Seriously, what's up with POE2? This is the story of Path of Exile 2 so far, from its jam-packed beginnings to its certainly controversial present. Grinding Gear Games is cooking up quite the ARPG for us, now aren't they? Enjoy, my fellow totally sane exiles.
Massive credit to all the amazing PoE creators who contributed to this video: @CaptainLance9, @SchwingyGaming, @hawg_tv, @dreamcore_gg, @OMGItsJousis, and @KittenCatNoodle, as well as @playpathofexile and @KamilOrmanJanowski for the POE2 footage and music. Additionally, footage from @dmdiablo4, @GhazzyTV, @Zizaran, @Kripparrian, @wudijo, @ZiggyDGaming, and @JoshStrifeHayes was used to make this poe2 video.
Chapters...
What's Up With POE2? - 0:00
The POE2 Reveal - 1:58
The Curious Silence - 6:08
The Shock Change - 8:10
Huge Scope Creep - 12:53
Path of Exile 2's Future - 18:39
Retrospective - 21:10
#pathofexile #pathofexile2 #poe #poe2
Lots of comments about the full acquisition of GGG by Sixjoy/Tencent, going from 87% ownership since 2018 to 100% in March 2024. I am giving GGG some time to address it before I dive in. My high-level take is nothing will change, GGG will continue to make excellent game(s). Thank you all for the tremendous support on this video! Another hits Saturday.
What can Tencent do now that they couldn't do before?
Tbh I don't think the full acquisition will change anything. Tencent usually doesn't lay hands on the production, just buys the companies. Same thing happened to Digital Extreme (devs of Warframe) and the game didn't take a different route from where it was already going. I feel like these delays are just a product of the development pipeline. They have an impossible amount of shit to get through and don't want to fumble it. THeres already SO MUCH hype, time and resources invested on it that the beta itself already has to be robust, let alone the launch
@@rubisco5997 The question is not what tencent can do but what Chris and Jonathan won't do now that they don't have any financial investment more than their salarys.
@@Linahres007 The question is, does Tencent supply the necessary funding to have two games running at the same time or will we just get mediocre leagues in both games now
@@n91312obviously or they wouldnt make that deal?
Chris's emotion just pouring out for PoE2's unveiling gets me every time, such a great moment
I think it's one of your best videos in a while TakTri, you came back to the roots of addressing the history that take us back to what where and why. I am sure it took a lot of a digging time, but that is why i subscribed to your channel in the first place.
Thanks a bunch, exile. I appreciate it.
Whenever it does come out, I'm going to jump so deep into that game they'll never find me again.
This is your best video to date, love your content. Keep up with the good work
I'm still hyped, but it's taking a lot of mental energy to keep up this hype years past the anticipated initial release. I'd rather I didn't know about it at all in advance.
I feel the same, as someone who was ultra-hyped since the announcement in 2019... Is such a pain waiting all this years, and the game is delayed again is like a kick in the balls... to be honest I don't think this game will even be released this year... Is like you said: "I'd rather I didn't know about it at all in advance".
@@NihiloNihilum to be fair it wasn't expecting a full release until l sometime in 2025.
Dont act like u are doing something epic hard. Its simple. If u love PoE, u are not hyped. Cuz you know that its gonna be the best sht u've ever played. Imagine what it takes to make a game for thousands like u.
@@salvadorscar6057 Actually, I know damn well...
@@ChrisWhitonSure bro.
About halfway through the video and I just want to say Mark from GGG is the success story I wish more game companies like this would champion and promote. He started as a QA tester, proves his love and passion for the game, apparently worked his absolute ass off for several years, and now he's the #1 lead designer on it making decisions hand in hand with Owners of the original company. Just an absolute success story of hard work and passion.
That was a great Video Essay, Tri. Well done
I wonder if there's any connection to the completion of the sale and the current status (and radio silence) of POE2. They went from hyping this game for June/July beta to selling their remaining shares and delaying the beta until the end of the year. Intriguing.
i agree, i think the 3 of them selling their remaing shares to tencent has something to do with the delay. and it was done quietly
Quality Video as always Tri, your 10-year evolution Video is the reason I play the game; keep it up!
Missed your stuff, man. You have such a great voice for entertainment. Hope you and the family are well!
