Path of Exile 2 – Trash Game or Great Deal? A Look at Why History Suggests a Bright Future

Introduction: PoE2’s Mixed Reception

Path of Exile 2’s early access launch has sparked sharply divided opinions in the ARPG community. On one side, frustrated players have blasted it as a “trash game,” citing issues like unrewarding loot and punishing mechanics. For example, some have lambasted PoE2’s new crafting and loot system as “absolutely trash game design”, complaining that they feel unrewarded and are “just done with GGG’s BS” after a rough start ​(reddit.com). On the other side, many fans defend the game by pointing out its incredible value proposition. They argue that $30 for potentially hundreds of hours of content is a bargain few games offer, especially given Grinding Gear Games’ reputation for generous, long-lasting content updates​ (pathofexile.com). This debate raises an important question: should PoE2 be judged harshly for its early flaws, or should players have faith that it will improve over time?

In this opinion piece, we’ll explore both perspectives. We’ll discuss the sheer amount of content PoE2 provides for its price, and more importantly, Grinding Gear Games (GGG)’s proven history of listening to player feedback in Path of Exile 1. By looking at major improvements GGG made to the original game in response to player concerns, we can see a clear pattern of responsiveness. This history suggests that PoE2, much like its predecessor, will evolve positively over time. Let’s dive into why a rocky start doesn’t mean PoE2 is doomed – and why there’s plenty of reason for optimism if we give GGG a chance to work their magic.

The Value of PoE2: 200 Hours of Gameplay for $30

First, let’s address the value argument. Path of Exile 2 is priced at $30 for early access, which some critics used as a point of contention – but many players see it as an incredible deal. Consider what you’re getting: a massive action-RPG with a sprawling campaign (multiple acts of story content), deep character customization, and an endgame designed to be played for dozens if not hundreds of hours. Fans defending PoE2 often note that $30 for 200+ hours of entertainment works out to just a few cents per hour – a ratio of value that puts most $60 AAA games to shame. As one forum user pointed out, buying the early access is essentially purchasing a $30 supporter pack that gives you the full game plus $30 worth of in-game currency, yielding “potentially hundreds of hours of content” in return​ (pathofexile.com)

. In other words, if you enjoy the game, you basically get your money back in the form of microtransaction points, making the cost of entry extremely fair.

Moreover, Path of Exile 2 will eventually be free-to-play at full release, just like PoE1. The $30 cost is for early access and support – and given GGG’s track record, that support goes directly into improving the game. Comparatively, $30 is what you might pay for a single evening at the movies or a couple months of a streaming service, but here it can yield weeks or months of engaging gameplay. PoE2 currently offers a rich leveling experience with numerous character classes and skill combinations to experiment with, meaning replayability is very high. Many players find themselves sinking well over a hundred hours into trying different builds, clearing maps, and chasing loot. Even those who are currently unhappy with some aspects often acknowledge they’ve already gotten dozens of hours of playtime. From a pure content-for-cost perspective, PoE2 delivers in spades. This doesn’t excuse its flaws, but it does put into perspective why so many are willing to give GGG the benefit of the doubt – they’ve already gotten a lot of fun out of their $30, and they know more improvements are likely on the way.

GGG’s Track Record of Listening to Players

The biggest reason to remain optimistic about Path of Exile 2 is Grinding Gear Games’ history of responding to player feedback. Over the past decade, GGG has repeatedly shown that they listen to their community and implement meaningful changes to address concerns. This isn’t just blind fanboyism – even prominent community figures have praised GGG’s responsiveness. Streamer Zizaran once highlighted that PoE’s developers “are constantly listening to player feedback and making changes based on that feedback.”​ (zleague.gg). Let’s look at some concrete examples from Path of Exile 1 where GGG significantly improved the game in direct response to player input:

• A Smoother Gameplay Experience: In early PoE1, desync (network lag between client and server) was a notorious problem that frustrated players by causing unfair deaths. GGG took this criticism seriously. In 2015 they completely rewrote the game’s netcode and introduced Deterministic Lockstep mode to virtually eliminate desync issues​ (pcgamesn.com) . This was a massive quality-of-life update that stemmed directly from community outcry, and it made the moment-to-moment gameplay far more reliable and enjoyable.

