Path of Exile 2 finally gets December 11 release date as sword-wielding Duelist makes debut

Grinding Gear Games has announced Path of Exile 2 will finally get its highly anticipated 1.0 release on December 11. At its Gamescom 2026 showcase, we got to see glimpses of what could be its next class — the sword-wielding Duelist. The trailer also showed off some skills, the most notable one being the V-shaped ice attack used by Count Geonor in his first phase. Then, we got a look at what looks to be POE 2’s take on Blade Vortex, a bunch of other skills that create fissures and something reminiscent of Flicker Strike.

In Path of Exile 2, a new class launch is always accompanied by a new weapon that the character is encouraged to use. However, unlike a certain other ARPG on the market, you can use whatever weapon you want on whatever class you want, and the addition of swords should open up some crazy possibilities for existing classes. 

We also get a peek at what could be a future Path of Exile 2 boss in an arena-style setting, although the latter was probably only put in to fit the Gladiator aesthetic. Nevertheless, a December 11 release date for Path of Exile 2 sits in line with earlier expectations of a late 2026 release. A two-year window between Early Access and a 1.0 release sounds about right, although right now POE2 is only at 0.5, with the next 0.5.5 patch slated to bring an economy reset, among other things.

The Duelist is unlikely to debut with Path of Exile 2 0.5.5 — that will almost certainly be reserved for the 1.0 release. Meanwhile, new and existing players can register themselves on Grinding Gear Games’ website to unlock exclusive rewards that will be granted upon the 1.0 release. They include a weapon effect, a portal scroll reskin, wings, and a fiery pet, with each one unlocked after the number of registrations hit a certain threshold.