Path of Exile 2 players say the "official launch of the game" is here now that the ARPG's unofficial build simulator has launched: "Finally we can play the real game"

Path of Exile 2 screenshot from the opening cinematic trailer, showing someone stood surrounded by flames.
(Image credit: Grinding Gear Games)

Path of Exile 2's new unofficial build simulator, Path of Building, has launched, and players are hyped for what they're calling the "official launch of the game."

For the uninitiated, and in the simplest terms, Path of Building, from LocalIdentity, lets you toy around with different builds without having to log into the game. For competitive players, who the tool is primarily designed for, it shows exactly how much damage you're putting out as well as your defensive capabilities when you put together all of your gear, items, and skills.

I'm not big into theory crafting at all, but a tool like this is super useful when you find a new item and you want to know if it's actually a true upgrade to your stats with all possibilities considered or if it's better as material fodder.

If you're familiar with Diablo 4's Build Planner Simulator from D4Builds, Path of Building is similar but more interactive and complex.

The original Path of Building came out in 2016, so it's been around for a long time, but this is the first thing of its kind for Path of Exile 2, which launched into Steam Early Access in early December. Frankly, when I said earlier that players are "hyped," that was a pretty massive understatement.

"THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE, THANKS LEGEND!" reads a tweet from one Path of Exile 2 player in response to the news of Path of Building 2's release.

"FINALLY WE CAN PLAY THE REAL GAME," reads another capped out response from a Redditor.

"Official launch of the game," reads another.

"Finally the REAL game," says someone else.

Despite all this excitement, I am seeing quite a few comments that say Path of Building isn't quite fully cooked yet and isn't 100% accurate. That's to be expected for a tool that'll likely be continually updated for years to come, but it's worth a mention. On that note, LocalIdentity pleas in a tweet, repeatedly, not to send in bug reports for red mod text that isn't working. However, if you see blue mod text that isn't working, that warrants a bug report.

If somehow Path of Exile 2 isn't scratching your ARPG itch, here are some other games like Diablo to try out.

Jordan Gerblick

After scoring a degree in English from ASU, I worked as a copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. Now, as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer, I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my apartment, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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