• More Story, Less Repetition: Originally, PoE1 followed the classic ARPG model of repeating the same campaign on multiple difficulty levels (Normal, Cruel, Merciless). Many players disliked this repetitive structure and voiced their feedback. GGG listened. In the Fall of Oriath expansion (2017), they removed the old difficulty system and added six new acts, creating a single 10-act story campaign. This meant no more repeating content, a change that players absolutely loved. When this overhaul was announced, “the player base went crazy” with excitement, and PoE became “one excellent linear story” instead of a repeated slog​ (requnix.com). This huge improvement was a direct response to a long-standing community request to make the leveling experience more varied and interesting. 

• Better Trading and UI Improvements: Path of Exile’s trade system and user interface have continuously evolved thanks to player feedback. For instance, trading items used to be cumbersome – players relied on third-party websites and spammed chat to find deals. Community demand for easier trading persisted, and GGG eventually responded by launching an official trade site with an API, integrated into the PoE website. This made it much easier to search for items and trade securely, addressing one of the most frequent player complaints about the game. GGG also added countless quality-of-life features over time: loot filters (introduced in 2015’s Awakening update) so players could hide junk items and highlight valuable drops, item comparison and detailed tooltips, one-click gem leveling, stash tab affinities/sorting, and more. Almost all of these features came about because players suggested or requested them on forums and reddit. GGG earned a reputation for being in touch with their player base’s needs, often interacting on forums and posting “development manifestos” explaining how community feedback influenced upcoming changes.

• Reverting Unpopular Changes: Perhaps most telling is how GGG handles missteps. There have been times when an update or league mechanic in PoE1 was poorly received, and the developers didn’t double down stubbornly – they adjusted course. A prime example is the Archnemesis monster modifier system introduced in 2022. This system made rare enemies more complex and deadly, but many players found it frustrating and overly punishing, especially when it came to loot rewards. The backlash was loud. GGG’s response? They outright removed the controversial Archnemesis system in patch 3.20, replacing it with a new, more player-friendly modifier system​ (poecurrency.com).

  In their announcement, GGG acknowledged community disappointment with how Archnemesis felt, and they designed the new system to be clearer and more rewarding as a direct fix ​poecurrency.com. 
  
  This willingness to course-correct showed that if something in PoE isn’t fun, GGG will eventually rework it or roll it back. Other examples include mid-league balance adjustments: when players complained a league mechanic was too unrewarding or difficult, GGG often deployed quick patches to buff rewards or nerf overly brutal encounters. The pattern is clear – when the community speaks up en masse, GGG listens and takes action.

   

Given this track record, Grinding Gear Games has earned a great deal of trust from long-time players. The developers’ passion for their game, combined with their active engagement with the community, has driven Path of Exile’s continuous improvement over the years. As a gaming studio, they have cultivated a relationship with their player base that is built on listening and iterating. It’s one of the key reasons Path of Exile 1 evolved from a niche indie ARPG in 2013 to one of the most content-rich, beloved games in the genre by the late 2010s. The team’s philosophy has always been to refine and expand the game hand-in-hand with the community.

What This Means for PoE2: Patience Pays Off

So, how does all of this history translate to Path of Exile 2? In short: it suggests that PoE2 is likely to get much better with time, thanks to GGG’s responsiveness. Yes, the game launched with some rough edges and design choices that not everyone likes. The combat is slower and more tactical than PoE1, crafting is less deterministic, and some players miss certain features from the original. But if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s that GGG is already gathering feedback and working on improvements – just as they always have. In fact, we’re already seeing this process in motion. Within the first week of PoE2’s early access, the developers released a list of upcoming changes addressing the top player complaints from launch weekend. Major adjustments were rolled out immediately: making dodge-rolls less frustrating, adding more checkpoints (and even a way to teleport between them) in large areas to reduce tedious backtracking, and tweaking item and currency drops to make rewards more satisfying​ (comicbook.com). They even boosted the loot from rare monsters and added protection against unlucky boss drops, directly tackling the “unrewarding loot” criticism. This kind of rapid turnaround is practically unheard of in many games’ early access phases. It reinforced that GGG isn’t treating PoE2 as a cash grab or a fire-and-forget project – they’re treating it as a collaborative work-in-progress with the community.

