When Devs Say '25%' But Mean 'Double': Path of Exile 2 Just Cast a 'Maximum FPS' Spell on Consoles (and Banished the Bloody Fog!)
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Path of Exile 2 is getting a colossal performance boost, potentially doubling frame rates on consoles thanks to better CPU utilization, alongside a long-awaited fix for the notoriously annoying Delirium fog, proving Grinding Gear Games is both pushing technical boundaries and actually listening to its players.
Right, so apparently Grinding Gear Games (GGG) has been tinkering with Path of Exile 2, and bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared. You know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well, accidentally blowing a hole through the fabric of reality? That's kinda the vibe coming from the upcoming performance boost for PoE2.
Initially, GGG co-game director Mark Roberts, in a recent press presentation, cautiously mentioned a '25 percent higher' frame rate and 'a lot less bad frame spikes.' Sounds solid, right? Like finding an extra few gold coins in your inventory. But then, our mate Robert Purchese over at Eurogamer had a natter with the other co-game director, Jonathan Rogers, and that's when things got a bit more... *magical*.
Rogers basically let slip that the 25% estimate was just a polite nod. "I was willing to commit to 25 percent because I know that we're definitely hitting that, but honestly, in a lot of situations, it's straight up double." Double, mate! That's not just a few extra coins; that's like stumbling upon a chest overflowing with legendary loot from a hidden dungeon. Suddenly, that minor buff feels like a full-blown power surge.
So, what's this sorcery they've been brewing? It's all about getting the game's code to finally play nice with multiple CPU cores. Think of it like teaching your spellcasting party to coordinate their attacks rather than everyone just flinging fireballs willy-nilly. This kind of optimization is always a win, but it’s a particularly potent potion for console players – especially those on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. Why? Because, as Rogers pointed out, console CPUs are generally a bit slower, and you can't exactly swap out your Xbox's brain for a beefier model. What you get is what you got, mate. So, making the most of that fixed hardware is absolutely crucial for a smooth endgame experience, where the screen can often be a chaotic ballet of particle effects and demon guts. It means less chugging, fewer frustrating dips during intense encounters, and hopefully, a much more fluid overall adventure.
And hey, PC players, don't feel left out! Your rigs will naturally lap up these gains too. Even the trusty Steam Deck, that little handheld wizard, is set to benefit from this newfound multi-core harmony. It’s always satisfying when devs push the technical envelope in ways that directly impact player experience, rather than just adding more shiny bits.
But wait, there's more! While double frame rates are enough to get anyone buzzing, there’s another, arguably even more universally celebrated change coming: the absolute obliteration of that infamous Delirium fog. If you've spent any time on the Path of Exile subreddit, you'll know it's been a running gag – or rather, a running *pain* – for ages. Memes galore about not being able to see your own character, let alone the hordes of demons trying to chew your face off. It was like trying to fight a boss in a perpetual cloud of magical grey soup. Frankly, it was bloody annoying, and a classic case of a mechanic working a bit too well, to the detriment of actual gameplay clarity.
GGG, bless 'em, actually heard the fog-muffled cries of their community. Jonathan Rogers confirmed they’ve "significantly" toned it down. The culprit, apparently, was the 'Instilling' mechanic, which basically made it mandatory to run Delirium, turning every single map into a visibility nightmare. No downside, all fog, all the time. So, the first fix? Remove the mandatory requirement to use Instilling. Simple, elegant, and instantly reduces the incidence of unexpected grey-outs across your entire play session. But they didn't stop there. They've also dramatically altered the actual Delirium fog itself, making it "much more fine" and less intrusive when you *do* encounter it. It's still part of the Delirium experience, because, well, it's Delirium, but now it's less like stumbling through a cotton wool factory blindfolded and more like a gentle, atmospheric mist that doesn't actively sabotage your build. A massive quality-of-life win, if you ask me, showing some proper clever observation by the dev team about player pain points.
These epic changes, including the performance surge and the fog fix, are rolling out as part of a quarterly update on December 12th. Players can also look forward to a brand-spanking-new Druid class – always exciting to see new ways to crack skulls, or perhaps shapeshift into something that *really* cracks skulls – and a fresh league that apparently takes some inspiration from the delightfully clever indie darling, Loop Hero, with an underground temple you need to piece together. Intriguing!
Now, for those of you dreaming of taking PoE2 on the go beyond the Steam Deck, the question of a Switch 2 port did pop up. Rogers admitted it's "been suggested," but their engine team is a lean, mean, four-person machine with a lot on its plate. "It's one of those things that we can look into once I no longer feel like I've got a problem with performance on the other platforms," he noted. Fair enough, mate. You gotta walk before you can fly, especially when you're busy making sure the existing flight paths aren't full of performance turbulence. Focusing on what's in front of you is a smart move, even if it means holding off on future magical excursions.
Path of Exile 2 is currently in early access on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X, with the full 1.0 release (all six Acts!) pencilled in for "later next year." So, plenty more to come, but these immediate updates are shaping up to be a bloody fantastic step in the right direction. It's good to see a dev team not only pushing the boundaries of performance in a significant way but also genuinely listening to the player base about those little, yet hugely impactful, irritations. Here's hoping this magic performance boost feels as good as it sounds, and that the only fog we see now is the digital dust kicked up by our own blazing speed.
Tags: Path of Exile 2, ARPG, Gaming Performance, Console Gaming, Game Development
Original article: Eurogamer