Path of Exile 2’s Delay Incurs Costs Exceeding a Million Dollars in Marketing and Server Expenses

During a recent preview and press roundtable for Path of Exile 2, Jonathan Rogers, the game director, shed some light on why they decided to delay the game by three weeks. He dived into the technical reasons behind this decision, how they could have potentially stuck to the original schedule, and the associated costs.

Rogers explained, “We kind of misjudged how long it would take to merge the realms of PoE 2 and PoE 1. It’s frustrating because you wouldn’t think that’s something that would hold back such a major release! Honestly, we’re at the point now where most of the work is basically finished. Looking back, we might have been able to stick to the initial release date. But at that time, it was cutting too close and seemed risky, so we opted for the delay.”

Naturally, giving game developers an extra three weeks is like giving them a golden ticket—they’re ecstatic about the opportunity to refine things further. “The designers were thrilled,” Rogers mentioned, “They were all excited about how much these three weeks could improve the game’s experience. However, the main reason for the delay was the back-end, not the game content itself.”

Rogers also touched on the difficult decision-making process as a game director and the financial implications of the delay. “As a game director, there’s immense pressure to stick to the schedule. We’ve lined up marketing that costs a lot of money, with commitments like a 20% deposit. But ultimately, ensuring the launch doesn’t turn into a fiasco because of unresolved back-end issues was more important. Hopefully, our decision will prevent any launch-day disasters—fingers crossed!”

When it came to discussing the exact costs, Rogers was reserved but noted, “I’d rather not share specifics, but it’s likely over a million dollars. We even have server contracts kicking in, requiring payments even though we’re not using them for a month. These kinds of unexpected expenses pop up everywhere.”

Despite these challenges, Rogers expressed his empathy for the fans who’d been eagerly waiting. “I feel really bad about this, knowing people take time off just for these releases. But we couldn’t ignore the risks.”

It’s a tough pill to swallow, thinking about what could have gone wrong. Imagining a scenario where players couldn’t transfer their PoE 1 purchases or an unexpected technical glitch at launch, the choice to delay seems justifiable—even with its hefty price tag.

So, what’s your take on this delay? Are you glad Grinding Gear Games took this step? Share your thoughts below!