Hahaha the prediction section had me chuckling. Amazing summary, got me both sad and hyped again :)
Holy quality video! Incredible work here you're going places
last point was fucking dumb, if i told my wife i was going to give her a something she really wanted, something she waited for years to get. Then a short while before she was going to get it said she has to wait a year to get it, she would be pissed. With that said i dont mind the delay, just the fact that they give us an date that the beta is going out then take it back just before. just dont give out a fucking date.
The give a date then take back is the bad part.. . Some people set their vacation for that month exactly because of it
When new video from TT rings, I am thinking whether is PoE I or PoE II about :)
could you dig into the stock share sell out of the three founders Hawg was talking about in his recent video?
im waiting for STALKER 2 for 20 years now, i dont mind giving GGG another 3 years if its going to mean getting a great game. i dont mind the WASD adding in crossbow or hell, even as a spell caster. new game, new features
thanks for the recap :}
:D
One point I haven't seen discussed about and we can cirle back to now is: Now that Path of Exile 2 is not PoE 4.0, what is Path of Exile 4.0 going to be like?
Very good question, do we know how many leagues will be coming before 4.0?
@@th1zzend220 no. We don’t. But I’d guess 4.0 will not happen before the launch of PoE2 unless they want to surprise us again in July
But ggg is now 100% sold
Makes you wonder.......
Tencent usually doesn’t really meddle in profitable companies they own. They don’t want to fuck up a company that makes them money.
This is your jam! Great video. I agree we are all anxious and vocal about PoE2 because we are passionate about it. Let them cook indeed.
Stopped playing back in scourge and was planning on jumping back in with POE 2 but it got delayed a bunch and here I am still waiting.
Can't tell if you managed to find some clips from twitch or got the other creators to say the title for you - eitherway it's amazing!
I reached out and asked a few people :)
I really hope they dont make the mistake by making it souls-like in its difficulty. Would be disasterous. The popularity in POE is not of its difficulty of combat. Its the complexity and in depth of its skill and crafting system. Otherwise everyone would play Ruthless, which no-one obviously plays.
Considering the roll out of ruthless, lake of kalandra and the their defense if it, and even the current league, I'm betting it's very dark souls like
can yu provide the footage you used on this video? They look cool
It's all on my second channel, Explorative Tri!
@@TalkativeTri Ohhh nice
i wish game will be really hard in terms of gameplay and not creating builds. And this dark souls follow-up will be massive. To be different than just a brain-mastering game like poe 1 and other hns. Where those skill synergies are really matter even in end-game till we really spent a looooot to get bis items to be allowed to game-breaking and overcome the diffuclty with items
Premieres in 7 hours?! Aww but Im ready now lol.
I would like to watch it live with you all, I’m in the office today and it’s a LONG one :)
@@TalkativeTri Just curious what do you do? Aside from yt obviously. If you're willing to answer.
I'm a Director of Paid Media. I run a team, manage massive recruitment campaigns, and experiment lots of different media platforms and media management tools.
Never not delay, you can release the game only once.
We're so back!
This was a great video.. Thanks
Preper your computer of NASA.
Hey bro, it’s great to have you back! ❤
A good one, as always. Sadly too late for my time zone
well hog the content creator pointed out that why did ggg sell all of its remaining stock in late march to tencent? is that why its being delayed? if that is true; well what would happen to poe2?
A great overview video over what has happend over the last few years couse there was alot. One thing i have't heard u talk about though is the Pandemic, couse i know it delayed the beta by at least a year becouse of the strict quarantine protocols New Zealand had back then. Personally i want to see the game launch this year couse while i am the patient type even i am getting a little annoyed at the delays, even with good reasons, couse they can't delay it again.
I’m deeply worried. When I saw the clip of the original announcement in 2019 I actually got tears in my eyes. I remember the moment because I obviously saw it when it happened. It was so much emotion and it’s pouring through the monitor. As things have developed now, I honestly don’t feel that it’s POE anymore. Mount. Gold. Reset boss health on player death, and more. It’s turning into something I don’t recognize anymore. Again, I am actually really worried. It is now so far from what we originally was promised.
