The highly anticipated sequel to Path of Exile finally launched into Early Access over the weekend, and players were equal parts excited and hesitant to see what the game would bring. After all, Early Access can mean a lot of different things in terms of quality, and fans have been waiting a long time for the follow-up. But fans are feeling optimistic despite a few snags with launch weekend thanks to a recent developer update listing upcoming changes to Path of Exile 2 in response to player feedback.
Videos by ComicBook.com
While the purpose of Early Access is to collect feedback from players before full launch, not all developers are transparent about how said feedback is applied. Some games linger in Early Access with little communication or updates, but players are happy to see that Grinding Gear Games does not appear to be taking that approach with Path of Exile 2. Their recent blog post highlights changes in direct response to player feedback from launch weekend, including some issues that have already been updated and a roadmap for additional fixes that will be addressed soon.
Major changes include updates to make dodge rolls less frustrating, adding additional checkpoints and the ability to teleport between them, as well as tweaks to items and currency to better balance the rewards players receive for their actions. Other attempts to make rewards more, well, rewarding include improving the rewards earned from battling rare monsters and reducing chances of unlucky drops from bosses.
Most of the proposed changes have already been implemented, while the other major updates should be available later this week, in time for the second weekend in Early Access. Changes yet to come include fixing the missing rare monsters on the endgame minimap and continuing to tweak checkpoints in response to ongoing player reports.
Path of Exile 2 Developers Quick to Respond to Players’ Biggest Gripes
While it’s easy for a developer to say they’re listening to player feedback, the response from fans truly reveals whether or not updates reflect the player base’s wishes. In this case, Path of Exile 2 players are thrilled with the new and upcoming changes to the game in Early Access.
In particular, the teleportation between checkpoints is a winner, with many players calling it a “gamechanger.” Before, gamers were frustrated at spending so much time traversing the map to double back for side quests, and being able to more quickly fast travel throughout the map will make it easier to enjoy this content without the slog. For those who have completionist tendencies, being able to more easily double back for missed content and side quests will massively improve the Path of Exile 2 experience.
RELATED: Path of Exile 2 Update Confirms What’s Getting Nerfed First
One player praises the planned adjustments as “massively in touch,” noting that it’s impressive to see a team buffing loot and currency in response to player feedback, rather than simply making the game easier. That way, those who enjoy the challenge don’t lose out, while more tools allow those who are struggling to find creative solutions for difficult bosses.
“There are still a lot more changes to come, these are just some of the changes that are fast for us to make,” Grinding Gear Games said in the post. “We will be continuing to monitor feedback and adjusting things as we go.”
It’s rare to see such overwhelming positive fan response to changes and updates, but it’s clear that this update plan is indeed a “Massive W” that sets an exciting precedent for the Early Access period and beyond.
