Regardless if you acquired Path of Exile 2 ahead of time or as an impulse purchase, an issue is affecting users all over the world: the client is telling you that your account doesn’t have access to PoE 2—despite being the exact account you used to purchase it.
This is a troublesome issue for obvious reasons, but it’s particularly pervasive during the game’s early-access launch. The servers went down in flames for hours, and even then, there’s a myriad of leftover issues that may not be your fault.
Here’s why your account may not access PoE 2 despite you owning the game.
Why does my account not have access to Path of Exile 2?
Your account may not have access to PoE 2 due to a lot of convoluted reasons. Getting a key for the game is a lengthy, bumpy process in itself, and that’s before you face a litany of errors like abnormal disconnection and unexpected disconnects.
The expected process (at least on PC) was to pick up a key from your storefront of choice, then redeem it through the official website, and finally log into PoE 2 using your key. That said, that method is hardly smooth, with roadblocks like website maintenance and bugs, particularly during its turbulent launch.
A constellation of players have reported not getting a key despite purchasing early access, as seen in the Steam forums and on social media. Developer Grinding Gear Games (GGG) addressed part of the issue by acknowledging the website’s maintenance is preventing players from obtaining their keys, though the studio didn’t mention cases where the access key was outright missing.
How to fix ‘your account does not have access to Path of Exile 2 early access’
While this process is supposed to be painless and streamlined, a ton of issues can make this a nightmarish endeavor, especially if you didn’t have a GGG account beforehand. If all things go according to plan, the fix for the “your account does not have access to Path of Exile 2 early access” message should be:
- Create or log into your Path of Exile account
- Head to your account settings and find the Path of Exile 2 early access tab on the right side of the window.
- Alternatively, look for a message on your Messages tab.
- Redeem your early access key through the official website
- If you purchased the game but still don’t have a key, this is an issue with GGG.
A significant part of this fix requires access to the PoE website, which can be affected by server instability. If this is your first time playing, you must create an account beforehand (though you can also link it to an existing platform account). This alone took us a chunk of time due to the huge server load.
Once you’ve logged into your account, look for a prompt on the right side of the menu, below your user picture. Clicking it will forward you to the specific page for early access. On the flip side, Xbox players can find their key as a website message, according to Reddit.
If everything goes smoothly, you should see a button to request your keys. If you’re not as lucky, however, the page may tell you that you still can’t access Path of Exile 2.
This is almost certainly due to issues with GGG. If the website is under maintenance, for instance, you can’t perform these essential steps, so you’re left hanging out to dry. Likewise, if you bought a code from an official storefront, there’s no reason not to have access to the game, so it’s safe to assume it’s something on the developer’s end. If these steps didn’t work for you, there’s nothing to do but wait and/or reach out to support. GGG has kept players in the loop during PoE 2‘s launch, so stay tuned to the studio’s official communications for more information.