The community’s response to these first updates has been overwhelmingly positive. Seeing their concerns addressed so quickly had fans “singing the dev’s praises,” with many calling the patch a “massive W” (win) for GGG​ (comicbook.com). Features like the new checkpoint teleports have been called “gamechangers” that greatly improve the playability of the campaign​ (comicbook.com). In other words, GGG’s actions are already turning detractors into hopeful supporters. And the studio has made it clear this is just the beginning. “There are still a lot more changes to come,” the devs noted in their post, emphasizing that they will “continue to monitor feedback and [keep] adjusting things as we go.”​ (pathofexile.com). This echoes the exact cycle of feedback -> improvement that long-time PoE players are familiar with. Early access for PoE2 is slated to last many months, meaning GGG has a lengthy roadmap to refine mechanics, add content, and polish the experience in response to what players want. If history is any indicator, we can expect iterations to the skill systems, crafting, endgame balance, and more, all guided by community sentiment.

It’s also worth remembering that Path of Exile 1 itself wasn’t the juggernaut of content and polish on Day 1 that it is today. It took years of expansions and player-driven tweaks to become the deep game we now know. PoE2 is following in those footsteps. The game we have in early access today is a foundation – one that will likely be built upon substantially. GGG has already hinted at upcoming content and endgame improvements that didn’t make the initial launch but will be added later. With each patch, we’ve seen PoE2 inch closer to what players expect, without losing its core vision of a more modernized ARPG. For example, many players criticized the new Ascendancy Trials system in PoE2’s campaign; it wouldn’t be surprising to see GGG adjust its difficulty or make it more optional in a future update if feedback remains negative. The point is, nothing in PoE2 is set in stone. GGG has proven they’re not too proud to change course on design decisions that don’t land well. That is a very reassuring thought for anyone who currently finds PoE2 lacking in certain areas.

Conclusion: Trust in GGG and the Process

Path of Exile 2 may have launched to mixed reviews, but it’s far from a “dead on arrival” situation. The initial criticisms – slower pace, tough progression, sparse rewards – are valid concerns, yet they are exactly the kind of issues that Grinding Gear Games has a history of addressing through diligent patches and community collaboration. On the flip side, the value PoE2 already provides and the fun many players are having should not be ignored. For $30, a lot of us are already knee-deep in an expansive ARPG experience that’s only going to get better. GGG’s track record with Path of Exile 1 is a testament to the studio’s commitment to its players. Over the years, they earned our trust by repeatedly demonstrating that they hear the community and care enough to act on that feedback – whether it was fixing fundamental problems like desync, overhauling tedious systems, introducing player-requested features, or rolling back changes that didn’t work out.

This pattern of responsiveness strongly suggests that a year from now, Path of Exile 2 will be in a much more refined state, just as PoE1 steadily evolved into a masterpiece of the genre. It’s important to remember that great online games aren’t born overnight; they’re honed through a journey with their playerbase. PoE2’s journey has just begun. Rather than writing it off as “trash” in its infancy, it’s more productive (and rewarding) to engage with the feedback process – share your critiques with GGG, watch how they respond, and appreciate the improvements as they come in. Given GGG’s proven dedication, there’s every reason to be optimistic that PoE2 will follow the same upward trajectory as the original.

In the end, Path of Exile 2 offers a tremendous amount of content for the cost, and it’s backed by developers who have earned the community’s goodwill through action. The game we have today is not the final form of PoE2; it’s the starting point of an evolving adventure. So if you’re on the fence or feeling disappointed, my advice is this: be patient and keep an open mind. Constructive criticism will likely translate into tangible changes by the developers. Few studios in the industry are as responsive as GGG, and they’ve shown time and again that they do turn player feedback into a better game. Given that pedigree, I’m confident that the issues people have now will be addressed in due time, and Path of Exile 2 will flourish just as Path of Exile 1 did. For now, enjoy the ride for what it is, take breaks if you need to, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. GGG has our back, and if we meet them halfway with feedback and a bit of patience, we’ll likely end up with an ARPG that exceeds our expectations. In the battle of “trash game” vs “great deal,” the latter is winning – and the best is yet to come.

Sources: Community quotes and official updates demonstrating player feedback and GGG’s responses:

Reddit/Forums – player calling PoE2’s design “trash”​

GGG Forum Post – devs promise to keep monitoring feedback and making changes in PoE2’s early access​