Path of Exile 2's early access system is raising some eyebrows, but it could actually be a great way of rewarding loyal gamers

Even if you never actually played Path of Exile, you’ve likely heard about its comically gigantic passive skill tree. But a sentiment you’ve probably also heard repeatedly from the people who play it is that it’s one of the rare free-to-play games that does not prey on its users.

Path of Exile is often cited as an example of how free-to-play can be done fairly; offering gameplay options and cosmetics for real money, without taking away from the core experience or comprising it in any (major) way.

Knowing all of that, however, doesn’t stop one from raising an eyebrow looking at those Path of Exile 2 supporter pack prices. They start off at a reasonable $30, but go all the way up to an eye-watering $480! Yes, some editions do also include physical items, but even if you take those out, the remainder still cost well over what your more standard free-to-play games typically ask of their players.

The value of these bundles is entirely determined by Grinding Gear Games, of course, and the developer wouldn’t price them that way if it didn’t know the packages were going to sell. In fact, the developer has spent years refining its monetisation strategy with the original Path of Exile, and some of that game's bundles are similarly expensive, so there is certainly an audience for it.

One thing most people may not have picked up on, however, is that GGG is also rewarding existing players for their investments. Anyone who spent $480, or more, on Path of Exile microtransactions will receive an early access key for the sequel. Now, yes, that is not a small figure, but considering the game has been out for a decade - that's 10 whole years! - many longtime players have likely invested close to that already. Without even realising it, in many cases. That's only about $48 per year, when you break it down, or a measly $4 per month -- not that much cash, in the grand scheme of things.

It may not look like the most compelling offer at first glance, but it’s still a bonus that recognises the money a certain segment of the player base has already invested into the game. The original Path of Exile is not going away, so those players can continue enjoying the purchases they’ve accumulated for years, but they also have a reason to jump into the new game without an upfront investment. It's both rewarding for sticky players, and opens up a new avenue for player retention for GGG. Everyone wins?

Ultimately, this is a good business decision on GGG’s part, but it also helps perpetuate the studio’s reputation of running a fair free-to-play model. Looking into the studio’s decisions around Path of Exile monetisation over the years, you’ll come across many instances where your first thought would be “they didn’t have to do this,” which I think is exactly where GGG wants to be.

Let that be a lesson to a lot of the developers that seem to be chasing profits first, ahead of their players.