The highly anticipated Dawn of the Hunt update for Path of Exile 2 arrives on April 4th, 2025, at 12 PM PDT across all platforms including Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and the standalone PC client. Packed with new content, mechanical overhauls, and quality-of-life improvements, this free expansion invites players to dive back into Wraeclast with new classes to try and the option to start fresh in a brand-new league.
Fresh Leagues and No Wipes
While Path of Exile 2 won’t wipe existing characters, a new league with a fresh economy is launching alongside the update. Players are encouraged to start anew to fully experience the balance changes and fresh content. To join, simply choose the Dawn of the Hunt banner when creating a character.
For those who are curious to watch the full developer interview that gives us a lot of insight into what we can expect in Dawn Of The Hunt there is the full unfiltered video on Twitch. for those not able to sit down and watch the whole video, here is a short bullet list TLDR of a few things we can expect in the upcoming patch.
Key Features & Clarifications
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No Wipe Policy: Existing characters and progress remain intact.
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Content Parity: All Dawn of the Hunt features are available in both fresh and existing leagues.
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Stash Tabs: Already purchased stash tabs carry over to new leagues, but items do not.
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Predownload Available: Torrent files for the standalone client will be available a day before launch.
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No Paid Expansion: The update is free for current players. New players need an Early Access Supporter Pack to join.
Gameplay Changes
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Revamped Portal System: Players can now leave and re-enter maps freely unless they die. Portals now reflect revives, not exits.
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Checkpoint System: Upon death, players will return directly to their last checkpoint without loading screens (coming at or just after launch).
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No Exclusive League Mechanic: All features are core to the game.
Balance & Skill Overhauls
Developer interviews revealed several key balance changes:
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Nerfs to Magic Find, Ingenuity, Energy Shield, and certain powerful builds.
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Easier access to pinnacle bosses, updated map objectives, and new unique crafting items.
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Revamped Mana costs, enemy interaction tweaks, and improved Passive Tree functionality.
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Updates to Ascendancies, Skills, and Support Gems—including new features like the Lich’s questionable immortality and cross-weapon skills.
Endgame & Quality of Life
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Corruption Zones: Cleanse areas by defeating new bosses tied to corruption.
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Rogue Exiles: Intelligent AI-controlled enemies using player-tier skills and gear.
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Map Updates: New layouts, unique bosses, improved drops, and rogue mechanics.
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QoL Improvements: Better item filtering, rare visibility, Delirium fog clarity, and UI enhancements.
Supporter Packs & Cosmetics
Though there are no new Supporter Packs launching with Dawn of the Hunt, a themed mystery box is planned for release weekend. Path of Exile 1’s Paladin and Penance Supporter Packs are also available in PoE2.
Microtransactions from PoE1 will carry over if you're using the same account, except for platform-locked purchases (e.g., PlayStation-exclusive items won't be usable on other platforms).
Stay tuned to Gamefragger.com for the full patch notes, Twitch Drops info, and item filter updates later this week. Dawn of the Hunt promises to be the most ambitious update yet for Path of Exile 2.