Path of Exile 2

Just like on PlayStation 5, Path of Exile 2 launched in early access on December 6, 2024, simultaneously on Xbox Series X/S as well – this time Grinding Gear Games designed with a controller in mind from the start of development, so the interface for selecting spells, items, and elixir flasks feels natural rather than a PC port bolted on afterward, as was the case with the first game four years earlier.

On Xbox Series X/S, the game offers the same content as the PC version: a reworked passive skill tree, a new weapon system that changes the combat style based on what the character is holding, and more tactical, slower combat than the first game. The economy built on currency items instead of gold remains the same, as does funding the game purely through cosmetic microtransactions.

The Series X version benefits from the console's higher performance during dense fights with many effects on screen, while the version for the weaker Series S runs at slightly reduced detail and resolution to keep the game smooth there as well. Progress and equipment are not shared with PC or PlayStation; it's its own, separate game account, just as with the first game.

As with the first game, this one is also completely free and earns revenue only from cosmetic add-ons and storage space, so Xbox Series X/S owners could enter early access without any upfront fee – the only investment was time spent exploring the reworked skill tree and the new weapon system.

The choice between the standard and hardcore league with permanent character death also remains, so Xbox players can choose the same range of difficulty as on PC or PlayStation, just with controls prepared directly for a gamepad instead of a keyboard and mouse. Quick access to spells, flasks, and items is handled by clear radial menus, which Grinding Gear Games fine-tuned back with the console versions of the first game and carried straight over into the sequel.

Why play it: For players with an Xbox Series X/S who want a new ARPG right from day one without waiting for a later port, with controls designed directly for a gamepad.