Path of Exile 1 vs Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 1 is still a live game. A Steam news post for the original game announced Covens and Umbra for 13 November 2026. Path of Exile 2 is a second client, not a patch numbered 2.0 on the first game.

Path of Exile 2 environment screenshot from the Steam store page

They do not share an installer

PoE2 downloads from pathofexile2.com or Steam app 2694490. PoE1 is the older store entry. Characters do not move between them. The “will they abandon PoE1” worry is answered, for now, by the fact that PoE1 still has dated league news in November 2026. I will not promise that pattern forever.

PoE1’s 2.0, The Awakening, shipped in 2015. That patch is not Path of Exile 2. The disambiguation page is what 2.0 means.

Path of Exile 2 landscape screenshot from the Steam store page

FAQ

Should I play 1 or 2?

If you want the 11 December 2026 campaign and the new classes, that is PoE2. If you want the long-running league, PoE1 is still updated.

Is PoE1 shutting down?

Not according to the November 2026 league announcement. I am not predicting 2027.

Sources

Steam — PoE1 Covens and Umbra — checked 2026-11-08
GGG — The Awakening 2.0.0 — checked 2026-11-08
Steam store — Path of Exile 2 — checked 2026-11-08

Last updated 2026-11-08.