"Path of Exile 1 3.26 Development Paused Until Path of Exile 2 0.2.0 Release, Apologizes Dev"

Grinding Gear Games, the developer behind the beloved action RPG Path of Exile series, recently issued an apology to fans of the original game. The studio had to delay the eagerly awaited 3.26 update for Path of Exile 1, initially slated for late October and then rescheduled for mid-February, due to ongoing issues with Path of Exile 2. The last league release for Path of Exile 1 was the Settlers of Kalguur in July 2024.

In a candid video message, Path of Exile 2's game director and GGG co-founder Jonathan Rogers explained the situation. The team from Path of Exile 1 was reassigned to tackle critical endgame issues in Path of Exile 2 ahead of its December launch. Despite their efforts, the complexities of Path of Exile 2's development meant that returning to work on the 3.26 update for Path of Exile 1 in time was unfeasible.

"We were fooling ourselves," Rogers admitted, highlighting the unforeseen challenges and the necessity to prioritize Path of Exile 2's immediate needs, including fixing crashes and balance issues. He emphasized the difficulty in pulling experienced developers away from Path of Exile 2 when it was facing significant problems. "How could I justify taking some of the most experienced developers we have off PoE2 when it’s on fire?" Rogers questioned.

The Path of Exile 1 team will continue to focus on Path of Exile 2 until at least the release of version 0.2.0, and possibly a couple of weeks beyond that. Rogers expressed regret over the situation and acknowledged the misjudgment in initially reallocating resources. "I’m really sorry for how this went down," he said, admitting that he should have anticipated the impact of shifting the team's focus.

Rogers also shared that GGG is still learning how to manage the development of two games simultaneously. "We were overconfident. We still need to work out how to structure our studio to make this possible," he stated, while assuring fans that the studio has a clear plan for the delayed 3.26 update for Path of Exile 1.

Path of Exile 2 finally launched in early access on December 6, 2024, across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, achieving remarkable success and becoming the 15th most-played game on Steam. For those diving into Path of Exile 2, guides on class selection, including early builds for the Mercenary and Sorceress classes, are available, along with tips on acquiring more Spirit, trading, and ascending.