Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients
An ancient fortress is rising from the earth, and it's bringing over a ton of new endgame content with it. Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients arrives May 29 as the most ambitious update Grinding Gear Games has ever delivered, completely rebuilding the endgame from the ground up with a reimagined Atlas Tree, five brand-new storylines, 15 new bosses including four Pinnacle encounters, and two new Ascendancy classes, the spirit-channeling Spirit Walker for the Huntress and the illusion-wielding Martial Artist for the Monk. At the heart of the expansion lies the Runes of Aldur league, introducing Ezomyte Runesmithing, a crafting system where inscribing runes onto ancient Remnants forges powerful items but reanimates the undead around you, empowered by the very runes you used. Fire runes grant enemies flame abilities, moon runes rain celestial hazards from above,the most ambitious crafts spawn the deadliest fights, creating a risk-reward loop that is pure Path of Exile at its finest.
The overhaul doesn't stop at new content, no, it reshapes everything that came before. All four Early Access leagues, Delirium, Breach, Ritual, and Expedition, have been reworked with dedicated storylines, new crafting systems, and expanded mechanics, while every boss in the Atlas is now reachable through a dedicated questline, eliminating the frustration of random key drops. Over 40 new unique items, a native in-game Build Guide system, instant trade price checks, and the debut of the Challenge system round out an update bursting at the seams.
But perhaps the biggest headline is what Return of the Ancients represents: GGG has confirmed this is the final major content update before Path of Exile 2 exits Early Access, with the full 1.0 release targeted for later in 2026 after ExileCon hits Auckland in November. The fortress awaits, Exile. Gear up. LOGIN!
Grim Dawn: Fangs of Asterkarn
Ten years of one of the most beloved ARPGs ever made deserves a finale worthy of the journey, and Crate Entertainment is delivering exactly that. Fangs of Asterkarn, the third and final expansion to Grim Dawn, launches July 23 and the numbers alone tell the story. A new region larger than the size of Ashes of Malmouth and even larger than the size of Forgotten Gods, stretching from snowy peaks to breathtaking hot springs, all riddled with secrets and hundreds of new treasures. The 10th Mastery, the shapeshifting Berserker, brings the dual-class combination count to a staggering 45, while the new Ascendant game mode transforms the entire campaign into an endgame proving ground that will push even the most refined builds to their breaking point. Add in potion customization, affix transmutation for rerolling gear, Epic item awakening, new Shattered Realm regions, expanded Crucible waves, three new factions, new super bosses, additional Nemesis encounters, and two roguelike dungeons coming in free post-launch updates, and Crate wasn't kidding when they promised Grim Dawn wouldn't go out with a bang but with a tremendous roar.
Alongside the expansion, every Grim Dawn player benefits from the free v1.3 update, which delivers a massive quality-of-life overhaul including a completely reworked Stash system for more intuitive inventory management, a UI refresh, WASD accessibility controls, HDR lighting, detailed item tooltips, and a sweep of balance changes and bug fixes. For $18.99 (an absolutely steal these days) , Fangs of Asterkarn is an absurd amount of content a love letter to a community that kept Cairn alive for over a decade and a definitive final chapter that makes jumping back in (or starting fresh) feel like the easiest decision in gaming. The corruption tainting Asterkarn won't purge itself, and the Kurn tribes need your help rekindling old alliances.
It's time to return to Cairn one last time. The legend is about to get even better it seems!