The game looks great. It, TenCent's increasing involvement doesn't bode well but we will see. The game had ALOT of issues that alot of fans of the game refused to be critical about, which is sad because the depth and care the devs put into even PoE 1 is so grand but not only shut out SO many to the game, it also self cannibalized people that played the game. I wont go into lists, but one of the biggest problems was how absolutely new player unfriendly the game is, and how people somehow defend that. Putting time into a game is never an issue, I love immersive games that pull me in and not only want me to learn but force me. But, in PoE 90% of the game is played outside of the game. In no way should it be a requirement to watch HOURS of videos and reading material to make a build, that's HOURS you aren't playing. That should be built into the learning of actual playtime. If you want to do that, after experiencing the game thats fine, but not booting it up for the first time. And don't even get me started on the massivly convoluted upgrade and crafting reqs and steps. Not to mention the redundant but required multi layered resistance system, or the fact that if you mess your build up even slightly you cant even finish the story mode, and respecs aren't guaranteed, that is bad game design through and through. As for PoE2 the slowing down of gameplay, it truly lets you enjoy everything. Knowing PoE devs, that doesn't mean they will take away from the speed running fan base that plays already, but they will add effectiveness to slower gameplay. Thats great for everyone. Boss health resetting I honestly cant understand why that's a problem in any game. Mount's are fine, as long as they arent added in a D4 way, which I highly doubt, then it will be fine. (I went on a list, I really gotta stop) The main point I am making is that the PoE devs see the garbage that Blizzard is pulling, and the void of competition in ARPG's, LE is great, but does not hold after a few playthroughs. With a void this big in the industry, that is alot of money being left on the table, and contrary to popular belief, you can make more people happy by allowing more than one playstyle to be present as long as you don't take away from the original style of gameplay. IE the original max speed will prolly be reduced but not gotten rid of, and the slower style will be added too. Neither take away from the other. I trust the PoE devs, I am very distrustful of TenCent, it sucked they opened the door to them in the first place, and now they own the building. Maybe they will leave them alone, history has showed us that rarely happens, but on the flip side if the PoE devs were smart, they would have had contracts drawn up, making sure things stayed in their favor, and the players as well, keeping things from going upside down. TIme will tell, and I truly hope the game comes out great. I look forward to losing myself in the world of PoE 2.
It’s a game
Two run two games at once. They must have a huge dedicated team for specific games. Or switch em up every so often to keep it fresh for em. Also new ideas.
Cool video, i cant wait for poe 2!
Agreed. Let them cook!
I think the sooner they get it in the players hands, the sooner they can get the feedback they need to balance and fix any issues they may encounter, they have already admitted in the past they don't have the capacity to test it fully themselves. The need an active functional economy in the game to really see how it works.
Well, they will get the feedback during its beta, and for the next 15 years of development lol. Just like poe1
i miss chris wilson. he is a huge part of poe and i hope he return for league reveals (2 people can share that :))
They sold to a publisher. Hmm…A we currently on a crusade against publishers ruining games with micro transactions that the devs never intended to put in the game? I’m concerned for the potential for this.
I think they literally are not done because of how much there is, not that they are waiting for the perfect moment to allow access.
Thoughts on GGG just selling all remaining shares off ?. Chris Jonathan and Eric just handed over their remaining shares to tencent.
Their contract with Tencent says that Tencent only has creative rights over China's version of PoE. Not on anywhere else's. I don't care how many shares they have, they aren't allowed to just change the game all willy nilly. It's always been like this. Y'all need to pay better attention lol
@@question3v3ryth1ng5 I wasn't making any presumptions either way. I just asked for thoughts as it was interesting. I'm also a warframe player and that game hasn't suffered under Tencent majority holding. I'm just interested why they sold the remainder
@@question3v3ryth1ng5 If GGG is completely owned by Tencent they have more pull than what version of the game releases in China. Contract or no. They own the company...
If they are going to add mounts and mounted combat in the game, I can wait another year.
I've been playing path of exile now for almost 11 years and I'm still pretty hyped for POE 2 whenever it release despite the changes and delays I'm just going to trust the process. When they pushed the beta back to later this year I was a little disappointed but not totally surprised. Given what happened with D4 GGG is being ultra careful about how this game is released and I think that's okay. The core of POE1 is in a good place, Last epoch should be releasing their patch soon, and new games in other genres ( ie Manor Lords) coming out all the time. We just have to be patient while we wait for POE2...stay sane exiles
My question is "what happened to Cris Wilson?" Where is he?
