Feedback on Optimization in Path of Exile 2 – Patch G

Dear GGG Team,

First, I want to thank you for your incredible work on Path of Exile 2. The depth, atmosphere, and complexity you've built into this evolving sequel are truly exciting, and I'm fully invested in seeing it succeed.

I understand and fully respect that PoE 2 is still in early access, and that much of the game — including its technical performance — is still under heavy iteration. That said, I wanted to raise a concern that I and many other players with high-end hardware have been experiencing: significant and recurring performance drops during high-density content like Delirium, Breach, and Expedition — especially in maps like Savannah or other T16+ layouts with heavy visual layering.

I’m running a Ryzen 5 7600X, RX 7800 XT (16GB VRAM), 32GB DDR5, and SSD — and even with conservative settings (low textures, FSR Balanced, shadow and lighting reductions, framerate capped), I still encounter severe framerate drops, shader-related hitches, and VRAM usage creeping up to the 15–16GB range.

Based on extensive testing (including with monitoring tools like RTSS and MSI Afterburner), this seems to be tied more to scene complexity and GPU/VRAM pressure than raw hardware capability. Possible culprits may include:

Inefficient unloading of high-res textures during maps

Overdraw from overlapping particle effects and lighting

Shader compilation spikes in combat-heavy areas

MTX load impact from pets, auras, and footstep FX

I know these kinds of issues are not easy to address, especially in a game of PoE's scale. But I do hope that as development continues, scene-level optimization, VRAM management, and shader caching behavior can be given increased focus. It’s not just about FPS — it’s about the feel and responsiveness of the game when it matters most.

Thank you again for your continued hard work, transparency, and dedication to quality. I'm excited for what lies ahead, and I appreciate the opportunity to share feedback as the game evolves.

Sincerely,
Us, the players.