After playing Path of Exile 2 during Summer Game Fest, I’ve been eagerly awaiting another chance to dive back in. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the lucky few to gain access to the closed beta, but thankfully, PAX West 2024 gave me another shot—or should I say, multiple opportunities—to try the game. Unlike at Summer Game Fest, I was given more time to explore the game’s content.
I jumped back in, first with the Warrior, then returned to the line, which moved faster than the one at the Monster Hunter Wilds booth. This time, I played as the Witch. Afterward, I inquired whether any developers were available for a chat. A few minutes later, I found myself speaking with Chris Laferriere, who is in charge of skill development for Path of Exile at Grinding Gear Games. He was an absolute pleasure to talk to.
I asked Chris about the major changes between Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2, specifically how skills and gems are handled in the game. Chris explained, “I know a lot of players were daunted by the previous system, but in PoE 2, skills are a bit different. The best way to describe it is that they will be more user-friendly, allowing new players to jump in more easily.” He went on to say that the handling of gems has also been streamlined. However, Chris was quick to point out that if veteran Path of Exile players prefer the original system, they’ll still have that option in PoE 2. Essentially, it offers the best of both worlds.
The revamped Gem System makes things easier for both newcomers and long-time players. For starters, no longer will weapons feature gem sockets. Now, there’s a gem menu featuring 9 slots for inserting different skill gems, with the number of available sockets varying based on rarity and linked skills. Instead of discovering pre-equipped skill gems, players will find uncut gems and have the freedom to apply their chosen skills to them. This will allow players to customize their classes to their liking. From what I gathered during my conversation with Chris—who seemed eager to discuss the new system—the reception to these changes has been very positive.
The Witch class was prominently featured at the event, with a massive image of her displayed above the booth. It seems like she’ll be the character I’ll gravitate toward when PoE 2 releases. From the start, the Witch can summon minions automatically using specific items and a resource called Spirit. You aren’t able to directly access the Spirit, but it governs how many abilities or in the Witch’s case, minions you can have up at any time.
Controller support is a big deal for Path of Exile 2, especially with the game coming to consoles, and more PC gamers increasingly opting to use controllers. I brought up the first Path of Exile‘s lackluster controller support and asked Chris what improvements have been made for PoE 2. After a brief smile, he mentioned that controller support is in a great place. Feedback from both Gamescom 2024 and PAX West 2024 has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising how good it feels—including me. The controller support felt natural and much more polished compared to the original PoE. Significant work has been done to make playing with a controller as enjoyable as using a keyboard and mouse, which has been one of their goals. While there’s always room for improvement, it’s clear that they’ve made substantial progress.
I also asked about support for consoles and handheld gaming. That’s when Chris directed me to Trevor Gamon, the Game Director at Grinding Gear Games and the person who is playing a bit part in bringing Path of Exile 2 to consoles.
After spending a few minutes with Trevor, I could tell he was enjoying the vibe of being at PAX West. When I asked about the progress of Path of Exile 2 on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, he pointed out that we’re seeing it in action right now. So far, there hasn’t been any negative feedback—at least none that he had heard—about the game being played on consoles at PAX West. Consoles are in a good place, and Grinding Gear Games is pleased with how things are shaping up. Players should be happy too.
Following that, I asked Chris a bigger question: What about handheld gaming devices? One of the biggest shifts in the PC gaming scene has been the rise of Valve’s Steam Deck, Asus’ ROG Ally/Ally X, and Lenovo’s Legion Go. While these aren’t the only handheld devices on the market, they’ve proven to be among the most powerful, and their respective companies are throwing substantial support behind them.
Chris assured me that Grinding Gear Games hasn’t turned a blind eye to handheld gaming PCs and is fully committed to supporting handheld gaming PCs. Support is definitely on the cards, but it won’t be happening just yet. The team’s current focus is on optimizing the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions of the game. Once that’s accomplished, work will begin on handheld support. While there’s no specific date, Chris hinted that this might not happen until after Path of Exile 2 launches. Regardless, the support is coming.
Speaking with Chris and Trevor was a fantastic experience, and it’s one of the reasons I love attending events like PAX West. Developers are often on hand, eager to discuss the projects they’re passionate about.
Path of Exile 2 will be released on PC, as well as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S via early access on November 15, 2024.
