Every Path of Exile 2 early access update and challenge league in order – from the December 2024 launch to Return of the Ancients, Forbidden Rites and the 1.0 release on December 11, 2026.
Updated 1 November 2026Checked for patch patch 0.5.5e11 sources
Image: Path of Exile / YouTube
Path of Exile 2 entered early access on December 6, 2024, and Grinding Gear Games has grown it with a big update every few months. Most updates launch a new challenge league – a fresh economy with its own mechanic – plus new classes, ascendancies and endgame systems. Below is every major update in order, ending with the 1.0 full release on December 11, 2026. Use the buttons to filter.
How leagues work
Fresh startEach challenge league starts a new economy. Everyone begins at level 1 with an empty stash.
A new mechanicEvery league adds a temporary mechanic – like Abyss, the Vaal temple or runesmithing – that can later join the core game.
Standard lives onWhen a league ends, its characters and items move to the permanent Standard (or Hardcore) league.
Hardcore and SSFEvery league also has Hardcore (one life) and Solo Self-Found (no trading) versions.
Update · December 6, 2024 · paid early access through supporter packs on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S
Six starting classes
New class · Warrior, Ranger, Witch, Sorceress, Mercenary and Monk
12 ascendancies
New ascendancy · Two for each class – Titan, Warbringer, Deadeye, Pathfinder, Infernalist, Blood Mage, Stormweaver, Chronomancer, Witchhunter, Gemling Legionnaire, Invoker and Acolyte of Chayula
Acts 1–3 and the Atlas
Content · Three acts plus Cruel difficulty, then the Atlas of Worlds endgame with Waystones and Precursor Towers
0.2 – Dawn of the Hunt
April 2025 · 4 entries
Dawn of the Hunt
Update · April 4, 2025 · the first major early access update
Dawn of the Hunt league
Challenge league · The first fresh-economy challenge league; Azmeri spirit wisps lead you to monsters and empower them
Huntress
New class · A Dexterity class built around spears and bucklers, both new item types
Five new ascendancies
New ascendancy · Amazon and Ritualist (Huntress), Smith of Kitava (Warrior), Tactician (Mercenary) and Lich (Witch)
0.3 – The Third Edict
August 2025 · 4 entries
The Third Edict
Update · August 29, 2025 · overhauled support gems and removed Cruel difficulty
Rise of the Abyssal
Challenge league · Abyssal pits spawn Abyssal monsters; their Abyssal Bones add desecrated modifiers you reveal at the Well of Souls
Act 4 and three Interludes
Content · A non-linear island act plus three Interludes that carry you to around level 65 before the endgame
Abyssal Lich
New ascendancy · A secret variant of the Lich, unlocked through the Abyss pinnacle
0.4 – The Last of the Druids
December 2025 · 4 entries
The Last of the Druids
Update · December 12, 2025
Fate of the Vaal
Challenge league · Sacrifice empowered monsters at Vaal structures to build a Vaal temple room by room – its pinnacle is Atziri
Druid
New class · A Strength/Intelligence shapeshifter who uses Talismans to turn into a bear, wolf or wyvern
Oracle, Shaman and Disciple of Varashta
New ascendancy · Two Druid ascendancies plus a third Sorceress ascendancy that commands djinn
0.5 – Return of the Ancients
May 2026 · 5 entries
Return of the Ancients
Update · May 29, 2026 · the last major early access update, with a full endgame rework
Runes of Aldur
Challenge league · Ezomyte runesmithing – activate ancient remnants, survive elemental waves and forge runes
Spirit Walker and Martial Artist
New ascendancy · A third ascendancy for the Huntress and for the Monk
New endgame
Content · Atlas questlines, a rebuilt Atlas passive tree and a new pinnacle boss, the Arbiter of Divinity
Forbidden Rites
Event · September 4, 2026 · patch 0.5.5 spreads Ritual encounters across the campaign and reworks the Trial of Chaos
1.0 – Full release (upcoming)
December 2026 · 3 entries
Full release
Update · December 11, 2026 · early access ends and the game becomes free-to-play
New class · The first sword-wielding class, with two ascendancies at launch
The final two acts
Content · Completes the campaign
Section images: official Path of Exile 2 trailers (Path of Exile / YouTube).
What's next
Path of Exile 2 leaves early access on December 11, 2026 and becomes free-to-play. 1.0 adds the Duelist and the last two acts of the campaign. Grinding Gear Games is expected to share more at ExileCon in Auckland in November – see our ExileCon and patch 0.5.5e news for dates and times.
Reference page written by AI (Claude) and checked against the sources above. Games change with every patch – the patch this page was last checked for is shown at the top.
