What is the PoE 2 Boss Rush challenge?

At Gamescom 2025, Grinding Gear Games will host the thrilling Boss Rush challenge for Path of Exile 2 ^[1]. Held at their booth from August 20–24, this timed event gives players 20 minutes to face 15 consecutive bosses. 

You’ll choose from one of seven pre-made builds, test your skills against groups of monsters, and then battle a boss. As each boss falls, a portal opens to the next arena, and the difficulty ramps up with every encounter.

Here’s everything to know about the Path of Exile 2 Boss Russ challenge, including what it is and when it’ll kick off.

Boss structure and mechanics

At Gamescom 2025, CGG is hosting a special “Boss Rush” challenge. Participants have a 20-minute timer to defeat as many bosses as possible. There are 15 consecutive boss encounters drawn from various PoE 2 acts. Each run begins when the timer starts, and players move directly from one boss arena to the next with no downtime.

Players do not use their characters or gear. Instead, each participant chooses one of seven pre-made builds, one per class. These builds are designed to showcase different playstyles and are balanced for boss fights. Before each boss appears, a small pack of monsters spawns to let players test their skills, then the boss itself arrives. They have unlimited attempts to bring down that boss before moving on, as long as it’s within the timer's duration.

After you defeat a boss, a portal instantly opens to the next arena. Importantly, boss difficulty scales up as you progress. Each subsequent boss will be at a higher level than the last. Many of the bosses in the gauntlet have never been seen in public before, giving players a first look at upcoming content. There are 15 unique bosses in the sequence, covering content from early to late game acts. The session ends when the 20-minute timer runs out or all bosses are defeated.

Access and participation

The Boss Rush is only available in person at the Gamescom 2025 convention from August 20th to August 24th at CGG’s booth in Cologne, Germany. Attendees can show up, choose a build, and join the queue. There is no character creation or progression, and the gauntlet is run on demo PCs set up at the booth.

Above the booth, a live leaderboard tracks each player’s performance. Runs are ranked first by the number of bosses defeated, and then by clear time. Each day from 1 PM to 3 PM, CGG will hold 1v1 Boss Rush showdowns featuring invited streamers and content creators. These head-to-head races follow the same rules. After each boss or run, the leaderboard is refreshed so players can see how they stack up.

Prizes and motivators

CGG is offering exclusive prizes and merchandise for top performers at the event. All participants can win branded Path of Exile 2 items based on how many bosses they beat. Although CGG hasn’t detailed every reward, they’ve mentioned “some cool prizes” depending on how many bosses you can beat. CGG often gave out pins, keycaps, stickers, and other merchandise at past live events.

The competitive aspect itself is an incentive. Being atop the daily leaderboard is a big deal, and CGG’s live showdowns might be livestreamed for viewers. Even players who don’t win merch can still earn bragging rights. Currently, there are no announced in-game rewards tied to the Boss Rush. Instead, the emphasis is on real-world rewards and visibility.

What sets these boss fights apart from standard boss fights?

Unlike normal PoE 2 encounters, the Boss Rush is a continuous stream of fights under a strict timer. In the campaign or maps, you fight one boss at a time at your own pace. Here, the pace is much faster and more punishing. You must defeat each boss quickly to reach the next one. There’s no rest between fights as a portal opens immediately after each kill, so any time spent re-entering the fight counts against you.

Under normal gameplay conditions, you spend hours building your character’s gear, gems, and passives. In Boss Rush, these choices are already made for you. You use a preset character with fixed gear and skills. This removes preparation time and ensures a level playing field, but also means strategies rely on outplaying the boss rather than out-gearing it. There is no loot or experience to gain. The goal is purely to clear bosses, not to progress your character.

Finally, Boss Rush is designed as a competitive showcase, whereas normal boss fights are a core gameplay element. The inclusion of leaderboards and 1v1 matchups means players may adopt meta-strategies. This competitive angle is entirely new for PoE 2, shifting the emphasis from pure survival to speed and efficiency.

References

1. [1] "Official PoE 2 website". pathofexile2.com. Retrieved July 23, 2025