Question 1

What is the next major PoE 2 patch?

Accepted Answer

Patch 0.5 — Return of the Ancients (May 29, 2026) — the final pre-1.0 early-access content update. Adds the Runes of Aldur Challenge League mechanic centered on Ezomyte Runesmithing, 2 new Ascendancy classes, 50+ hours of new endgame content across 5 new questlines with 15 new bosses, and a rebuilt Atlas with 300+ nodes.

Question 2

When does PoE 2 fully release (1.0)?

Accepted Answer

GGG has not announced a specific 1.0 date but has confirmed it's still slated for 2026, after the Patch 0.5 — Return of the Ancients early-access cycle wraps up.

Question 3

What's the current Path of Exile 2 league?

Accepted Answer

Fate of the Vaal, running on patch 0.4 "The Last of the Druids". The next patch — 0.5 Return of the Ancients — launches May 29, 2026 with the Runes of Aldur Challenge League replacing Fate of the Vaal.

Question 4

How many acts does the Path of Exile 2 campaign have?

Accepted Answer

Early Access PoE 2 ships with 4 acts plus 3 interludes — a six-Act-equivalent campaign that every fresh character runs through to reach the Atlas. The full 6-act campaign arrives at 1.0 launch.

Question 5

Which Path of Exile 2 bosses are the Pinnacle bosses?

Accepted Answer

The Pinnacle ladder in current PoE 2 includes Arbiter of Ash, King in the Mists, the Trialmaster, and Xesht. Each is gated behind specific Atlas mechanics or trial progress, and several require crafted summoning items: King in the Mists is summoned via the Audience with the King item chain (assemble five fragments from citadel completions), and Trialmaster access runs through the Trial of Chaos.

Question 6

Is Path of Exile 2 free-to-play?

Accepted Answer

Yes. PoE 2 is free-to-play on PC (Windows, macOS), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S during Early Access and at the 1.0 launch. Cosmetic stash tabs and microtransactions are the monetisation; no gameplay content is paywalled.