Constructive Feedback on Patch 0.2.0 – A Frustrating Update for Committed Players

Hello Grinding Gear Games,

I’m writing as a passionate and invested Path of Exile 2 player who has spent many hours on versions 0.1.0 and 0.2.0. I’d like to share my honest thoughts regarding the most recent patch, in the hope that sincere and respectful feedback can help improve the overall player experience.
⚖️ Questionable Game Design Direction

Version 0.1.0 laid down strong foundations: a good pace, effective and rewarding builds, generous loot, and a well-balanced difficulty curve for an alpha. In contrast, patch 0.2.0 feels like a complete departure from that, and for many players like myself, it made the game significantly less enjoyable.
❌ Excessive Nerfs and Widened Imbalances

The sweeping nerfs to certain archetypes – particularly the Attribute Stacker – were harsh. While this build was strong, instead of buffing weaker classes or builds to make them more viable, it was completely dismantled.

This feels like downward balancing, which may be easier to implement, but is extremely discouraging for players. Massively nerfing strong builds without uplifting weaker ones breaks the sense of fun, diversity, and identity that makes build creation exciting.

This isn’t just about raw power – it’s about the player’s feeling. We feel punished for discovering something effective, instead of being encouraged to try more.
📉 Loot System Feels Hollow

Another major issue is the drastic reduction in loot drops. Back in 0.1.0, I could reliably farm between 8 to 15 Divines per day with an optimized build and strategy. Now, in 0.2.0, I struggle to get even one Divine every two to three days, despite playing just as much – if not more.

This kills the sense of progression and achievement. Loot is the beating heart of any ARPG. Without a generous reward system and those “jackpot” moments, the grind becomes hollow and repetitive.

Even worse, this excessive scarcity has pushed many players to either quit or turn to real-money trading on third-party sites. This is a direct consequence of unbalanced reward systems – and it hurts both the game’s integrity and your in-game economy.
🧠 Misplaced Difficulty

Increasing the game’s difficulty is understandable, but it should have been focused on endgame content, not forced across the entire leveling experience. As it stands, even basic enemies absorb an unreasonable amount of damage, making leveling feel slow and frustrating.

This creates a snowball effect: slow kills → less loot → slower progression → less enjoyment.
💡 What We Were Hoping For Instead:

Buff underperforming builds to make them viable (instead of nerfing the fun ones).

Maintain a generous loot system that rewards time and effort.

Increase difficulty where it makes sense: in the endgame, not the entire game.

Focus balance on diversity and player freedom, not forced uniformity.

Keep a rewarding in-game economy to avoid pushing players toward third-party trading.

And above all: Make nerfed builds viable again, because many players identify with a specific playstyle or archetype that they love. Forcing them to change class “out of frustration” only diminishes the gameplay depth and enjoyment.

Thank you for the hard work and passion you put into this ambitious project. But I strongly encourage you to reconsider the direction taken with this patch, which made the game far less enjoyable for many players in the community.

Most importantly, I urge you to implement these changes as soon as possible, ideally with a fresh, well-thought-out season, because for many players, this current season already feels "dead." Restoring a balanced and rewarding foundation is essential to regaining the community's trust and engagement.

Best regards,