Path of Exile developers at Grinding Gear Games (GGG) have stated they have no immediate plans to implement a campaign skip, even as they work to make the action RPG more accessible to new players. The game's campaign, which spans 10 acts and can take upwards of 20 hours for newcomers, is viewed by the development team as a crucial part of the player's experience.
While veteran players can complete the campaign in significantly less time, many new and returning players find the extensive tutorial a deterrent before reaching the game's endgame content. For years, requests for a shorter campaign or an optional skip for subsequent characters have been a recurring theme in the Path of Exile community. This sentiment persists with the upcoming Path of Exile 2, where campaign completion remains a mandatory step.
Game designer Christopher Laferriere expressed his personal reservations about campaign skipping, stating, "Personally, it feels very wrong to me." Game director Mark Roberts elaborated on this, suggesting that bypassing the campaign diminishes a player's investment in their character. He drew a parallel to the development process, where tools used to bypass content highlighted how it "just genuinely makes the game worse—the work to get there is the satisfaction."
Roberts emphasized that the focus will be on keeping the campaign engaging through league updates rather than allowing players to skip it. He warned that removing the campaign's significance could lead to a rapid decline in the game's quality, calling it "a very, very bad way to go."
The developers have, however, been open to significant changes in the past, such as revamping the game's multi-colored socket system that previously limited skill choices. But on the matter of the campaign, their stance remains resolute.
Jonathan Rogers, game director for Path of Exile 2, has indicated that a campaign skip is unlikely as long as he is involved with the project. The developers believe the campaign's quality and pacing are essential for the narrative and the overall impact of endgame events. While acknowledging the frustration some players experience with the campaign's length, the team also sees value in the meta-skill of improving one's speed through it each league. They remain resistant to the idea of a full skip, though a potential compromise for shortening the experience for secondary characters has been suggested as a possibility in the future.