What Is Path of Exile and How Do You Start Playing for Free?

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Path of Exile (PoE) is a free online action RPG developed by Grinding Gear Games in New Zealand. You create a character, build it out on a large passive skill tree, and clear monsters and league content in a dark fantasy world. To start, go to pathofexile.com, create an account, download the client for your platform, and pick a league and character. The site lists PC, Mac, Xbox One, and PS4 as supported platforms. The game is free to play, while optional purchases such as microtransactions and supporter packs are sold separately.

What Path of Exile Is

Path of Exile is an online-only action RPG built around seasonal play. Each league adds its own content and a fresh economy, and you make a new character to take part. The official site's navigation reflects the core systems you'll interact with: a passive tree, an atlas tree, ascendancy classes, items and item filters, plus trade and private leagues.

The site also covers two games. News posts refer separately to Path of Exile 1 and Path of Exile 2, so check which game a given announcement, league, or purchase applies to before you commit time or points.

The Core Loop

  1. Create a character. Choose a class, then shape it through the passive tree and ascendancy classes. The site links to the passive tree and ascendancy class pages if you want to plan before you play.
  2. Play through league content. Seasonal leagues are the main mode. The news page shows the current Path of Exile 1 league, The Curse of the Allflame, in its third month as of the October 2026 posts.
  3. Manage items. Loot is central, and item filters help you sort it. The site has an Items section and an Item Filters page.
  4. Trade and compare. Use the Trade section for searching items and bulk item exchange, and League Ladders to see how others are progressing.

Free-to-Play and What Costs Money

The game is described as a free online action RPG, and the shop sells optional cosmetics and packs rather than access. From the site:

  • Microtransactions cover cosmetic effects. For example, the seasonal Halloween microtransactions are cosmetic, and the Deal of the Day items are portal effects, armour packs, and pets priced in Points.
  • Supporter packs are sold through the Buy Packs page.
  • Kirac's Vault Pass is listed separately in the shop.

Prices shown on the site are in Points (for example, a portal effect discounted to 145 Points), and deals are time-limited ("TODAY ONLY," with a countdown). The site does not state that any of these purchases are required to play, so treat them as optional. Check the shop page for current prices rather than assuming a fixed cost.

Path of Exile 1 vs. Path of Exile 2

The news page treats them as separate games with separate announcements and, in the Halloween post, separate microtransaction availability. Before starting:

  • Confirm which game you want to play and that your platform is supported.
  • Check the relevant news post for that game's current league or expansion timing. For Path of Exile 1, the 3.30 expansion timeline is covered in an October 2026 news post.
  • Note that ExileCon 2026, on November 7–8 NZT, is where the studio plans to make its latest announcements, including race finales for both games.

Where to Start and What to Check

  • Account and download: Use Create Account / Log In on pathofexile.com, then follow the game download links for your platform.
  • Patch notes: The Patch Notes page is the reference for changes that affect builds and league content.
  • News: The News page carries league timelines, events, and shop announcements; you can also subscribe to the news feed.
  • Community: The Forum, Wiki, and Code of Conduct pages are linked from the site if you want guides or rules.

A practical first session: create an account, install the client, pick the current league, and plan a rough passive tree path before you start. Then use the item filter and trade pages once loot and currency start piling up.