Path of Exile 2's 1.0 release might slip beyond 2026, but at least we're getting a crafting system that summons skeletons to beat you up when you use it

Grinding Gears will consider extending early access if endgame feedback requires it

Action RPG Path of Exile 2 will very likely hit 1.0 by end of 2026, developers Grinding Gear Games have declared, following one last, endgame-focused early access update that introduces "over 50 hours" of new classes, areas and systems. The definition of "1.0" is rather slippery here, mind, and the developers are already prophesying a few things that might oblige a delay.

The devs have said that a few of the game's planned character classes (there are eight at the moment, with 12 envisaged) might now arrive after the 1.0 launch, in order to free up resources to work on the game's fifth and sixth acts. Grinding Gear might also delay the 1.0 release further based on feedback to their revised endgame. As game director and studio co-founder Jonathan Rogers told Eurogamer at a recent press briefing: "even though our plan is to do 1.0 by the end of the year, if the endgame wasn't accepted, we would continue iterating on it until the point where it was, before we could say 1.0 was good."

As for the aforesaid endgame-focused update, it's called Return of the Ancients and includes: 15 new bosses! Two new Ascendancy subclasses, the Martial Artist (pictured) and Spirit Walker! 40 new items! A challenge system! Extensive revamps for existing leagues (seasons) and areas! And last but not least, an occult crafting system that causes irascible cadavers to appear and kick your head in! Speaking as somebody who has a love hate relationship with crafting systems, I'm most drawn to the latter feature.

Introduced as part of the new Runes of Aldur League, this "Ezomyte Runesmithing" system lets you carve symbols onto Remnants to create a bunch of fantasy gear, "from basic currency items to socketable runes with specific properties". The catch is that you'll need to activate the Remnant to obtain said gear, and activating Remnants resurrects nearby undead and powers them up based on the symbols you've chosen.

If you're trying to make something out of Fire-aligned runes, expect flaming skellingtons. If you're going with Moon-aligned runes, expect "falling lunar beams". Slay all these horrors, and you will finally get your precious Moon-powered Pyjamas, or whatever. It's essentially just a player-triggered wave defence event with a more involving narrative wrapper, I guess, but I like the relationship between what you're making and what you'll summon in the process. The more complex and powerful the Remnant, the more numerous and challenging the opposition.

Return of the Ancients launches on 29th May. Read more about the update over on the official site. Any POE players here? I still giggle when the developers pronounce it "PeeWee" at press events.