Path of Exile 2 announces Forbidden Rites event and patch 0.5.5

Grinding Gear Games has announced the Forbidden Rites event and patch 0.5.5 for Path of Exile 2, scheduled to launch on September 4. This mid-cycle update serves as a mini-season to bridge the gap until the full 1.0 release on December 11.

The Forbidden Rites event introduces a fresh economy and centers on the Ritual mechanic. Ritual sites will appear in every campaign zone, allowing players to fight waves of monsters for Tribute. In co-op play, players will now earn and spend their own Tribute individually. The update also features special effigy clusters on the world map that can lead to boss-heavy combat chains, and the return of the Wildwood mechanic in the endgame.

While the update includes significant mechanical overhauls and endgame additions, developers confirmed that no balance changes to classes or ascendancies will be included in patch 0.5.5; those adjustments are reserved for the 1.0 launch. Additionally, the current challenge league will continue to run alongside this new event ladder.