With so many ARPGs fighting for your attention in 2026, it's fair to ask if the first Path of Exile still deserves a spot on your drive. If you've been watching the hype around Path of Exile 2 Currency and thinking the sequel must've replaced everything, here's the thing: PoE1 hasn't been "replaced" so much as it's become the wild option. It's the game you boot up when you want speed, noise, and that reckless feeling that your character's basically a moving natural disaster.



Speed Is The Point

You'll notice it fast: PoE isn't trying to be careful. Once your build clicks, combat stops being a back-and-forth and turns into a blur. You dash, everything pops, and the screen goes from "packed" to "empty" in a heartbeat. That loop is the hook. It's not subtle, and it's not meant to be. A lot of newer ARPG design leans toward slower reads and deliberate dodges; PoE1 leans toward momentum. And when you're in the zone, it's hard to go back to anything that feels like it's putting the brakes on.



A Build Lab, Not A Class Box

The real reason veterans stick around is choice. Not the "pick one of three talents" kind—more like a messy workshop where half the fun is trying something that probably shouldn't work, then making it work anyway. Gems, links, a passive tree that looks like a map of the subway, gear interactions that get weird in the best way. You can play a caster who stands there and takes hits, or a brawler who wins by letting minions do the dirty work, and nobody's going to tell you you're doing it wrong. People chase that moment when a tweak—one support gem swap, one aura change—suddenly turns a clunky idea into a smooth machine.



Yeah, It's Rough At First

PoE doesn't ease you in. Your first character might be a mess. You'll misread a node, waste currency, wonder why your damage fell off a cliff, then learn five different systems you didn't know existed. The Atlas, crafting, leagues, trading etiquette—there's a lot. But it also means the game feels lived-in. The economy moves because players move it, and the community has this "we've all been there" vibe once you start asking the right questions. If you like learning by failing, it's weirdly satisfying.



Playing The Endgame On Your Terms

What keeps PoE1 relevant next to its sequel is that it doesn't pretend to be calm. It's the faster, louder, more arcade-leaning sibling, and that's a legit preference—not a downgrade. If you're the kind of player who loves mapping and bossing but hates spending your whole week flipping trades just to afford one upgrade, you'll see why some folks use services to smooth out the grind; eznpc is one option players mention for buying currency or items so they can focus on testing builds, fixing gear gaps, and getting back into the action.