Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients is overhauling the endgame ahead of 1.0 release

The final major update for Path of Exile 2 before it leaves early access is coming later this month with an endgame overhaul.

Grinding Gear Games has been delivering massive content drops to its action RPG Path of Exile 2 since its early access release in 2024. The studio is now preparing for a full release, but ahead of that, another free expansion is hitting the game later this month. Dubbed Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients, it is aiming to revamp the endgame portion, adding five new storylines, a new league, new ascendancy classes, and more. This is being called the studio's biggest update it has ever made.

The update's new league introduces a rune crafting system, letting players build items by inscribing symbols into Ezomyte Remnants they find. The type of item that's created depends on how players combine the symbols, with everything from currency to socketable runes coming out as a result.

Heading to these Runesmithing sites and activating them will reanimate the undead nearby, and depending on how powerful the rune being made is, these enemies will also upgrade in power. This also leads into the new Kalguuran class-agnostic magic system that uses a new defensive resource (Runic Ward) that stays apart from mana.

Next, players can explore the newly redesigned Atlas that offers a fully explorable endgame world, where they can easily plan out what objectives to hit while doing quests. This is also where a massive fortress from a precursor civilization transforms the landscape. Diving into these, players can trigger the new storylines, fight new enemies, and access endgame bosses that previously needed random key drops.

There are a couple of new ascendancy classes too, including the Spirit Walker for the Huntress and Martial Artist for the Monk, who can now channel Azmerian spirits, summon beasts, and empower projectiles, as well as use illusion-based combat, resonance strikes, runic tattoos, and stonefist transformations, respectively.

The massive update also brings expanded mechanics and storylines for previously released leagues, which can now be found at fixed locations in the new Atlas. There are over 40 unique items, a challenge system for gaining the Knight of Aldur armour set, and quality of life improvements like navigational landmarks, instant trade price checks, and an in-game build guide system. A full changelog will land closer to the update's launch.

The Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients update is releasing on May 29 for all owners. Following that, Grinding Gear Games will be working on shipping the 1.0 version of the game, which it plans to launch in 2026. This is slated to happen sometime after Exilecon this year, which is kicking off this November.

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Posted Friday 8 May 2026 at 1:04 pm AEST (my time).

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