Path of Exile 2 Just Rebuilt Its Endgame, But Early Access Still Has a Price Problem

By Lionel Gen Bernard Allkeyshop Gaming News
23 May 2026 1 comment

Path of Exile 2 0.5.0 goes live 29 May with a free weekend, but Early Access still has cheaper, riskier shortcuts.

As of 29 May 2026, Grinding Gear Games’ official Steam post says Return of the Ancients is moving into launch day with servers live at 1 PM PDT, a free weekend, Private Leagues, Twitch Drops and a roughly 40GB Steam patch. At 27,75€ on Steam, the question is no longer whether the update is real. It is which buying route makes sense once the free trial window ends.

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Path of Exile 2 is a next-generation action RPG from Grinding Gear Games, with co-op for up to six players. Set years after the original Path of Exile, you will return to the dark world of Wraeclast and seek to end the corruption that is spreading. Compare Path of Exile 2 deals

Released

Dec 6, 2024

Developer

Grinding Gear Games

Publisher

Grinding Gear Games

Available on

PC · PS5 · Xbox Series

Tags

ActionAdventureMassively MultiplayerRPGEarly Access

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Path of Exile 2 is not a clean launch buy. It is a paid Early Access ARPG with a live endgame, a demanding community and a patch cycle that can change the value conversation fast. Content Update 0.5.0 matters because it targets the part of the game that keeps players grinding after the campaign, not just the first weekend experience.

That makes a fresh price check important. Steam is straightforward at 27,75€, CD-key pricing is only modestly lower around 21,90€, and the Steam Account route can fall much further at about 11,53€. The cheapest option is not automatically the best one, especially if you care about ownership, library control and account security.

Return of the Ancients is now a launch-day test

The official Steam launch post turns Content Update 0.5.0 from promise into schedule: Return of the Ancients goes live on 29 May at 1 PM PDT, after realms go down at 10 AM PDT. It brings the new Runes of Aldur league, six endgame storylines, new systems and the kind of feature stack that can pull lapsed ARPG players back into the map grind.

That does not mean every endgame complaint is solved. The safer read is that Grinding Gear Games is rebuilding the post-campaign loop in public, with more structure, more character identity and more reasons to test builds again. If you only want to sample it, the free weekend covered in our separate POE2 free weekend article is the low-risk route before paying.

The update improves the argument, not the price

Path of Exile 2 is still Early Access, so the value question is different from a finished ARPG. You are paying for access to a live, unfinished version of a game that is still changing. For players who enjoy testing builds, following patch notes and learning systems before the wider audience arrives, that can be part of the appeal.

For everyone else, the 27,75€ Steam price remains a meaningful ask. Return of the Ancients gives you more endgame to test, and the official 50% Early Access Supporter Pack promo through 5 June changes the timing pressure, but it does not turn Early Access into a risk-free purchase. If you want a polished campaign-to-endgame journey with fewer moving parts, waiting for a later build is still rational.

Steam is clean, CD-key is close, Steam Account is the budget route

The cleanest route is Steam at 27,75€ because the game lands directly in your own library. The CD-key route, visible through the Path of Exile 2 price comparison, is around 21,90€ at Gamivo with coupon SUPERDEAL as checked on 29 May 2026, which is a real saving but still not the cheapest route. Prices and coupons move fast, so let the live widget do the final check.

The Steam Account option is the cheapest route at about 11,53€ through Eldorado as checked on 29 May 2026, but it needs a clear warning. You are not buying the same ownership experience as a normal key. Account access can involve trade-offs around credentials, library control, support and long-term convenience, so the low price only makes sense if you understand exactly what that model means.

Buy now if the endgame is the point, wait if polish is the point

If you already know you want Path of Exile 2 for the buildcrafting, bosses, fresh economy resets and long ARPG grind, Return of the Ancients is a strong reason to jump in or return. The update is aimed at the layer of the game that hardcore players care about most, and the CD-key discount can now shave several euros from the entry cost.

If you are mainly curious, the smarter move is to compare prices first and decide how much Early Access uncertainty you are willing to accept. Use the Path of Exile 2 deals page to check the live Steam, CD-key and Steam Account offers, then pick the route that matches your tolerance for price, ownership and risk.

Lionel Gen Bernard

Competitive gaming veteran and Infographics Creator at AllKeyShop, Lionel 'Gen' Bernard made his name in the early days of esports as a professional Unreal Tournament player, competing at the highest level when competitive FPS was still in its infancy. Founder of AllKeyShop, he now brings his competitive DNA to data-driven visual storytelling, producing original infographics and editorial content. His work maps the global gaming landscape through the lens of someone who's lived it from both sides: the arena and the industry.