Update #2 []: Well, with any luck, we're through the worst of it. Grinding Gear Games has managed to get the Path of Exile 2 servers sorted — for the most part — which means that while queues are still prevalent, a lot of players are actually getting into the game itself. And, most importantly, they're staying connected.
Now we just have to hope that things continue to improve over the coming hours and days.
Update #1 []: Well, developer Grinding Gear Games said this might happen, and it's happening: Path of Exile 2's servers are being pummeled into submission by hundreds of thousands of players.
The action RPG's early access period began roughly one hour and 30 minutes from the time of writing this update, and the vast, vast majority of its players have been stuck in queues this entire time. Some players are also being hit with error messages saying that servers are undergoing maintenance.
To be clear, things are moving, and Grinding Gear Games will be doing everything it can to make the process as smooth as possible. Again, these server woes always seemed like an inevitability, given the sheer amount of interest in Path of Exile 2.
Even those making it into the actual game are being met with connection problems right now — so here's hoping that everything evens out over the course of the weekend.
In the meantime, you can keep up to date with our Path of Exile 2 guide on server queues and login issues: