Grinding Gear Games has announced that Path of Exile 2 will receive its final major pre-1.0 update in May 2026. The patch, designated as version 0.5.0, carries the title Return of the Ancients. This release marks a significant milestone for the action role-playing game as it approaches its full launch.
Adds 15 new bosses and 40 unique items alongside the patch
The update introduces two new Ascendancy classes: the Spirit Walker and the Martial Artist. Players can expect over 50 hours of new endgame content, including five entirely new storylines. These storylines cover The Fortress, Delirium, Breach, Ritual, and Masters of the Atlas. The expansion also adds 15 new bosses, four of which are Pinnacle fights.
Grinding Gear Games has completely rebuilt the Atlas passive tree with more than 300 nodes. The patch includes over 100 new crafting runes and more than 40 new unique items. Developers also added over 30 new monster types and 12 new Kalguuran Skills and Supports. A new League mechanic called Ezomyte Runesmithing with Farrow joins the game.
Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients launches globally on May 29, 2026. The release date applies to all regions without regional restrictions. This global availability ensures players worldwide can access the new content simultaneously upon launch.
Grinding Gear Games has not confirmed the specific launch window for the full 1.0 release of Path of Exile 2. The studio continues to develop the game with the goal of delivering a complete experience after this final pre-launch patch.
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