Path of Exile 2‘s latest update has caused major frustration from players as Grinding Gear Games implemented significant changes to combat pacing.
The update dramatically slows down player movement and abilities while maintaining high enemy speed and overwhelming monster density, creating what many describe as an unbalanced and frustrating experience.
The controversial change represents a shift toward more tactical combat, apparently inspired by Souls-like games that emphasize timing and strategy. However, players argue this approach clashes with the core identity of ARPGs, which traditionally thrive on fast action and the satisfying destruction of enemy hordes.
“The campaign is slow and arduous, the endgame feels heavily gated by bad loot drops, and poor progression,” commented one player, highlighting a common sentiment throughout the community. This frustration is amplified by inadequate loot drops during the first three acts, leaving players with few meaningful character upgrades.
The crafting system has also come under fire for being ineffective at this stage of development. Without reliable ways to improve gear through either drops or crafting, players feel that progression has become unnecessarily difficult, further slowing an already deliberately paced experience.
While boss fights have received praise for their challenging yet rewarding design, standard enemy encounters have become a source of constant irritation. Common mobs now feel disproportionately dangerous compared to their significance, creating a gameplay loop where regular encounters feel more punishing than epic boss battles.
The long campaign length compounds these issues, with players reporting that progress feels repetitive and sluggish. For a genre that typically rewards players with a sense of growing power and speed, the current implementation feels contradictory to player expectations.
Already doing damage control
Grinding Gear Games has acknowledged community feedback and suggested they’re considering adjustments to better align with player expectations.
Today we are continuing to work on changes based on player feedback and this is a list of the updates that we have finished internally. We will be deploying the following changes over the next few days. Find out more in today's news post.https://t.co/tCqN6Z3q53 pic.twitter.com/nwsmm5o6uD
— Path of Exile (@pathofexile) April 9, 2025
Similar games like Diablo 4 have previously navigated similar challenges in balancing speed with strategy, often reverting to faster gameplay after community pushback.
Path of Exile built its reputation on deep character customization and fast combat that rewarded skilled players. The original game became a fan favorite precisely because it embraced speed and power as players progressed.
This dramatic shift in philosophy has left many wondering if the developers have misunderstood what made the original so special.
