Can Players Skip the Campaign in Path of Exile 2?

Sep-05-2025

Path of Exile 2's campaign has quickly become one of the most praised features of the game. With Act 4 being called one of the best ARPG acts ever, it's clear that Grinding Gear Games put enormous effort into creating an immersive story with cinematic visuals and memorable boss fights.

But as much as players love their first journey, the real question is: do we have to run it every single time? With leagues resetting every few months, many Exiles are already asking if we'll be able to skip the campaign when creating alts or trying out new builds.

Why Players Want a Skip Option

The first time through, the campaign feels incredible. Your character slowly builds strength, you experiment with skill gems, and you enjoy the pacing of Path of Exile 2's narrative.

The problem comes after. A full playthrough currently takes 20–25 hours on your first run, and even veteran players report needing 13–17 hours to reach the Interludes. That's before Acts 5 and 6 even launch. For players who enjoy experimenting with multiple builds per league, repeating the same story dozens of times risks creating campaign fatigue.

Suggestions from the community include:

A campaign skip option after clearing it once.

Alternative leveling paths, such as low-level maps or dungeon runs.

Boosted Interlude XP routes designed for alts.

Other ARPGs already offer these systems. Diablo 4 lets you skip the story once completed, while Last Epoch uses dungeon skips. Even Diablo 3's Adventure Mode was essentially a campaign-free way to dive into progression.

Campaign or Endgame – Where Should the Grind Be?

Another part of the debate is where PoE2 should focus its long-term grind. Some players want the story to be the "main game," while others argue that the real progression should start in endgame mapping.

In Path of Exile 1, much of the fun came from testing builds, trading Path of Exile 2 currency, and scaling gear with powerful orbs—all activities that sit squarely in the endgame. For many, forcing a 20-hour story run on every new character makes experimenting with builds and spending PoE2 orbs on upgrades feel like a chore instead of a reward.

What This Means for Leagues

Every league is a fresh start. That's part of PoE's identity, and it's also why the campaign length has players worried. If Path of Exile 2 expects us to repeat Acts 1–6 every single time, players may end up sticking with one character per season instead of experimenting with different builds and strategies.

That's a problem for a game built around loot hunting, trading currency, and crafting with orbs. Variety is what keeps leagues exciting. Without some way to bypass the campaign grind, the community fears PoE2 might limit its own replayability despite having such an amazing foundation.

So, Can We Skip the Campaign in PoE2?

Right now, the answer is no—every new character has to run through the campaign. Grinding Gear Games hasn't confirmed any official plans for a skip system yet, but the demand is loud and clear.

If PoE2 eventually introduces a campaign skip, alternate leveling routes, or XP boosts for alts, it would go a long way toward keeping leagues fresh, making Path of Exile 2 currency farming more accessible, and encouraging players to experiment with multiple builds.

Until then, the best advice is to enjoy the campaign the first time, but prepare yourself for a long journey every time you roll a new character.

What do you think? Should Path of Exile 2 follow Diablo 4's model and let us skip the campaign after clearing it once, or should the story remain mandatory each league?