Path of Exile 2 goes free to play on December 11, and the Duelist comes with it

Path of Exile 2 is leaving early access. Grinding Gear Games (GGG) has set the version 1.0 full release for December 11 PST[1]. In South Korea, where Kakao Games runs the service, the date is listed as Saturday, December 12 local time[2]. Everything below was checked against GGG and Kakao Games announcements as of September 27, 2026.

What changes at 1.0

The biggest change is the price of entry. Right now you need an Early Access Supporter Pack, which starts at .99 on Steam, and GGG says the game becomes free to play on December 11 PST[3][4].

A new class arrives the same day. The long-awaited Duelist joins at 1.0 along with a new weapon type; it was not part of the 0.5.5 patch that went live on September 4[1][5]. The current event league, Forbidden Rites, and the existing Runes of Aldur league both run until the full release and end with it[5].

What registering gets you

Full-release registration is done by email. Each time the number of registrants passes a milestone, another cosmetic unlocks for everyone who signed up. The Soulflame Weapon Effect unlocked on September 21 PST, which means registrants will receive at least two exclusive cosmetic effects at launch, with three more milestones still to go[6]. Registration only counts after you click the confirmation email, so anyone who entered an address earlier should check their inbox[6]. The deadline is December 11 PST[6].

Steam Deck Verified

On September 24 GGG announced that Path of Exile 2 is Steam Deck Verified. You can play it there now by buying early access, or start as the Duelist once it goes free on December 11[4].

What to check before December

For current early access players, the open question is characters: none of these announcements say what happens to early access characters at 1.0. For newcomers there is little reason to hurry. In about ten weeks the full version opens with the Duelist included, and the only thing to do before then is register and confirm the email[6].

Sources

[1] Grinding Gear Games. Play the Forbidden Rites Event on September 4. Posted August 28, 2026 (Kakao Games forum mirror).

[2] Kakao Games. Path of Exile 2 full release registration milestone notice (Korean). September 22, 2026.

[3] Valve. Steam app details API, appid 2694490. Accessed September 27, 2026.

[4] Grinding Gear Games. Path of Exile 2 is now Steam Deck Verified!. Steam announcement, September 24, 2026.

[5] Grinding Gear Games. Path of Exile 2: Forbidden Rites FAQ. Posted August 31, 2026 (Kakao Games forum mirror).

[6] Grinding Gear Games. Path of Exile 2 Full Release Registration: New Reward Unlocked. Steam announcement, September 21, 2026.