Dungeon-hunting adventurers hoping to get their hands on Path of Exile 2 this year may have to find something else to do. The ARPG sequel, which adds a new seven-act storyline to the existing game, was scheduled to begin beta later this year, but Grinding Gear Games has been forced to delay it. [Grinding Gear Games co-founder Chris Wilson told PCGamesN, "Our initial expectation was to begin initial beta testing in late 2020. But we're going to revise that estimate to make sure we're ready enough for community feedback." We believe that no one will benefit from rushing!"

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The studio revealed this week the next free expansion of the first film, Delirium, which is the main reason for the expected delay. Outsourcing partners in China have been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has also affected Grinding Gear; to ensure that Delirium is not affected, the studio has made changes to the Path of Exile 2 schedule to allow more manpower to be devoted to Delirium. Delirium.

Another case of a coronavirus outbreak intersecting with gaming, Wilson explained that artists in China were advised not to return to the office after the Chinese New Year because of concerns about the virus.

The majority of the 80,000 coronavirus cases are in China, where it has claimed some 3,000 lives so far. As a result, many events have been canceled, including the Taipei Game Show, Overwatch League matches, and the China League of Legends pro series. Outside of Asia, PUBG Corp has postponed its event in Germany, and publishers and developers have pulled out of PAX East and GDC.

A release date for Path of Exile 2 has not yet been set, with Wilson saying the studio will release it "when it's ready."