Diablo’s biggest rival has convinced me to give it a second chance when it leaves early access later this year on Xbox, thanks to its amazing new class
Path of Exile 2, the popular Diablo-like action RPG in early access, will launch its full 1.0 version as free-to-play on December 11, 2026, across PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Developer Grinding Gear Games announced the release date during Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, also unveiling a new Duelist class and the long-awaited Sword weapon type—a notable addition absent since early access began on December 4, 2024.
The Duelist class and Sword weapons were showcased through gameplay footage that detailed the class’s abilities and potential endgame build combinations. The inclusion of Swords addresses a significant gap in the game’s weapon arsenal that persisted throughout the early access period.
Path of Exile 2’s transition to full release represents a major milestone for the title, which has been in active development and receiving regular updates since launching nearly two years earlier. The free-to-play model continues the franchise’s established approach, ensuring broad accessibility across console and PC platforms.