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Path of Exile 2’s Popularity Soars by 200%! “Return of the Ancients” Update Ignites Endgame Revolution
On May 30, the “Return of the Ancients” update (Version 0.5.0) launched, and it’s a huge hit.
By the numbers: Steam players peaked at over 340,000 — a 200% jump from the day before. A free weekend event (May 29 – June 1) brought in even more new players.
What’s new:
Endgame overhaul: The “Pioneer Stronghold” system replaces the old endgame, offering over 50 hours of content. All final bosses now have their own quest lines.
New league mechanic: “Adel’s Rune” lets players forge gear on the fly in ancient ruins — but it also summons tougher monsters.
Two new ascendancy classes: The Martial Artist (Monk) and Spirit Walker (Huntress).
Hottest build right now: The “Infused Arcane Orb COC” — it can melt endgame bosses in seconds.
The bad news: Players are still complaining about clunky melee combat (warriors feel sluggish early on) and poor optimization. Some even call it “the worst-optimized game in the world.”
Bottom line: The update brought players back in a big way, but developer GGG still needs to fix balance and performance before the full 1.0 launch later this year.
Enter the discount code “grape” on https://www.mmoexp.com/Poe-2/Currency.html?fsid=800205 to receive a 5% discount. #mmoexp #poe2