Path of Exile 2 runs in-house anti-cheat that collects a unique hardware ID and your running process list, and Grinding Gear Games can block the IP addresses of players who break its rules. GGG names no anti-cheat vendor and, as of November 2026, publishes no hardware-ban policy. Its privacy notice, last updated in October 2024, says the data is gathered to detect cheating and to decide whether to restrict or ban access. Accounts can be closed without notice or explanation. The game stays in Early Access on Steam until 11 December 2026.
| Anti-cheat | In-house; GGG names no vendor. It collects a hardware ID and the running process list |
|---|---|
| IP bans | Yes. Terms of Use clause 17 allows blocking IP addresses |
| Hardware bans | No published policy, though a unique hardware ID is collected |
| Third-party tools | Banned applications lead to immediate account termination |
| Appeal route | GGG customer support (contact form or [email protected]) |
| Last checked | 9 November 2026 |
Does Path of Exile 2 have anti-cheat?
Path of Exile 2 has anti-cheat, and Grinding Gear Games runs it itself. The Path of Exile Terms of Use and Privacy Notice list what it collects: a "running process list (PC only), login information, unique hardware ID". The stated purpose is to spot cheating and decide whether to restrict or ban the player.
GGG does not name an anti-cheat product, and the game's Steam page carries no anti-cheat notice. That sets it apart from the licensed kernel-level tools in our rundown of BattlEye, EAC and other anti-cheat software. Studio-run protection is common enough, though. Warframe's ban system and the rules Splitgate players run into are two more games in the same camp.
Does Path of Exile 2 HWID ban?
Path of Exile 2 has no published hardware-ban policy. The privacy notice does confirm that the game collects a unique hardware ID as part of anti-cheat, so the data a hardware ban would need already exists. The only ban type GGG's Terms name outright is the IP ban.
For the background, our explainer on how hardware bans tie a penalty to your PC covers the mechanics, and this guide to the hardware IDs a Windows PC exposes shows what such an ID can be built from.
Does Path of Exile 2 ban your IP address?
Path of Exile 2 can ban your IP address. Clause 17 of the Terms of Use lets GGG "without notice block IP addresses of any users who have breached the Terms of Use". The same clause frees GGG from giving you any warning or explanation when it terminates an account.
In practice, a ban can arrive with no message attached, and the IP block can sit on top of the account closure.
What gets you banned in Path of Exile 2?
Path of Exile 2 bans mostly come from bots, real-money trading and unapproved third-party tools. GGG's rules cover:
- Bots: clause 7 forbids any automated software.
- Real-money trading: clause 7 also bans trading items for compensation outside the game.
- Banned applications: the developer documentation warns that creating or using them means "immediate account termination".
- Account transfers: clause 14 says you may not hand your account to someone else.
- Exploits: GGG treats abusing bugs as bannable, as the 2025 Ritual bans showed.
How long is a Path of Exile 2 ban?
Path of Exile 2 ban lengths vary, and GGG publishes no full list of them. The Terms allow outright account termination. Shorter bans exist too: in April 2025 the community team announced it had banned 301 accounts for abusing a Ritual exploit, with those bans running until the end of the league.
So a league-length ban is possible for exploit abuse, while bots, real-money trading and banned tools sit under the termination rules.
Can you make a new account after a Path of Exile 2 ban?
Path of Exile 2's Terms of Use do not say anything direct about new accounts after a ban. They do allow IP blocks and termination without notice, and the Code of Conduct forbids using alternate accounts to get around forum and chat probation. A fresh account on the same connection could hit the same IP block.
Stricter publishers go further and ban the hardware outright. Our list of 20 games with HWID bans shows how they treat repeat offenders.
How do you appeal a Path of Exile 2 ban?
You dispute a Path of Exile 2 ban with Grinding Gear Games' customer support, either through the Path of Exile support contact form or by email to [email protected], the address the Code of Conduct gives. GGG has no formal appeal process and no published response time.
Send one clear message from the email on the account with the account name, when the ban appeared and why you think it is wrong. Our answers on ban durations and appeals cover what helps across games. Metin2 has the same gap in its rules, with no published appeal steps, as our look at Gameforge's Metin2 terms explains.
Path of Exile 2 ban FAQ
Is Path of Exile 2 anti-cheat kernel-level?
Grinding Gear Games does not say whether Path of Exile 2's anti-cheat is kernel-level. Its privacy notice describes collecting a process list and hardware ID, and the Steam page has no kernel anti-cheat notice.
Can a trade or loot filter tool get you banned in Path of Exile 2?
Only unapproved tools get you banned in Path of Exile 2. GGG's developer docs say banned applications lead to immediate account termination, so check them before you install anything.
Can you sell or give away a Path of Exile 2 account?
No. Clause 14 of GGG's Terms of Use forbids transferring a Path of Exile 2 account to someone else, and clause 7 bans trading for compensation outside the game.
Is Path of Exile 2 still in Early Access?
Yes. The Steam page lists Path of Exile 2 as leaving Early Access on 11 December 2026.
Sources
- Grinding Gear Games: Terms of Use and Privacy Notice (privacy notice updated October 2024)
- Path of Exile developer documentation
- Path of Exile Code of Conduct
- Path of Exile forum: exploit ban announcement (9 April 2025)
- Path of Exile 2 on Steam
Rules change. Check the publisher's official pages before you act on anything here.