No, Path of Exile is Available on Both PC and Consoles
Path of Exile is not a PC-exclusive game. Originally launched on Windows PC in 2013, Grinding Gear Games‘ hit ARPG has expanded to Xbox and PlayStation consoles over the past several years.
With three new platforms beyond PC, Exiles now have more choice than ever on where to enjoy the dark fantasy world of Wraeclast. As an avid PoE player myself, I‘m excited to see GGG bringing the game to more players while retaining the complexity and depth us fans love.
PoE By the Numbers: Breaking Down the Platforms
Let‘s look at some data on PoE‘s player base and availability by platform, as of February 2023:
| Platform | Release Date | All-Time Sales | Peak Daily Players | Active Players in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | October 2013 | Over 20 million | 238k (Steam) | 800k |
| Xbox One | August 2017 | Over 5 million | 84k | 200k |
| PlayStation 4 | March 2019 | Over 5 million | 105k | 250k |
With roughly 1.25 million daily players in 2024, Path of Exile remains hugely popular even nearly 10 years after its initial PC launch.
The Xbox One and PS4 ports have sold over 5 million copies each – a strong showing that demonstrates the demand for PoE outside its home platform. And thankfully, console support continues with the next generation too.
What Platforms Will Path of Exile 2 Release On?
Grinding Gear is building Path of Exile 2 to be cross-generational, supporting both next-gen and past-gen consoles:
- Xbox Series X/S: Confirmed
- PlayStation 5: Confirmed
- Likely Xbox One, PS4 too for wider accessibility
And according to studio head Chris Wilson, a Nintendo Switch port is still possible depending on technical performance.
In my opinion, GGG would be wise to make PoE as broadly available as technology allows. Considering the first game saw great success on Xbox One and PS4 late in their lifecycles, there is clearly strong interest among console ARPG fans.
Why I Still Prefer PC – More Control and Better Trading
Now don‘t get me wrong – I think Grinding Gear porting PoE to consoles is fantastic for bringing more visibility to this incredible game. The controller scheme is surprisingly smooth and I enjoy kicking back on my couch with PoE on Xbox from time to time.
But if I‘m going to grind seriously or tackle end-game content, I stick to PC.
The main benefits as I see them:
- Precision with mouse & keyboard – For managing intense combat and UI interactions, I still find M+KB faster and more precise.
- Higher frame rates – My gaming PC pushes over 100 FPS steadily. Consoles tend to cap at 60 FPS.
- Better trading system – The advanced premium stash tab trading through pathofexile.com is exclusive to PC. Console trading relies on outdated methods like message boards.
Trading especially keeps me logging back into the PC client. Playing SSF (solo self-found) is great fun, but I love the player economy interaction once I‘m pushing into yellow/red maps and need specific build-enabling uniques or chase items.
The Verdict: Choose Your Preferred Platform
Path of Exile now happily supports PC, Xbox One and Series consoles, PlayStation 4 and 5, with potentially even more platforms on the horizon.
So PC-only? Far from it. While I suggest PC for the best performance and trading, the core intense, complex, ever-evolving PoE experience remains intact across all platforms.
With cross-play still on the roadmap for GGG, someday we may all get to party together regardless of our platform allegiance. Until then, I look forward seeing you Exiles slaying demons in Wraeclast – whether it‘s with mouse and keyboard or controller in hand!
Let me know which platform you prefer for PoE and why in the comments below!
