Release time

Path of Exile 2 1.0 launches on Dec 11, 2026 (PST), free to play on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S; as of Nov 1, 2026 Grinding Gear Games has not announced the hour. Every launch since Early Access has gone live at 8 AM Auckland time, which on Dec 11 would be 11 AM PST (19:00 UTC).

Path of Exile 2 1.0 releases on Dec 11, 2026 (PST), and as of Nov 1, 2026 Grinding Gear Games (GGG) has not announced the hour: its announcement of Aug 25, 2026 says only that the game "launches as a fully free-to-play action RPG on December 11 (PST)". GGG usually names the hour shortly before a launch, and the full reveal of 1.0 is set for its ExileCon keynote on Nov 6, 2026 (PST) (ExileCon 2026). Until then the best guide is GGG's own record: all six launches since Early Access began went live at the same moment of the morning in Auckland, where GGG is based, 8 AM New Zealand time. On Dec 11, 2026 that is 11 AM PST (19:00 UTC). This page gives that time in each region and will change when GGG names the hour. The rest of what 1.0 brings is on Full release.

Quick facts

Release date	Dec 11, 2026 (PST), a Friday (GGG, Aug 25, 2026)
Release hour	Not announced as of Nov 1, 2026
GGG's usual hour	8 AM in Auckland, which on Dec 11 is 11 AM PST, 2 PM EST, 19:00 UTC
Last two December launches	Dec 6, 2024 and Dec 12, 2025, both at 11 AM PST
Platforms	PC (standalone client, Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, all at once
Price	Free to play from launch
Download size	100 GB of storage on PC, per the Steam page (read Nov 1, 2026)
Next news	The 1.0 Full Reveal at ExileCon, Nov 6, 2026, 12:30 PM PST

Has GGG announced the release time?

No. As of Nov 1, 2026, GGG's posts on 1.0 give the date with "(PST)" and nothing more, and its Steam page says the game "is leaving Early Access on December 11 2026 PST". GGG has named the hour of its earlier launches in its announcement posts and FAQs, usually in the reveal or the week before. Its next big announcement is the 1.0 Full Reveal at ExileCon, which starts at 12:30 PM PST on Nov 6, 2026.

What time have earlier launches gone live?

Every launch of Path of Exile 2 so far has gone live at 8 AM in Auckland. Because New Zealand and the United States change their clocks at different times of year, that shows up in Pacific time as 11 AM in December, 12 PM in early April and 1 PM in late May to early September.

Early Access (0.1.0)	Dec 6, 2024, 11 AM PST (19:00 UTC; 8 AM Dec 7 in Auckland), per Maxroll
Dawn of the Hunt (0.2.0)	Apr 4, 2025, 12 PM PDT (19:00 UTC; 8 AM Apr 5 in Auckland), per PC Gamer
The Third Edict (0.3.0)	Aug 29, 2025, 1 PM PDT (20:00 UTC; 8 AM Aug 30 in Auckland), per GGG
The Last of the Druids (0.4.0)	Dec 12, 2025, 11 AM PST (19:00 UTC; 8 AM Dec 13 in Auckland), per GGG
Return of the Ancients (0.5.0)	May 29, 2026, 1 PM PDT (20:00 UTC; 8 AM May 30 in Auckland), per GGG
Forbidden Rites (0.5.5)	Sep 4, 2026, 1 PM PDT (20:00 UTC; 8 AM Sep 5 in Auckland), per GGG

The two December launches are the closest match for 1.0: Early Access on Dec 6, 2024 and The Last of the Druids on Dec 12, 2025 both opened at 11 AM PST on PC and consoles together.

When is 11 AM PST on Dec 11 in my time zone?

If GGG keeps its pattern, 1.0 opens at these local times. They are a projection from the launches above, not an announcement, and will be replaced by GGG's own time when it gives one.

Los Angeles (PST)	Friday, Dec 11, 11 AM
Denver (MST)	Friday, Dec 11, 12 PM
Chicago (CST)	Friday, Dec 11, 1 PM
New York (EST)	Friday, Dec 11, 2 PM
São Paulo (BRT)	Friday, Dec 11, 4 PM
London (GMT)	Friday, Dec 11, 7 PM
Paris, Berlin (CET)	Friday, Dec 11, 8 PM
Moscow (MSK)	Friday, Dec 11, 10 PM
Singapore, Beijing	Saturday, Dec 12, 3 AM
Seoul, Tokyo	Saturday, Dec 12, 4 AM
Sydney (AEDT)	Saturday, Dec 12, 6 AM
Auckland (NZDT)	Saturday, Dec 12, 8 AM

Can I pre-load Path of Exile 2 1.0?

GGG has not said how pre-loading will work for 1.0. For the Early Access launch, Maxroll reported that the standalone PC client could be downloaded from 5 PM PST on Dec 5, 2024, the day before, and that Xbox players could already pre-download, while Steam "traditionally hasn't had access to pre-downloads" for GGG's launches. Players who already have the Early Access client installed will only need the 1.0 patch. On PC the game needs 100 GB of storage, and Steam recommends a solid-state drive (System requirements).

What else happens on launch day?

At launch the game becomes free to play on every platform, the Duelist becomes playable, and the Forbidden Rites and Runes of Aldur leagues end, as GGG's Forbidden Rites FAQ of Aug 30, 2026 says. Early Access characters are kept rather than wiped (Character wipe). Registration for the 1.0 rewards closes on Dec 11 (PST), and GGG emails the codes after launch (Registration rewards).

Frequently asked questions

What time does Path of Exile 2 1.0 release? Grinding Gear Games has not announced the hour as of Nov 1, 2026, only the date, Dec 11, 2026 (PST). Every earlier Path of Exile 2 launch went live at 8 AM Auckland time, which on Dec 11 would be 11 AM PST, 2 PM EST and 7 PM in London.

Is Path of Exile 2 1.0 on Dec 11 or Dec 12? Dec 11, 2026 in the Americas and Europe, Pacific time. In Asia, Australia and New Zealand an 11 AM PST launch would fall on the morning of Saturday, Dec 12.

Does Path of Exile 2 1.0 launch at the same time on consoles? Yes. GGG has launched every Path of Exile 2 update on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S at the same moment, and 1.0 is announced for all of them on Dec 11, 2026.

When will GGG announce the Path of Exile 2 1.0 launch time? GGG has not said. The next big news is the 1.0 Full Reveal at ExileCon on Nov 6, 2026 at 12:30 PM PST, and GGG usually names a launch hour in its reveal or FAQ.

How big is the Path of Exile 2 download? The Steam page asks for 100 GB of storage on PC and recommends an SSD (read Nov 1, 2026). GGG has not given the size of the 1.0 patch.

Is Path of Exile 2 1.0 free at launch? Yes. From Dec 11, 2026 the game is free to play on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with no supporter pack needed.