Almost retired. He get is money 💰
Been awhile since you put out a video
Work has been BUSY.
Game will probably come out either 2025 mid year or 2026
Great overview of what's been going on. I was surprised to see myself in here not just once but twice!
Considering the state of PoE in the closed beta GGG might as well let it roll as an closed beta at least. Or even Last Epoch's beta. People understand a beta but all the delay and the rumblings about stock trades it seems preferable.
Although I understand it didn't work out that way for a variety of reasons, I just wish they hadn't announced it until like, this year. It's been tough knowing about this game for so many years and get nothing for it.
even with delays there will always be issues. they need to get it out asap
Let them cook! The best food I ever had took 9 hours to make.
It may be delayed again for late 2025 release for beta.
Whoa whoa chill with the S.O. analogy there buddy :P If we take that one a step too far Chris and Jonathan are gonna expect a gluckgluck 9000 as a reward for planning our beautiful surprise :p
If its a choice between an earlier but rushed product or a perfect release, the perfect release should be what people want. You can only launch once and POE2's goal is to attract a new player base. If it releases badly, we'll have a Diablo 4 situation where no one but the most dedicated stick around. However, a part of me does think, why not release it 90% of the way there. But that missing 10% can mean a lot, look at all our league launches where they keep fixing and then its alright by around week 2 but a good chunk of the layer base has left already. They don't have any pressing competition, so they can craft the perfect game which is a rare oppourtunity for any game developer.
Tbh, they should just go back to the concept of dual campaign, shared end game, 4.0 then we will be happy to have actually gotten something instead of a d4 looking ripoff
I wonder if my pc can handle thaz game😂 have an amd ryzen 7600 and 3060ti i was about to change my graphics soon but i hope it works with that card
Archer on mount 😮
Seriously, wild.
Path of Exile is the best when there is a healthy feedback loop of GGG shipping things and players "beta testing" it after launch and GGG iterating on the players feedback. I think the continous delays with the excuse of polishing will just lead to even higher expectation and the sooner they give up chasing the unattainable perfect product is the better for everyone.
I think the main reason for all the turmoil with its release date and scope came purely from *external assumptions* Namely, Diablo. Originally, it was going to be a nice overhaul to play dance to the assumed D4 release, but that never came. I think they were keeping PoE 2 information close to their chest (staying silent) to counter-reveal Blizzard. Diablo Immortal was announced as a practical still-birth of hype at the end of 2018 where GGG had already been cooking with PoE 2, then the "real" Diablo (4) was announced GGG had prepared for that after watching Blizz scramble and implode. Then in the time between that and D4 getting content, GGG could just sit and cook with PoE 2. And then when they announced the beta with a nice chunk of ideas/content in contention for D4, Diablo 4 released to also absolute mediocrity. A pretty game with a fun campaign but nothing to really bite down into that ARPG players really crave. That is why it's been delayed again, PoE 1 is still the best ARPG on the market. GGG have earned good-will and support (mostly) and Blizzard are just tripping over themselves trying to create something that can stand the test of time. Whilst I am worried for what amounts ot self-cannibalism of the games, if the paid content is split between both games then in theory they can live in harmony. Have whichever game is more popular be the focus (with an obvious prio on PoE 2 to begin with) and if they play differently they can be different flavours. (Keeping a blizz comparison here, vanilla/SoD could be seen as cannibalism of their own market share but they have the same income stream. You can also compare games such as Vermintide/Darktide for one developer keeping both games alive or Totalwarhammer sharing DLC)
Absolutely fine with delays as it should be done when it's done, not when it's "decided". Game is on its finishing line anyway considering overall development and Poe is still there to enjoy, can't complaint at that.
Git it Tri!
Agreed with every single word. Its like you go to an expensive restaurant, and trying to hurry the cheff. Its the fcking cheff whos cooking the best fcking dishes. You are not gonna tell this guy that you just wanna eat. To not starve to death, theres simplier food...But you want to experience a masterpice, yourself. So.. Let them cook.
Is POE2 out now?
I predict poe2 will be out sometime in 2026.
"A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad." - Shigeru Miyamoto.
