In a recent preview and press discussion for Path of Exile 2, game director Jonathan Rogers shared some insights into the game’s three-week delay, offering a deeper look into the technical reasons behind it, how they might have still made the original timeline, and what this delay has cost them.
Rogers candidly explained, “We realized we had underestimated how long it would take to meld PoE 2 and PoE 1’s realms. It’s ironic really, it doesn’t seem like something that should hold up a major release. Oddly enough, we might have been on track to hit the original release date since the work is now essentially complete. But as we were nearing it, things started looking risky—so, we decided a delay was the safer bet.”
Naturally, giving game designers additional time had them celebrating. “Designers were thrilled about having those extra weeks. They were confident the game’s quality would significantly improve with a little extra polish,” Rogers noted. However, he clarified that the delay was more about essential backend reasons rather than the game’s actual content.
Discussing the difficult decision to delay, Rogers reflected on the pressures he faced as a game director. “The pressure not to delay is immense—from marketing timelines to financial commitments. We had deposits on marketing plans, so it was costly. But we deemed it critical because missing that backend work could have turned the launch into a fiasco. We’re hopeful this decision averts any disasters—fingers crossed!”
When pressed about the specific financial costs, Rogers was cautious yet revealing, “I don’t want to dive too deeply into that, but yes, it likely exceeds a million dollars. Our server commitments kicked in on the original date, so now we’re shelling out for a month of server use without using them—these are the sorts of unexpected costs we face.”
Rogers also expressed genuine concern for fans eagerly awaiting the release. “I felt awful knowing many people scheduled time off for the launch. It was a tough decision, but given the risks, we felt compelled to take action.”
It couldn’t have been an easy decision, but imagining the potential chaos had players’ PoE 1 purchases not carried over, or if other backend issues erupted at launch, the decision becomes sensible. Even if it does come with a hefty price tag.
What are your thoughts on the delay? Do you think Grinding Gear Games made the right call? Share your opinions with us!
