Echoes of the Atlas is the Next Expansion for Path of Exile
The team at Grinding Gear Games revealed Echoes of the Atlas, an endgame expansion-oriented add-on for the RPG Path of Exile. We got to know its content and release date.
- Eleven new maps,
- Series of battles with increasing number of bosses,
- Additional passive skill trees,
- New league of challenges,
- Bonus items,
- Improved game balance.
Grinding Gear Games announced yet another free expansion for Path of Exile, the popular F2P action RPG. The expansion is called Echoes of the Atlas and will be available as part of update 3.13.
On January 15, this year the expansion will debut on PC. Owners of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will traditionally have to wait a little longer - these versions will be released on January 20.
The expansion will add eleven new maps to PoE. As we explore them, we'll meet Maven - a creature from beyond the known world who has taken an interest in our hero's achievements. We will have to keep her attention, fighting increasingly difficult battles. If we satisfy her hunger for thrill, she will share part of her power with us.
During the game it will be realized in such a way that Maven will ask for an opportunity to observe our battles. This will increase difficult level of boss fights. If we beat three bosses under such conditions, we will get an invitation to her domain, where we will face them again, but this time all at once. If we succeed, we will be challenged to defeat four bosses at once. Each subsequent task will give us one additional opponent, and when we defeat ten, we will be able to battle Maven herself.
The creature's challenges will be rewarded with points that we will spend on unlocking passive skills in new development trees. Players will also be given the opportunity to use the crafting system of so-called Watchstones, which will affect the loot found on the maps.
The add-on will also traditionally introduce a new league of challenges. This one will be called the Ritual League and will have us activate altars, summoning waves of enemies. Each subsequent ritual will bring a more intense clashes, but also more valuable rewards. Echoes of the Atlas will also include new items and improvements to the balance of character classes.
Finally, it is worth adding that the expansion will use visual elements that were developed for Path of Exile 2, and the new bosses are to refer to the sequel. Moreover, there are many indications that Echoes of the Atlas will be the last big expansion to the first game to be released this year, as the devs want to focus on PoE2. The first game is still to be developed, but subsequent updates are likely to be a little less ambitious.
