When Path of Exile 2 early access ends, Grinding Gear Games won't be murdering your beloved characters

(Image credit: Grinding Gear Games)

Path of Exile 2 early access finally kicks off today, perfectly timed for a debauched weekend of murdering monsters in Wraeclast. Pals, I will not be moving from my chair. My dog's gonna have to walk himself (don't worry, I'm not really this terrible). Early access—whether it's singleplayer, multiplayer or live service—usually means you shouldn't get too attached to your characters or campaigns. Full launch often means a fresh start. This is true of Path of Exile 2, as well, but that doesn't mean Grinding Gear Games is going to wipe everything.

If you're a PoE veteran, you'll likely be familiar with the league system. Leagues are essentially PoE's take on seasons, introducing new mechanics, loot and twists. At the start of a new league, you make a fresh character, and when the league is over they're moved over to the standard league—the one that never actually ends. You can consider early access its own league, but with one key difference: your characters will never be moved to the standard league.

When early access ends, then, there will be no wipes, but any characters you make, and all of their loot, will be stuck in the early access league forever. Technically, this means you will still be able to keep playing them. But it's important to note that you won't be able to play with anyone in the standard or future leagues, and balance changes might end up breaking the early access league.

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I doubt I'll have much compulsion to play my old early access characters, but it'll be nice to know that they're still kicking around. Early access is expected to take six months, and in that time I suspect I'll make quite a few of them, so I don't want all that work to be erased, even if I'll not be getting any use out of them.

Needless to say, I am rather excited about finally mucking around in Wraeclast with you all. Some of us at PCG have already been playing, along with other journalists and content creators, so we already have quite a lot to share with you, including some build ideas to help get you started, lots of beginner tips, and our thoughts on how the early access build is shaping up. So keep an eye out for those today and over the coming weeks.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.