Path Of Exile

Path of Exile received its latest big update in April this year, which is quite something considering it was originally released in 2013. Yup, ten years in and Grinding Gear Games APRG is still alive and thriving, boosted by console releases for Xbox and PlayStation in 2017 and 2019. Indeed, in 2020 it won a prestigious BAFTA award for Best Evolving Game.

Originally brought into existence via a group’s frustration with the lack of action-RPGs being released, when it came out after six years of development, it was free-to-play, with what the team called “ethical microtransactions.” And still it rages on, offering its astonishingly elaborate skill webs, vast worlds to explore, and in-game economies for the most invested. In fact, April’s update (featured in the trailer above) added weapon-specific skill trees, just in case you couldn’t min-max enough already.

There should also finally be news this year about the much-vaunted Path of Exile 2, with a closed beta due to start July 29, to coincide with the game’s ExileCon 2023.