Path of Exile 2 is launching its next major update, The Third Edict, today at 1:00 PM Pacific (4:00 PM Eastern). To celebrate, Grinding Gear Games is hosting a free weekend event, making the game free-to-play for the first time ever. The free weekend runs from August 29 at 1:00 PM Pacific (4:00 PM Eastern) to September 1 at 1:00 PM Pacific (4:00 PM Eastern). Players can access all content currently available in Path of Exile 2 during the event, including the new Third Edict content update.
Path of Exile 2 is likely aiming to set a new concurrent-player record, as it’s offering exclusive cosmetics to anyone who plays during the free weekend. These cosmetics are available to new and existing players on all platforms:
- Get to the Clearfell Encampment and receive the Exile’s Hood.
- Kill the Rotten Druid in the Grim Tangle (Act One) and receive the Exile’s Staff Skin.
- Kill Count Geonor at the end of Act One and receive the Exile’s Cloak.
Once the free weekend ends, you’ll need to purchase an Early Access Supporter Pack to continue playing, or wait until Path of Exile 2 exits Early Access and becomes free-to-play. On PlayStation and Xbox, the free weekend does not require PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Core.
Launched into Early Access last December, Path of Exile 2 took me a bit by surprise. For years, I just couldn’t get into Path of Exile, so my expectations for its sequel were a bit low. Instead, I found myself enjoying the game’s difficulty and its take on the action RPG genre, spending nearly 100 hours with the game in the first couple of weeks. I’m planning to check out what’s being added in The Third Edict, but I’ll likely let the dust settle first and wait for initial issues to be hotfixed.
