Summary
Developer Grinding Gear Games is shifting its strategy regardingPath of Exile 2update cycles and is now committed to releasing patches on time (on specific dates), even if it means cutting or delaying planned content—instead of spending time developing a feature without knowing when it will see the light of day. This new strategy marks a change from GGG’s earlier approach withPath of Exile 2, where it prioritized making sure features were 100% complete before releasing, which led to numerous delays.
Path of Exile 2has gone through a lot in its less than six months on the market. The game—which built immense anticipation before release—launched in early access, and while there was still a lot to improve, early impressions from fans were positive, as the game showed clear improvements overPath of Exile 1. However, as expected from an early access title, it needed significant refinement, which GGG immediately started addressing. Some of the changes were well received, while otherPath of Exile 2updates faced heavy criticismfrom fans. GGG has been trying to redeem itself by listening to player feedback and has now come up with a new strategy to improve the game’s development cycle.
During an interview with YouTuber Talkative Tri, director Jonathan Rogers explained the complexity of the trade-off between locking a release date for an update or locking in the features thatPoE 2will include. “If you want to lock the features, you’re able to’t lock the date, and if you want to lock the date, you can’t lock the features,” Rogers said. He explained that GGG has traditionally been “locking dates,” though withPoE 2, the studio shifted to locking features instead. The director admitted that this change wasn’t ideal, as it led to thedelay of somePath of Exile 2features, and now the studio will shift back to locking dates.
Path of Exile 2 Commits to a Four-Month Update Cycle
Rogers said GGG is now moving to consistent four-month update cycles, with the goal of having content ready within that timeframe, as the studio doesn’t “wanna have this kind of uncertainty around this anymore.” This shift will also applytoPath of Exile 1updates, which have also been a struggle for GGG.
Even though the director acknowledged that the new development model could mean that a planned feature won’t be ready by the release date, GGG will prioritize polishing existing content rather than rushing unfinished elements. As the developer continues working onimprovingPath of Exile 2, players should expect to have a clearer idea of GGG’s schedule thanks to the game’s new update cycle.
