Path of Exile 2 Where Things Stand: Forbidden Rites Is Live and 1.0 Lands December 11

Path of Exile 2 is in the home stretch of early access. Grinding Gear Games announced at gamescom’s Opening Night Live that version 1.0 arrives on December 11, 2026, almost exactly two years after early access began in December 2024. Game Informer reports the full launch covers PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S and remains free-to-play.

Forbidden Rites arrives September 4. Update 0.5.5 went live Friday, September 4 at 1pm PT, per PCGamesN, bringing a bonus event league called Forbidden Rites. It is built on a Ritual-style mechanic, with empowered ritual clusters appearing twice per act.

What else is in 0.5.5. According to PCGamesN’s rundown:

• Trial of Chaos overhaul: redesigned modifiers and faster pacing.
• Endgame Fortress: a shortcut through an upgraded Arbiter of Divinity boss.
• Abyss ravines added to the Atlas with progressive rewards.
• Runes of Aldur content folded into the core game as Expeditions from Act Four onward.

Two leagues at once. The Runes of Aldur league continues alongside Forbidden Rites, so players can stay on existing characters or start fresh in the new event.

The road to 1.0. The gamescom announcement came with a new trailer highlighting additions planned for the full release. Grinding Gear Games has not, in the sources we reviewed, published a complete 1.0 feature list or a post-launch league schedule, so we are not guessing at either.

Why it matters. Forbidden Rites gives PoE 2 a content beat between its earlier early access seasons and the December finish line. With a firm release date now on the calendar, the remaining patches before 1.0 are effectively the polish and content pass ahead of launch.

What to do. If you are jumping in, the choice is simple: keep pushing your current character in Runes of Aldur, or roll a new one in Forbidden Rites and test the reworked Trial of Chaos. Watch the official Path of Exile site for patch notes and the full 1.0 feature list.