It starts to approach what's been happening with Star Citizen, but not quite there yet. Good things come to those who wait. Let them cook.
great video
since they delayed it, i'll grind my way to No Rest.. Got bored with Necropolis, and i bought supporter pack 6 months ago and my shirts/hoodie is no where to be found.
5 years on the release of the game is a very long time in the world of video games before the game is released, there will already be games with movie graphics quality, in 2030 the gaming market will look completely different
5 years is normal for a big game.
@@fast1nakus lolwut, not even close, friend. Games have 3 year incubation periods. Rog and Neon are... well, they ain't the brightest bulb on the tree. They had a golden goose, w eggs every 3 months, then they took all the goodwill and hopes built up on Poe 1 and wasted ALL of the money they made on PoE 2, which is going to go over like a lead balloon. Chris Wilson seems to have abandoned the company, and Rog seems to have 0 idea why Path of Exile/Diablo was even popular in the first place.
@@nonyabeeswacks1919 I guess elden ring is a shit game, cuz it took them 5 years. Bro. Games are difficult to make. The time can change depending on money, teamsize, genre etc. Ggg is a small studio. There is no way they can make a full game in 3 years. You're tripping.
@@nonyabeeswacks1919You clearly don't work in the industry and talk out of your ass. It's very common for games (or other big dev projects in other industries) to take half a decade before they come to fruition. Claiming 3 years is some kind of "standard" is just so far from reality, you have no fucking idea. I've seen projects take 2 years before development even begins.
@@nonyabeeswacks1919 This take is so hot it burned me through the screen remotely
no way you did a video, where you paint as poe2 was canceled for almost 18 minutes? holy.
What happened? GGG got players to believe something that the team is unable to deliver, again, and again and again. Keeping players stuck in an outdated engine, with repetitive content now for another 5 years that isn't even into beta yet. Promising alot of stuff on the way that has then be changed again, and again and again to change the narrative to better suit GGGs milking the most money out of POE1. POE was a good game before POE2 was announced. Now it's outdated BECAUSE the developer is no longer caring to improve it to the same degree. And it shows. Basically - players have ZERO guaranty about anything when it comes to POE2. Shared microtransactions? LOL... ye right. They will just create new storage system to get players to pay for it again, and again and again. Just like they have been doing in POE1. And to even think they game will be launching into beta 2024... is as naive as thinking patch 4 was launching in 2017. You are being fooled again and again and again. And you are spending MONEY on oudated POE1 to PAY FOR development of something that the developer has shown again and again and again - is NOT even CLOSE to release. Infact... is BACK to No date even for closed beta. Why one earth can't the players admit they are dragged through the gutter by this developer? Because they like shit!!!
You think PoE2 is gonna look and perform like it does in this video?
No, I think this is a pure showcase. I think it'll be a bit more cluttered and fast-paced, but NOT on the level of POE1.
@@TalkativeTri I'm getting 4fps in blight.
GGG got bought out by Six joy(Suck joy) Hong Kong owned by Tencent 💀💀
I don't care if the game releases now or next week, PoE is fun enough to keep me occupied. But I do think that PoE became so good because we could play and it kept improving with every update. So no launching a perfect game and having the same devotion as PoE is what made PoE so big. Small disclaimer: the gaming landscape has really changed with a lot more negativity and rage in the gaming community now a days. So launching a not perfect game will be difficult but I think Grinding Gear has got enough goodwill to make it happen.
Gentle Reminder: ( Me Included ) Every person that feels this is "taking too long" or "duped" etc.. We would be the FIRST ones on here posting if the game came under-cooked that they "Should have just taken more time" Yes it sucks. Just helping you all help me, by reminding me that when it drops it will be awesome. Edit: This is what a game looks like when it's made by a team of passionate gamers. For a Legion of devoted serious passionate gamers. Let it do what it does. (Please be fair and continue keeping us in the loop). But let er cook. It will be AMAZING as a result. My 2 cents.
This is why GGG is the GOAT of game devs because they can do what Blizzard used to live by before Activision. Doing it for the love of the game and bringing it out when its done! Just like the guys that made Bladers Gate 3. It will become the best ARPG ever hands down I guarantee it.
Thats right brother.
Tri, could the fact that Tencent bought all the shares from "the 3 guys" have anything to do with POE2 being delayed?
I would think this would mean it would actually try and release sooner to meet demands of shareholders. The OG ggg crew I would think would delay as much as it has and try and release their dream.product. tencent I think would just release asap to start the profit train.
