'I'm Really Sorry for How This Went Down' — Work on Path of Exile 1 3.26 on Hold Until Path of Exile 2 0.2.0 Has Shipped, Dev Says

The developer behind the beloved Path of Exile series, Grinding Gear Games (GGG), has issued an apology to fans of the original game after deciding to delay a much-anticipated update until a critical patch for Path of Exile 2 is released. Path of Exile 1, an action RPG that has captivated players for over a decade, was promised continuous updates even after the launch of its sequel, Path of Exile 2, which entered early access on December 6, 2024.

Originally slated for a late October release, the Path of Exile 1 update 3.26 was pushed back to mid-February, and now faces further delays. The reason? The entire team has been reassigned to tackle urgent issues with Path of Exile 2. The last league update for Path of Exile 1, Settlers of Kalguur, was released in July 2024.

In a candid video message, Jonathan Rogers, game director of Path of Exile 2 and co-founder of GGG, shared the challenging situation. The team had initially been pulled to help refine Path of Exile 2's endgame mechanics before its December launch, with the intention of quickly returning to finalize update 3.26. However, the complexity and scale of problems with Path of Exile 2, including crashes and balance issues, made it impossible to meet the mid-February deadline for Path of Exile 1's update.

“We were fooling ourselves,” Rogers admitted, acknowledging the unrealistic expectations. The delay in Path of Exile 2 itself, coupled with its immediate issues, necessitated keeping the experienced developers on the sequel. “How could I justify taking some of the most experienced developers we have off PoE2 when it’s on fire?” he questioned.

The Path of Exile 1 team remains dedicated to Path of Exile 2 until at least the release of version 0.2.0, with work continuing for a couple of weeks afterward. Rogers expressed regret for the situation, recognizing that he should have foreseen the impact of diverting resources. “I’m really sorry for how this went down,” he said, admitting the miscalculation in planning and the need to better manage dual game development.

Despite these challenges, Path of Exile 2's early access launch was a triumph, becoming the 15th most-played game on Steam ever. For those diving into Path of Exile 2, guides on choosing classes like Sorceress or Mercenary, along with tips on acquiring Spirit, trading, and ascending, are available to help players navigate the new world.