Path of Exile 2 is finally leaving early access. At ExileCon 2026, Grinding Gear Games confirmed that the full 1.0 release lands on December 11, 2026, and that the game goes completely free to play on the same day. It comes with two new classes, two new acts and a new challenge league. Here's everything that was announced, in plain English.
Published November 8, 2026.
Path of Exile 2 1.0 at a glance
| Release date | December 11, 2026 (exact launch hour not announced yet) |
| Price | Free to play, with optional cosmetics and stash tabs |
| Platforms | PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| New classes | Duelist and Shadow |
| New story content | Acts 5 and 6, completing the campaign |
| New league | Conquerors of Wraeclast |
| Revealed | ExileCon 2026 keynote, November 6 (Pacific time) |
The two new classes
Duelist
The Duelist was first shown in August and is the sword class many players have been waiting for. It brings a new Stances system and long-requested skills like Cyclone and Hemorrhage. Its two Ascendancies are reported as the Knight and the Master-at-Arms.
Shadow
The Shadow was the big new reveal at ExileCon. It's a dagger, trap and stealth class built around a new Stealth mechanic: you slip out of sight of monsters, then jump back in for heavy backstab attacks. According to PC Gamer, it can ascend as the returning Assassin or a brand-new Infiltrator. A few outlets list different names, so expect the final wording to be confirmed closer to launch.
Acts 5 and 6: the campaign is complete
Early access has run without a finished story. Version 1.0 adds Acts 5 and 6, so the full campaign is playable from start to finish for the first time. For anyone who has been waiting for the "finished" game before jumping in, this is it.
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Conquerors of Wraeclast league
The launch league is called Conquerors of Wraeclast. The idea is that you build up an army and take over castles across the world, with commanders helping you push your endgame progress. It comes alongside a larger endgame map pool.
Endgame and item changes
- A smaller, stronger Atlas tree: reported at around 70 nodes, with each node doing a lot more than before.
- Lots of new and reworked uniques: more than 100 new or reworked unique items, according to early summaries.
- 60+ new active skills across the classes.
Some content reportedly won't make the 1.0 cut, including the Marauder and Templar classes. Grinding Gear Games has said the game will keep growing after launch.
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Is it worth jumping in on December 11?
If you've been holding off because Path of Exile 2 was paid early access, December 11 is the easy moment to try it: it's free, the story is finished and everyone starts fresh in the new league. On PC, a good gaming mouse with side buttons helps a lot with skill-heavy builds. On PS5, a comfy controller like the DualSense is all you need.
Coming from Diablo? Our Diablo 4 walkthrough covers the other big action RPG if you want to compare.
My take
This is the update a lot of ARPG fans have been waiting for. Free to play, a finished campaign and two of the most-requested classes at once is a strong way to leave early access. The Shadow's stealth and backstab style looks like the most fun new addition. Are you starting Duelist or Shadow on day one?
Sources
- PC Gamer: Path of Exile 2 announces the Shadow pcgamer.com
- MMORPG.com: ExileCon 2026 announcements mmorpg.com
- Gamereactor: Path of Exile 2 leaves early access December 11 gamereactor.eu
- Maxroll: Everything new in Path of Exile 2 1.0 maxroll.gg
- The Escapist: Path of Exile 2 goes free to play December 11 escapistmagazine.com
Written by the WIZY creator
A lifelong gamer and Warhammer painter from Calgary, Canada, and the maker of the Crusade Journal and the WIZY RPG game. I write about games, hardware, Warhammer and crypto in plain English, and I check every fact against its source.
