Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2's next big update is officially delayed, but don't be too quick to sigh. This isn't just one of those "we need more time" posts; there's real excitement brewing behind the scenes, and the delay actually means better things are coming.
Originally, Patch 0.2.1 was set to go live at the end of May. The team at Grinding Gear Games had already teased a bunch of new features in the works, from PoE 2 Rare endgame loot to expanded crafting tools. But now the patch is being pushed back to next week, but don't worry, that's probably a good thing.

Why the Delay Is a Good Sign
Delays aren't always fun, but in this case, it's more about quality than setbacks. GGG wants time to polish the upcoming features and avoid the kind of bugs that slipped through in earlier patches, like what happened with version 0.2.0g. Considering how complex PoE 2's systems are, especially in Early Access, giving the devs time to make sure things don't break sounds like a win.
And to soften the blow? GGG gave us a sneak peek at one of the patch's biggest additions: new crafting socketables. That alone is enough to stir some hype.

What's Coming in Patch 0.2.1?
Patch 0.2.1 is shaping up to be a major content drop. One of the standout additions is 22 brand-new PoE 2 Runes. These socketable crafting PoE Items will only be available as world drops, meaning you'll have to hunt them down, so you won't be able to craft them by upgrading older Runes. It's a fresh layer of grind, but it also means fresh rewards.

Some examples already shown include:

• Assandra's Rune of Wisdom: For PoE wands or staves, gives +1 to all spell skills.
• Farrul's Rune of the Chase: For PoE boots, boosts movement speed by 5%.
• The Greatwolf's Rune of Willpower: For PoE body armor, makes damage drain mana before life, which is a potential change for some builds.

We're also getting 14 new Soul Cores, which will appear during Endgame Ultimatum encounters in the Trial of Chaos. One of the new ones teased is:
Tacat's Soul Core of Affliction: For PoE helmets, it reduces a cursed enemy's Chaos Resistance by 8%.

On top of that, GGG is adding 7 new Talismans. These will drop from enemies possessed by Azmerian Spirits, and yes, they've got some intriguing effects too. One previewed Talisman reduces poison duration by 25% and lets you stack one extra poison on targets. That's the kind of tweak that could open up whole new build directions.

The Bigger Picture
Yes, waiting another week isn't ideal. But when a delay means more polished features and fewer bugs, it's hard to complain. The new socketables, in particular, look like they'll shake things up in a big way, especially for exiles who love crafting and theorycrafting new builds.
Path of Exile 2 is still deep in its Early Access phase, and with the coming updates, it gets closer to its full release. A little patience now might mean a much smoother ride later.