Path of Exile 2: Why Patch 0.2.0 Must be Addressed Now

Path of Exile 2’s latest update, Dawn of the Hunt, shook things up in the world of ARPGs by implementing a slew of changes aimed at diversifying gameplay and enhancing the overall player experience. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for controversy to arise. Many in the community were taken aback by the extensive nerfs across numerous builds, items, and skills, even those not ranking at the top of the meta. Worse still, one of the key endgame progression systems was significantly impacted, prompting concerns that Grinding Gear Games (GGG) might need to either reverse these changes or make immediate improvements.

There’s a notable gap between Path of Exile 2’s current state and GGG’s ambitious vision for it—something clearly highlighted during an interview with content creator Zizaran, who spoke with game developers Jonathan Rogers and Mark Roberts. This disconnect has resulted in updates that, at times, miss the mark with player expectations, causing the community’s sentiment to waver. The patch 0.2.0 update serves as a prime example, which, despite introducing various modifications, saw an overall reduction in endgame loot—a change that’s proven hard for GGG to ignore as players voice their dissatisfaction. Steam reviews have dropped to Mixed, highlighting the community’s discontent.

In response to the mounting feedback, GGG has been busy implementing further adjustments since Dawn of the Hunt was released. The recent patch 0.2.0 has particularly affected the looting aspect of Path of Exile 2’s endgame, making the grind more tedious and seemingly less rewarding. Players have noted that even the campaign mode offers scant impactful loot, hindering progress through the story and into the endgame, only to find similar issues persisting there.

With the upcoming patch 0.2.0g, GGG aims to tackle several concerns, although not comprehensively. The anticipated changes include:

– Enhanced loot drops from bosses during the campaign.
– Improved loot quality from bosses across all game modes, including endgame.
– Better loot drops from monsters influenced by Azmerian Spirits.

While these tweaks might be steps in the right direction, they fall short of addressing the core problem. The current campaign progression is sluggish, and the power growth for characters feels stunted. Dawn of the Hunt’s sweeping nerfs have left the loot system crippled, diminishing Rarity and drop rates across the board. Consequently, players enter the endgame with limited upgrades and face challenging currency acquisition rates.

There is a pressing need for GGG to revert some of these loot changes introduced in patch 0.2.0, and they should act sooner rather than later. Historically, GGG is known for nerfing game elements they see as problematic, often rendering them irrelevant thereafter. The fate of loot in Dawn of the Hunt mirrors this pattern, and while upcoming improvements are anticipated, the endgame loot and progression remain unaddressed for now. This oversight could be costly, as the newly launched Season 2 for competitor ARPG Last Epoch has attracted significant attention, coaxing some Path of Exile 2 players to explore other options. Nevertheless, the fresh Ascendancies and features in Dawn of the Hunt still make it a tempting time to dive into the game. However, reversing some of these loot changes could go a long way in reclaiming the loyalty of its player base.