Your comment is right here, dig.
@@TalkativeTri Ah there it is, sorry for the mistake. :(
I was hoping for a collaboration with Lisa Su saying : I give you 10 AMD cards and 10 solid state drives to the first 10 streamers to log in to path of exile 2 and say thank you aunt Lisa SU
Now we just need the news that game directors are changing and the game is being redone from the ground up (cries in Riot MMO)
As for Blizzard in the good old days, I'd rather them deliver a finished product. It's ready when it's ready.
Between delay and a KSP2 release... better delay
GGG bait and duping the community. knowing full well for a whole year in advance of telling the community that poe 2 wasn’t going to be an expansion but a standalone game is disgusting.
Dude. Let them make the game better and more balanced. That shit takes a long time
It's a free game.
Let 'em cook. There are plenty of excellent games out there, POE 1 is still the best ARG, no need to rush POE 2 and release something before it's ready.
it's crazy to me that GGG let tencent invest in them - and then eventually buy them out. they were on an upwards trajectory the entire time before tencent initially invested in them. I honestly don't think anything would have changed with the game if tencent didn't invest / buy them out. Weird decision, but the millions of dollars chris and his co founders would make probably influenced the decision.
Yeah, game isnt out before summer 2025 now for sure.
Perfectionizing is what updates are for. They need to strike while the iron is hot. AAPRGs might be in a whole different place next year or 2026.
They should delay it for another year to make sure everything works I have feeling it's gonna be awesome.
Tencent is an infection, we will see what happens, but I'm not holding my breath.
It’s smart for them to make it separate especially after a huge fail from D4. New audience will be attracted to it vs the depth of poe1. It’s gon be goood
Hey, what's up with Path of Exile 2?
I heard the game is in development apparently
dead
More competition with superior visuals, that beta delay did them no favours and has helped d4's comeback with key patch in two weeks, not two years.
We're really not going to talk about the fact that they just sold the rest of the company to Tencent?...
The rest ? You mean GGG were not fully owned by Tencent before?
@@deceiver444 Correct, the remainder of what they owned was sold off at the end of March.
@@VegaSnipe do you personally see aspects of this sale that could significantly be detrimental to GGG's work one PoE2 ?
@@deceiver444 I don't know, but there are talks about that being potentially the real reason why the beta was delayed. Speculation about monetization reworks. (Tencent style)
Jonathan needs to learn the maxim, "Never let Perfect be the enemy of Good." Of course, GGG would also be well-served by learning to keep long-standing promises... ='[.]'=
You need to learn not to not think your "maxims" qualifies you to patronize your betters. GGG does keep their promises. But you need to understand that a "planned release date" is not a promise.
@@NoName-mi8js My "betters?" Who the hell are YOU to assign merit? As for the promise to which I refer, I couldn't care less about the PoE Too release. I was talking about Chris Wilson's promise in 2019 that PoE 2 would be an expansion to the existing game, with a plethora of much-needed improvements now denied. =9[.]9=
Like fixing melee in poe
Game not yet out and already changed xD
Hopefully it won't take as long as star citizen or 7 days to die to get finished. It was going to be a beta in june. no one was expecting the perfect game. maybe before the end of the year then.
@3:00 This was actually a subtle dig at D4's announcement cinematic which had just been shown at BlizzCon a few weeks earlier. There was public perception that Blizzard hastily put something together as damage control for the Diablo Immortal disconnect. Jonathan actually speculated that when Blizzard announced DI they weren't making a Diablo 4, because it seemed suspect that they wouldn't in the very least hint at some type of plans towards it. Even just flashing the word "D4" across the screen without saying anything would have been enough to blow up news coverage for BlizzCon. Instead, the following news coverage about the Diablo franchise was focused on the disconnect. So when D4's announcement cinematic was released it raised up cynicism about the project, the heavily rumored developmental hell, the consistent turn over of project leadership etc. You can double check this, but I'm pretty sure I'm remembering this correctly. That's why Chris said what he did with that specific inflection, why Ziggy laughed like that, and why Tarke was sarcastic.
Im just happy to hear Chris Wilson stepped down from PoE2. He was responsible for so many shit decisions in PoE1 so that was probably a good thing.