Next Path of Exile expansion delayed because of PoE 2

Path of Exile 2 ^[1] may finally be out in early access, but that doesn’t mean players have stopped playing the first game entirely. On the contrary, because PoE 2 isn’t completed yet, those who have finished everything the sequel’s early access has to offer have found themselves returning to play the complete Path of Exile.

Another thing to remember is that a sequel doesn’t mean the prequel becomes obsolete. The developer has promised the first game would get a major expansion that will give everyone a reason to return. The problem is that some internal issues caused the major expansion to be delayed indefinitely.

Here’s everything to know about the upcoming Path of Exile expansion and why it was delayed. If you’ve been having a blast in Path of Exile 2 like us then you can always check out Eloking’s Path of Exile 2 marketplace to see if there’s any currency that catches your eye. From orbs to other currencies, we ensure buyers and sellers can conduct business in a safe and regulated environment.

PoE 1 expansion paused due to PoE2 issues

The highly anticipated expansion for Path of Exile 1 (PoE 1) has been delayed indefinitely with no launch date. Game director Jonathan Rogers reveals the delay is because the developers are focusing on addressing critical issues in Path of Exile 2. Rogers explains the team had to shift team members and resources from the first game to its sequel to fix problems such as crashes and end-game balancing.

Rogers acknowledges the decision to move developers from PoE 1 to PoE 2 was a mistake. He says “Honestly, I should have predicted the fact that taking the PoE 1 team off PoE 1 would lead to this outcome, and I probably should have resisted doing it”. They thought they had enough time to manage both games simultaneously, but the challenges in maintaining PoE 2 became overwhelming.

PoE 2 causing resource allocation problems

The launch of PoE 2 in Early Access needed a lot of people to focus on it, leaving PoE 1 without its usual development team. Rogers admits the studio underestimated the difficulty of managing two games concurrently. “We were overconfident. We still need to work out how to structure our studio to make this possible” he says.

The situation worsened when PoE 2’s launch was delayed three weeks, pushing back the timeline to address the game’s issues. Rogers emphasized that the team couldn’t justify moving experienced developers from PoE 2 while it was still “on fire” so most work on PoE 1 has been paused until they resolve the problems.

When will the Path of Exile expansion come out?

The ideal release window for the PoE 1 expansion, referred to as 3.26, was late October, before the launch of PoE 2’s early access. However, the team realized this was unrealistic due to the workload surrounding PoE 2’s launch. They didn’t launch the expansion in December because releasing the expansion after Path of Exile 2’s release would’ve been poorly timed.

The holiday season worsened the situation by making a January release difficult, leaving February as the next option, but that goal is impossible. Rogers explains that the team wanted to return to PoE 1 development after PoE 2’s launch, but numerous issues made it difficult.

Path of Exile's expansion is still in pre-production

Although the PoE 1 expansion isn’t under full development, it’s still in the pre-production phase. Rogers assures fans that the team is trying to deliver the expansion quickly. However, he can’t provide a release date because they must ensure PoE 2’s 0.2.0 update is stable before focusing on PoE 1.

Rogers emphasizes the delay isn’t due to laziness or lack of effort. He said “We still have a lot to learn about how to run two games simultaneously,” “You guys do deserve better than this, and we will get 3.26 out as fast as we can.”

What did fans say about Path of Exile's expansion getting delayed?

The announcement of the delay had mixed reactions from the PoE community. Many fans were happy about Rogers’ honesty because it would build goodwill between the fans and the team. However, some players were unhappy regarding this because they think PoE 1 got reduced priority from the development team. 

The difficulties of supporting two live-service titles

This delay showcases how it is to manage two live service games simultaneously. It’s tough to allocate resources and work on both titles, even though Grinding Gear Games is trying to support PoE 1 and 2. The studio’s focus on PoE 2 has impacted PoE 1, leading to longer gaps between updates for the title.

Rogers acknowledges the studio must rethink its approach to supporting both games. “We still need to work out how to structure our studio to make this possible” he states. The delay in PoE 1’s expansion reveals the hardships of expanding a franchise while maintaining its predecessor.

Despite the problems, Rogers remains optimistic about the future of both games. He assures fans that the team is working to stabilize PoE 2 and resume development on PoE 1. The team will focus on delivering the PoE 1 expansion once the 0.2.0 update for PoE 2 is stable.

FAQs

Why is the first Path of Exile still getting updates?

While Path of Exile 2 is out in early access, the first game in the series still has a very dedicated fanbase. After all, not only is it more complete than Path of Exile 2, but it’s also completely free to play. It costs money to get into the sequel’s early access, which makes the first Path of Exile much more accessible than its counterpart.

With this being said, it isn’t exactly easy to handle two live-service titles simultaneously. You have to remember that PoE’s developing studio, Grinding Gear Games, is fairly small compared to most AAA developers. Therefore, they don’t have the numbers required to ensure two games continue to get major updates, and that shows with the first PoE’s expansion getting delayed.

Was Path of Exile a success?

Path of Exile was a huge success, both critically and commercially. Developed by Grinding Gear Games, it launched in 2013 as a free-to-play action RPG and quickly became one of the most popular alternatives to games like Diablo. Its deep character customization, complex skill system, and regular updates helped it build a dedicated fanbase.

One of the biggest reasons for its success is its fair free-to-play model. While the game has microtransactions, they don’t really affect gameplay much which ensures Path of Exile never becomes pay-to-win. Regular expansions, leagues, and new content have kept the game fresh, allowing it to grow year after year. With Path of Exile 2 on the horizon, the franchise remains a major player in the ARPG genre.

References

1. [1] "Official PoE 2 website". pathofexile2.com. Retrieved February 03, 2025