Path of Exile 2: Dawn of the Hunt (content update 0.2.0) went live on April 4, 2025, at 12:00 PM PDT / 3:00 PM EDT. Its launch countdown has expired, so there is no live countdown to follow. The update added the Huntress, new ascendancies, skills, items, maps and a fresh league; existing characters could access the update without starting over.
When did Dawn of the Hunt release?
Grinding Gear Games listed the PC and console server opening as April 5, 2025, at 3:00 AM GMT+8, equivalent to April 4 at 12:00 PM PDT and 3:00 PM EDT. GGG later confirmed the launch in its live-updates thread with the post “Apr 04, 2025 9:00 PM (GMT+2) – Dawn of the Hunt is now live!” Those times refer to the same launch moment. GGG launch-day announcement; GGG launch live updates.
GGG said the realms would go down three hours before launch for patching. At the time, it explained: “When the countdown ends, the servers will be live and you’ll be able to join the Dawn of the Hunt Leagues.” The announcement displayed times in the local time zone for logged-in users and directed players to the homepage countdown if the displayed time zone looked wrong. That countdown was only useful before launch; it is not an active timer now.
What was in Path of Exile 2 update 0.2.0?
GGG’s April 2, 2025 patch notes described a broad content update centered on a new playable class and the Dawn of the Hunt league. The headline additions included the following publisher-stated counts; they are GGG’s figures, not independently counted totals.
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| Patch-note addition | GGG’s stated count |
|---|---|
| New skills, primarily Spear Skills | Over 25 |
| New Support gems | Over 100 |
| New Unique Items | Over 100 |
| New Endgame Maps | Eight |
| Unique Strongboxes | Four |
| Rogue Exiles | Twelve |
See GGG’s Content Update 0.2.0 patch notes for the full feature and balance details.
Huntress, weapons and ascendancies
The Huntress became a playable class, bringing Spears and Bucklers as item classes. Her two new ascendancies were Amazon and Ritualist. The patch also introduced three ascendancies for existing classes: Smith of Kitava for Warrior, Tactician for Mercenary, and Lich for Witch. That makes five new ascendancies across four classes.
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League and endgame additions
Alongside the new skills, gems and uniques, the update added Azmerian Wisps, new socketable items and new endgame encounters. It also launched the Dawn of the Hunt league, available in Standard, Hardcore and Solo Self-Found variants. GGG described the league as a new economy; existing Early Access leagues remained available for players continuing with their existing characters.
One feature that did not make 0.2.0
Locking main-hand and/or off-hand items for use between weapon sets was listed in the patch notes’ “Just Missed the Boat” section, so it was not included in update 0.2.0.
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Do you need to start a new character?
No. GGG said existing characters and items would remain, and that the update’s content would also be available in existing Early Access leagues. A passive-tree reset was likely, however, and balance changes could significantly affect builds. Starting in Dawn of the Hunt was an option for players who wanted the new league’s fresh economy, not a requirement for accessing the update.
| Choice | Character continuity | Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Continue in an existing Early Access league | Keep using existing characters and items | Remain in the existing league economy |
| Start in a Dawn of the Hunt league | Start a new character | Join the league’s fresh economy |
GGG recommended a new character for players seeking the full new-league experience. Its Dawn of the Hunt FAQ confirms that existing players did not have to start over to play the update.
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Did existing players have to pay for the update?
No. GGG’s FAQ said existing Path of Exile 2 Early Access players only needed to download the content update: “No. If you’re an existing Path of Exile 2 player, all you have to do is to download the content update.” Players who did not already have Early Access needed an Early Access Supporter Pack to gain access.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How large was the launch download?
For launch, GGG estimated a download of around 31 GB for the standalone PC client and Steam, and around 27 GB for consoles. These were launch-era estimates, not current download-size guarantees. Console predownload was available. GGG also offered a PC torrent ahead of patching, but said it included the full existing client content and would still need remaining files once patching began; the GGPK torrent was not for Steam or Epic. The launch announcement contains those original instructions.
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