When Does Return of the Ancients Completing for PoE 2 Solve?

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The Return of the Ancients update for Path of Exile 2 launches today, marking the biggest overhaul of the game’s endgame system so far. This update includes new storylines, clearer guidance on the world map, and several new ways to progress—plus a built-in build tracker for players who prefer following expert strategies. The update will be available for download on Steam right at the start time, as PoE2 usually doesn’t have pre-loads.

Here’s when the update goes live in your region:

– West Coast, NA: 1 PM PDT on Friday, May 29
– East Coast, NA: 4 PM EDT on Friday, May 29
– UK: 9 PM BST on Friday, May 29
– Europe: 10 PM CEST on Friday, May 29
– Australia: 6 AM AEST on Saturday, May 30
– Japan: 5 AM JST on Saturday, May 30

Most of North America can jump in during the middle of the day, with Europe starting later in the evening.

This also kicks off a Twitch Drops campaign, allowing players to earn the Arbiter of Ash Waypoint during the first week. Other Twitch Drops can be checked out as well.

The Return of the Ancients update is a major refresh, focusing on the endgame experience. It introduces a new, more guided atlas, making it easier to find and face major bosses. Previous league mechanics like Delirium, Breach, Ritual, and Expedition have been integrated into the atlas, each with their own stories and rewards. Although this isn’t a full story expansion like a new act, there’s a lot of interest in following these mechanics to see how they unfold.

Additionally, the update brings the Runes of Aldur league, which introduces a new rune-crafting system involving activating Remnants and combining over 100 new runes for deeper character customization. A new defensive mechanic called Runic Ward acts as a secondary resource for survival, expanding build possibilities across different armor types.

Grinding Gear Games has also added a new in-game build import system, making it easier for players to load community-created builds directly into the game without needing external tools.