'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

Grinding Gear Games has apologized for delaying the Path of Exile 1 (PoE1) 3.26 update, originally slated for late October 2024, then mid-February 2025. The delay is due to the studio shifting resources to address critical issues with the recently released Path of Exile 2 (PoE2).

The PoE1 team was reassigned to help finalize PoE2's endgame before its December 2024 launch. While initially believing they could return to PoE1's 3.26 update in time for its February target, game director Jonathan Rogers admitted this was overly optimistic. PoE2's launch faced unexpected challenges, including crashes and balance problems requiring immediate attention. Prioritizing PoE2's stability proved necessary.

Rogers acknowledged the team's miscalculation and expressed regret for the resulting delay to PoE1 players. He stated that the studio underestimated the complexity of managing two games concurrently and is now developing a strategy for more effective resource allocation in the future. The 3.26 update remains in development, though a release date is yet to be announced. PoE2 is currently at version 0.1.1, with the 0.2.0 update anticipated as the next major milestone.

PoE2 launched on December 6th, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, achieving significant success and ranking as one of Steam's most played games ever. Guides on class selection, builds (including Mercenary and Sorceress), Spirit acquisition, trading, and ascension are available to help players navigate the early access experience.