The team over at GGG have finally released more details of the upcoming Fall of Oriath Beta. Beta is planned to run for five to six weeks and will include the Xbox One version in some capacity. Only the first eight acts will be included in the testing, with the final two kept under wraps for the expansion launch. Grinding Gear said that it will be sending out silent waves of invites during the beta but that players can secure a beta key by either purchasing one of the upcoming supporter packs or from having spent several hundreds of dollars on the game already.
Earlier this year, we announced our upcoming expansion, Path of Exile: The Fall of Oriath, which we will release in July. Featuring six new acts of content and significant balance changes (such as the removal of double dipping), it’s absolutely necessary for us to run a Beta test for The Fall of Oriath. Today’s news addresses some very common questions that players have been asking about the upcoming Beta.
When will the Beta start?
It’s still a month away. Our current target date is Wednesday, June 7 US time. While we believe that we will be able to hit this date, small adjustments of a few days may occur forwards or backwards.
For clarification, the Legacy league will end on Monday May 29 (Pacific Time), the week beforehand.
What happens on the main realm once Legacy ends and while the Beta is ongoing?
We’re going to run events! So many events. It’s a great opportunity to try out leagues and races of different variations without disturbing an active challenge league. We’ll likely solicit suggestions from players over the coming weeks.
How long is the Beta likely to run for?
As long as is needed, but we expect 5-6 weeks.
How are players selected to enter the Beta?
For the past two Betas (Closed Beta and The Awakening’s Beta), we used a public Beta Key timer on the website that would invite one player per five minutes. While we gained infinite satisfaction from watching reactions from players, it was a little contentious during The Awakening’s Beta and and the negative aspects from players being upset outweighed the fun of the trolling.
We’ll likely use significantly larger but silent waves of invites to invite active players into the Beta (for example, instead of 288 keys per day like before, we might pick 500-1000 players each day that we send out invites for simultaneously).
Can I pay to get into the Beta?
Yes, the new set of supporter packs (released simultaneously with the Beta) will all grant access. In addition, we will likely invite players with significant previous support immediately without the need for a purchase. We define this as a purchase of any top-tier pack ($440 or above) or people whose total lifetime purchases combine to $500 or more. For everyone who supports in any amount, thank you. You make expansions like this possible.
Will there be a Beta for the Xbox One version at the same time?
Yes, though we aren’t ready to announce the details yet.
What content is included in the Beta?
The Beta includes acts One to Eight. Acts Nine and Ten will be released alongside the final 3.0.0 release. The Pantheon system and most balance changes are included in the Beta (for feedback!) New skills and unique items likely won’t be in the Beta.
Can I use my microtransactions during the Beta?
Yes. The new microtransaction system allows this, and we expect to deploy that system before the Beta starts.
What leagues are running on the Beta realm?
Standard, Hardcore, Standard SSF and Hardcore SSF. The next challenge league will be released with the full release of 3.0.0, not with the Beta.
What happens to my Beta characters and items when the Beta ends?
They will be destroyed.
Is the Beta a separate game client?
Yes. You shouldn’t try to patch a regular PoE client into it, because we’re replacing all of our art assets with optimised versions. This Beta client’s content.ggpk can be patched into a regular 3.0.0 client when the Beta ends.
Can I get a Beta key by asking nicely?
No. We get flooded with thousands of requests, so it is not possible to fairly judge the merits of each person asking. Mails or messages asking for beta keys will be ignored. Please do not ask us for Beta keys. Sorry!
