Fifteen dollars. That’s what it costs to get into Path of Exile 2 right now, and players are buying in fast enough to push the game to #7 on Steam’s Top Sellers chart — a list ranked by revenue, not wishlists. Grinding Gear Games slashed the Early Access Supporter Pack from $29.99 to $14.99 on May 29, a 50% discount that runs through June 12. The timing isn’t random. The sale launched alongside Return of the Ancients, the game’s final major content update before the full 1.0 release planned for later this year. It’s also accompanied by a free weekend running May 29 through June 1, letting anyone on PC, Steam, Xbox, and the Epic Games Store play the full game at no cost. (PS5 players are sitting this one out — the free weekend isn’t available on that platform, according to ComicBook.com.)

What $15 Gets You

The Supporter Pack isn’t just a game key. GGG’s own forum post confirms the pack includes “the full game access and 150 points to use within the in-game store.” Either way, the value proposition is straightforward. You’re paying half the original entry fee during a window when the game has never had more content.

The Biggest Patch Yet

Return of the Ancients is, by any measure, a substantial update. According to IGN, it adds over 50 hours of new endgame content, 15 new bosses (including four Pinnacle encounters), five new storylines across all four leagues, and two new Ascendancy classes — the Martial Artist and the Spirit Walker. The Atlas passive tree has been “significantly redesigned,” with players now able to unlock every node by completing maps throughout a new Fortress system. A fresh progression layer called Masters of the Atlas introduces Ascendancy-style endgame specialization, letting players align with different masters for build-defining bonuses that can be swapped between maps. There’s also a new challenge league, Runes of Aldur, and a laundry list of quality-of-life improvements: navigational landmarks in the campaign, a live-search Atlas map, and a native in-game Build Guide system for community creators. GGG is also adding 40-plus new weapons, jewelry items, and armor pieces.

The Strategic Play

This is smart timing from a studio that knows its audience. Path of Exile 2 launched in early access in late 2024. IGN scored it an 8/10, calling it “Great” while acknowledging its “predictably rocky early access state.” Eight months in, the honeymoon dust has settled. Players who were waiting for the game to mature before spending money are now being met with the most content-rich version of the game at the lowest price it’s ever been — backed by a free weekend that removes the risk entirely. Progress made during the free trial carries over to the paid version, lowering the conversion barrier even further. The message is unambiguous: GGG wants to swell the player base ahead of 1.0. More players now means more data, more feedback, and a healthier economy when the game goes fully free-to-play. It also means more premium currency circulating through the store, which is where GGG actually makes its money.

What Comes Next

GGG has confirmed that Return of the Ancients is the last major content drop before the full launch. “The studio will continue to release balance and polish updates alongside event leagues during this period,” the developer stated, per IGN. The full 1.0 details — including the release date — will be revealed at ExileCon later this year. For the ARPG faithful, the calculation is simple. You can pay $15 now and get access to a game that already has 12 classes, a sprawling campaign, cooperative play for up to six players, and a freshly overhauled endgame — or you can wait for 1.0, when it goes free. Based on the Steam charts, thousands are choosing not to wait. The top-sellers ranking is measured in dollars, not downloads. At half price, Path of Exile 2 is still out-earning nearly everything else on the platform. That’s not a discount — that’s a statement.

Sources