Grinding Gear Games is making major changes to improve Path of Exile’s accessibility, but one of the community’s longest-standing requests is still off the table. Despite ongoing efforts to modernize the action RPG and make it more welcoming to new players, the studio says it has no immediate plans to let players skip the game’s lengthy campaign at the start of each league.
The topic has resurfaced following the announcement of major gameplay changes in the upcoming Curse of the Allflame update, which removes several long-standing mechanics. While that has led some fans to wonder whether the campaign could also be shortened or skipped, the developers say they still view it as a fundamental part of the Path of Exile experience.
Grinding Gear Games Explains Why the Campaign Still Matters
Speaking to PCGamesN, game designer Christopher “Octavian” Laferriere acknowledged that the idea has been discussed internally but said the team remains hesitant.
“I’d want to give a lot of consideration to something like that,”
Laferriere said.
“Maybe it is worth another look—that said, personally, it feels very wrong to me.”
Game director Mark Roberts echoed that sentiment, arguing that skipping the campaign would weaken players’ connection to their characters. Drawing from his own experience using developer tools to bypass progression, Roberts said the shortcut ultimately reduces the satisfaction of playing.
According to Roberts,
“It just genuinely makes the game worse—the work to get there is the satisfaction.”
For many players, completing all ten acts before reaching the endgame has become one of the biggest hurdles when starting a new league. While experienced players can finish the campaign in around five or six hours, newcomers often spend much longer before accessing endgame content.
Studio Wants to Refresh the Campaign Instead of Removing It
Rather than introducing a campaign skip, Grinding Gear Games wants to keep each league feeling fresh by improving the campaign experience itself.
Roberts warned that allowing players to bypass it entirely would diminish one of the game’s defining pillars.
“We would lose its quality quite fast if we were to say, ‘Oh, campaign doesn’t matter anymore.’ I think that’s a very, very bad way to go,” he explained.
The comments are notable because the studio has recently shown a willingness to rethink mechanics once considered untouchable. Grinding Gear Games recently removed the game’s long-running colored socket system after deciding it no longer added meaningful gameplay value.
However, the campaign appears to be viewed differently. The developers believe progressing through the story helps establish character growth, teaches core mechanics naturally, and gives greater meaning to the endgame.
New Player Improvements Continue
Although a campaign skip remains unlikely, Grinding Gear Games has repeatedly stated that improving accessibility remains a major focus for both Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2. Recent updates have streamlined mechanics, adjusted progression systems, and introduced quality-of-life improvements aimed at making the experience less intimidating for new players.
For now, however, fans hoping to jump straight into endgame content each league will likely have to continue completing the campaign first, as the studio remains convinced that the journey is an essential part of what makes Path of Exile rewarding.
