Hoo boy. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) has launched a brand new replace video, delivered by Path of Exile 2 director Jonathan Rogers, which delivers some unhealthy information to followers of the unique Path of Exile. And in its wake there are tears aplenty, tearing of clothes, and an terrible lot of copium being huffed.
GGG launched PoE in 2013, and since then it has launched important updates regularly. The studio had promised that, after the discharge of PoE2, it will keep each video games concurrently, and proceed to assist PoE with expansions.
“And we do intend to maintain that promise,” says Rogers. “But it is definitely been quite a bit more durable to ship on it than what we anticipated.”
Rogers says the difficulty began after the discharge of PoE enlargement Settlers of Kalguur in July 2024, at which level the plan was to launch replace 3.26 in late October simply earlier than the launch of PoE2 in early entry.
“But we simply did not assume we may do it,” says Rogers. “It was too near the large circus that was the organisation round PoE 2’s launch. But we additionally did not need to launch it instantly after PoE2 both. So that form of dominated out December.” Eventually the studio settled on February as a result of “we did not assume it was attainable to do it any sooner than that.”
It was, sadly, solely storing up issues. “PoE2’s finish sport wanted lots of work,” says Rogers. “Having the blokes on the PoE1 group assist out for 3 months on PoE2 [before launch], provided that 3.26 was seven months away, appeared like a no brainer and man did PoE2 want it. The drawback is we obtained to the center of October and PoE2’s launch was imminent, and I’ll let you know what, taking individuals off PoE2 at that time was unattainable. The endgame was not in a shippable state however, you recognize what, if the PoE group simply stored serving to till PoE2 shipped in late November, we may nonetheless do it… we simply wanted to ship this rattling sport first, get it out of the best way, we actually could not take into consideration the rest till it was accomplished.”
Rogers admits “we had been fooling ourselves” as a result of, after PoE2 launched, it instantly bumped into a complete host of its personal issues that wanted fixing. “How may we take into consideration making a PoE enlargement after we nonetheless have a whole lot of hundreds of individuals having a foul expertise in PoE 2? There are crashes, there are extreme endgame steadiness issues, how may I justify taking a few of the most skilled builders now we have off PoE2 when it is on fireplace?”
After Christmas GGG’s administration assessed the scenario and got here to a reasonably affordable conclusion. “The most pressing precedence was getting PoE2 to some extent the place it did not have main points,” says Rogers. “And it is arduous to even take into consideration what PoE wants when PoE2 has apparent issues that want fixing.”
And right here comes the unhealthy information. “We cannot actually work on PoE 3.26 till PoE2 0.2.0 has shipped. And then, being sincere, we in all probability have to assist that for a few weeks after that as nicely. [But] as soon as 0.2.0 is finished I promise we are going to divert as many assets as are wanted from our firm to get 3.26 accomplished as quickly as attainable.”
The bit that basically has individuals up in arms: “Unfortunately I simply can’t promise a date proper now,” admits Rogers. “I’m actually sorry for a way this went down. Honestly I ought to have predicted the truth that taking the PoE group off PoE1 would result in this consequence.
“And I in all probability ought to have resisted doing it, however at each stage I simply stored pondering ‘we nonetheless have time, we nonetheless have time.’ And then we did not have time anymore.”
Rogers ends by thanking gamers for his or her assist, and saying “you guys do deserve higher than this, and we are going to get 3.26 out as quick as we are able to.”
As company mea culpas go, I do not assume that is a foul one. The reasoning is pretty simple and Rogers comes throughout as sincere and speaking to the sport’s viewers just like the grown-ups they’re. But in fact, nonetheless it is delivered, that is unhealthy information for PoE followers.
Visit the subreddit if you wish to see gamers within the territory of pure cope, as a result of this information of a delay is being handled like PoE has simply been learn the final rites. There are claims that PoE is in some way now a “rip-off”, or that GGG is making ready to “pull the plug” on the unique sport, and loads of hand-on-hips speak about “obligations to the purchasers.”
Some followers are digging by way of earlier interviews for indicators that GGG knew this was coming, due to this fact proving… one thing? The hair-rending is such that one participant even instructed renaming the subreddit to Grave of Exile.
You need memes? Dead man strolling, “PoE1 is kil”, lengthy reside the king, Reviewbrah, heck let’s get some Berzerk up on this.
Weirdly sufficient, the Berzerk submit is likely one of the extra philosophical in regards to the scenario, although once more the whiff of copium is simple. “Whatever has occurred is prior to now, and no matter is forward—good or unhealthy—will go as nicely,” says the one-and-only N00bWarrior. “I don’t need this to weigh on me anymore. I have to make peace with myself and let go of this burden.
“To me, PoE and PoE 2 are just like the legendary Dragonslayer sword wielded by Guts. Even Guts, with all his power and dedication, can’t carry two Dragonslayers on the similar time. Perhaps GGG wants to simply accept this fact as nicely. Even guys like GGG can’t assist two large video games on the similar time.”
There is a complete load of this existential-leaning stuff. “Worst case state of affairs simply occurred,” says OanSur. “It’s not a delay, it is admitting that they pulled individuals away from PoE1 to deal with PoE2 and the discharge of something PoE1 associated is extremely unlikely.”
Its over, we’re accomplished guys from r/pathofexile
“You will all the time be remembered” from r/pathofexile
Press F to Pay Respects from r/pathofexile
I do really feel prefer it’s price stating at this stage no one has died. And Path of Exile shouldn’t be being deserted by GGG: It is obvious from the apology video that the studio’s intention is to work on the sport once more.
That does in fact stay to be seen, and I would not need to come throughout as wholly credulous. But there’s a wider query of naivety and expectations right here: PoE was first launched in October 2013 and has obtained numerous updates and expansions for greater than a decade. It is hardly shocking that the studio’s focus has shifted to the 2024 sequel that presently has a whole lot of hundreds of day by day gamers, however for some that is a private grievance. You see this with different video games, like Vermintide, the place devotees of the unique act completely wounded that the studio dared to maneuver on to a sequel.
GGG in all probability should not have dedicated to supporting PoE concurrently with PoE2, or at the very least ought to have been clearer about what that might imply when it comes to replace cadence and the studio’s focus usually. But I do not assume it is executed some form of rug-pull right here or means to deceive any of the PoE playerbase: It feels prefer it’s belatedly gotten to grips with the issue, realised it may possibly’t do all the pieces it needs to do, and is at the very least speaking that brazenly. PoE gamers have each proper to be upset by an indefinite delay to their subsequent tranche of content material: I’m simply unsure it is the tip of the world, or of the sport itself.
