Path of Exile devs want it to be easier for new players, but still won’t let you skip its 20-hour campaign every league—at least not yet: ‘It feels very wrong to me’
Path of Exile's developers are making accessibility improvements for newcomers but have firmly rejected long-standing requests to bypass the game's lengthy campaign structure. Players begin each seasonal league facing a mandatory 10-act storyline that typically requires 20 hours or more to complete, functioning as an extended tutorial before they can engage with the endgame content where most of the game's depth lies. Veteran players can accelerate through this sequence in just 5–6 hours, highlighting the disparity between experienced and new players.
Game designer Christopher Laferriere and director Mark Roberts told media outlets that campaign skipping remains off the table, with Roberts suggesting the requirement would feel conceptually misaligned with the game's design philosophy. The developers acknowledge the frustration but show no signs of reconsidering, despite this being one of the most consistent criticisms from both new and returning players attempting to engage with Path of Exile and its sequel.
- Path of Exile developers are improving new-player experience but will not allow skipping the mandatory 20-hour campaign each league
- Every new player must complete 10 acts before accessing endgame content, taking most players 20+ hours versus veterans' 5–6 hours
- Despite years of repeated player requests, developers maintain that skipping would feel fundamentally wrong to the game's design