May 29 is later than many players hoped, but it doesn't feel like a panic move. Return of the Ancients sounds too large to rush, especially with systems that touch combat, gear, and the way people plan builds. Anyone who has played an ARPG at launch knows how quickly one bad drop rate or broken interaction can sour the mood. That's also why the market around PoE 2 Currency will matter from day one, because crafting, trading, and early progression all depend on those first balance passes feeling fair. A few more weeks of testing may be boring, sure, but it's better than spending launch weekend fighting bugs instead of bosses.
Skill gems are getting the spotlight
The skill gem rework is probably the change most players will feel right away. In the old setup, changing a chest piece could ruin your whole build if the sockets and links didn't line up. We've all done that awkward dance where a clear gear upgrade sits in the stash because it breaks the main skill. Moving links onto the gems themselves cuts out a lot of that frustration. It doesn't remove planning, and it shouldn't. It just means your character can grow without being chained to one lucky piece of armour. That's the sort of change that sounds simple on paper, then quietly improves every hour you play.
Combat needs to earn its slower pace
Grinding Gear Games has talked a lot about making fights more active, and that's where the dodge roll comes in. If it works well, it won't just be a panic button. It'll be something you use because you're reading the fight, watching a boss wind up, and moving at the right time. That's a hard thing to tune. Too forgiving, and everyone spams it without thinking. Too strict, and it feels clunky. The delay gives the team more room to adjust enemy attacks, animation timing, and recovery windows. You'll notice this stuff quickly, even if you don't talk about it in technical terms. Good combat just feels right.
New weapons could change old habits
Crossbows and spears are more than fresh models with different numbers. If they come with their own animations, built-in skills, and attack patterns, players will start approaching fights in new ways. A spear build might care more about spacing and thrust range. A crossbow could sit somewhere between spell-like utility and ranged weapon pressure. That's exciting, but it also creates headaches. New weapon types need proper uniques, sensible crafting outcomes, and enough early drops so players can actually try them. If they're too rare, people ignore them. If they're too strong, everyone piles in and the first league meta gets stale fast.
Why the wait might pay off
Most players can live with waiting if the result is cleaner. What they don't want is a launch where loot feels stingy, crafting feels pointless, or half the new skills need emergency nerfs. Extra testing helps catch the weird stuff: overpowered item combos, useless affixes, boss attacks that don't read clearly, and economy issues that only show up when thousands of players start farming. Some folks will spend the downtime planning routes, comparing starters, or deciding whether to buy Divine Orb once trading settles into a rhythm after release. May 29 still feels close, and if the update lands in better shape, the wait will be a lot easier to forgive.
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