games is giving familiar mechanics like Breach, Ritual, Expedition, and Delirium a much-needed refresh. Each of these mechanics now has its own dedicated area on the map and—more importantly—its own quest line.
This allows the developers to gently guide you into the endgame instead of simply throwing you in at the deep end. The Atlas tree itself is also being revamped. Instead of having to laboriously choose a single path, you can now theoretically unlock every single node.
A Blessing for Build Tinkerers
In addition to content like the new season mechanic Runes of Aldur, fresh subclasses for Huntress and Monk, and a massive fortress called Precurser Fortress, the patch introduces a feature that should really be standard in the genre:An in-game build planner is integrated directly into the game.
So you no longer have to constantly Alt-Tab back and forth between the game and external websites or tools like “Path of Building” if you want to follow a build from the community. In the future, you’ll simply import the builds directly into the client and can immediately see where to place your next earned skill point.
This is a massive convenience, especially for newcomers and casual players who still need to find their way around Path of Exile 2’s extremely complex skill tree.
https://www.global-esports.news/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/In-the-PoE2-Build-Planner-scaled.jpg
The Roadmap to Release 1.0
The most important news for everyone eagerly awaiting the final version:The launch target is clearly set!
Jonathan Rogers has once again confirmed that Path of Exile 2 is scheduled to release Version 1.0 in 2026—sometime after the in-house convention ExileCon in November. The still-missing Acts 5 and 6 are already very far along internally.
However, there is one small downside: Not all twelve classes originally planned will make it into the game in time for launch. We currently have eight classes, and the studio clearly emphasizes that quality comes before quantity.
“As long as the game feels complete and there are enough classes—which will definitely be the case—it’s not the end of the world,” said the studio head. The missing classes, presumably old favorites like the Marauder or the Duelist, will then be added in updates following the 1.0 release.
Whether the end-of-year release date will actually hold now depends largely on how the new endgame system is received by the player base. The team wants to be sure that the new mechanics work before they give the game the final green light. But if Return of the Ancients delivers what it promises, nothing stands in the way of a winter release.
