Path of Exile 2's Steam Deck Tango: A Sneaky Hint at a Potential Switch 2 Adventure?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Path of Exile 2 is "effectively" ready for Steam Deck verification by the end of May, thanks to UI scaling and optimization work, which developers acknowledge lays crucial groundwork for a potential future Switch 2 release, alongside a massive endgame overhaul in patch 0.5.0.
Alright, mates, gather 'round the digital campfire because something rather interesting is brewing in the world of ARPGs. Path of Exile 2, that gloriously deep and delightfully complex action RPG, is apparently getting its ducks (or should I say, its demonic ducks?) in a row for Steam Deck verification. And fair dinkum, if you're like me, your inner wizard is already wondering what this means for the mythical beast that is the *Switch 2*.
Our pals at Grinding Gear Games have been chatting with Robert Purchese over at Eurogamer (hat tip to him for poking the dev-dragon!), and they've revealed that PoE 2 will be "effectively" Steam Deck verified by the end of May, landing with patch 0.5.0 on May 29th. Now, "effectively" is doing a bit of heavy lifting there, innit? Valve's official stamp might come a smidge later, but Grinding Gear Games reckons they've done all the necessary jiggery-pokery.
What does this "jiggery-pokery" involve, you ask? Well, it's all about making the game *actually* playable on a smaller screen. Think UI scaling options so you don't need a magnifying glass to read your skill tree, and ensuring the default settings make for a "good experience." As game director Jonathan Rogers put it, they're "making sure that it's a good experience on Steam Deck this time." Which, let's be honest, is always a welcome sign for us portable gamers. Nobody wants to be squinting at pixelated quest text on the train.
Now, here's where my metaphorical crystal ball starts getting a bit cloudy, but in an exciting way. Rogers admitted they "still haven't done any stuff with Switch 2" directly. *However*, he immediately followed up by saying that all the work for Steam Deck verification – the UI scaling, the text adjustments, the optimisations for a handheld experience – is *precisely* the kind of foundational magic you'd need for a potential Switch 2 port. It's like building the perfect miniature spellbook; once you've done the hard work, adapting it to a slightly different enchanted tablet isn't nearly as daunting.
Let's be real, Blizzard's Diablo series found a fair bit of success on the OG Switch, and while Diablo 4 isn't there yet, whispers (and Indonesian age ratings, mind you!) suggest its *Lord of Hatred* expansion might be heading that way. So, the market for a beefy ARPG on a Nintendo handheld is clearly there. It just makes *sense*, doesn't it? A Switch 2 version of PoE 2, especially after all this Steam Deck groundwork, would be a proper coup for portable dungeon delving.
But wait, there's more! This patch 0.5.0, dubbed "Return of the Ancients," isn't just about making things tiny-screen-friendly. It's a proper monster of an update, primarily focused on overhauling the endgame. We're talking new questlines to guide you through the Atlas, expanded areas like an explorable sea and a gigantic fortress. Plus, new Ascendancy options for the Monk and Huntress. Being an eternal Monk fan, I'm already buzzing, but the Huntress's Spirit Walker ascendancy sounds bloody brilliant: the ability to *tame beast bosses* and have them fight with you. Imagine strolling into a boss arena and walking out with a new pet dragon, eh? That's chaotic good energy right there.
Of course, Grinding Gear Games still has a bit of wizardry left before the full 1.0 release (Acts 5 and 6 are still cooking, and some previously promised classes won't make the cut). But seeing them prioritise a solid portable experience while building out a truly expansive endgame? That's got my optimistically chaotic heart doing a little jig.
So, while we don't have a confirmed Switch 2 release (or even a confirmed Switch 2, let's be honest!), this Steam Deck news feels like a pretty strong whisper from the digital ethers. Keep your eyes peeled, your UI scaled, and your beast-taming skills honed, folks. The future of portable ARPGs is looking rather… enchanting.
Tags: Path of Exile 2, Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch 2, ARPG, Gaming News
Original article: Eurogamer