In the latest update news surrounding Path of Exile 2’s 0.2.0 patch, one confirmed change has rapidly emerged as a potential flashpoint for controversy within the community. The change in question concerns the overhaul of the Tower system—a core component of the game’s endgame mapping—and promises to Poe 2 trade fundamentally alter how players interact with these notoriously challenging areas. While Grinding Gear Games aims to breathe new life into a feature that has long been criticized for its tedious mechanics, many players fear that the overhaul might lead to even more frustration and imbalance in the endgame experience.

The Tower system in Path of Exile 2 has historically been a mixed bag. For some, these maps have served as an additional challenge that can offer significant rewards, but for many others, they have been little more than a chore—a time sink that provides minimal benefit. Prior iterations of the game featured towers as relatively straightforward endgame zones, where players could quickly activate a map by simply reaching a designated waypoint or a single point of interest. However, in the forthcoming 0.2.0 patch, Towers will now function more like full-fledged maps. This means that instead of bypassing much of the gameplay in favor of a rapid completion method, players will be required to thoroughly clear each tower of its rare monsters and, in some cases, defeat an additional boss character that appears within the zone.

The idea behind this change is rooted in the developers’ desire to offer a more rewarding experience. By adding additional content such as mini-bosses and more diverse mechanics to Towers, Grinding Gear Games intends to transform them from a monotonous necessity into a dynamic and engaging part of the game. The update promises that Towers will now be integrated with many of the same mechanics found in regular maps, including the application of various tablets that can enhance rewards, as well as the spawning of a range of new events. On paper, this sounds like a major quality-of-life improvement, one that would encourage players to invest more time in exploring these areas rather than simply skipping them as a necessary evil.

Yet the controversy lies in the details of implementation. Many players have long complained that the current design of Towers forces them into a cycle of backtracking and inefficient buy Path of Exile 2 Currency route planning on the Atlas. With the new changes, the expectation is that players must now clear nearly every enemy within these zones in order to fully activate the tower’s potential benefits. This requirement could significantly increase the amount of time spent in a single tower, particularly in those areas with less favorable layouts such as the infamous Lost Towers. Critics argue that this might lead to even more downtime and repetition, further hampering the overall pacing of endgame progression. For players who favor rapid farming and efficient map runs, this added complexity could prove to be an unwelcome obstacle.