Grinding Gear Games: Story of the Studio That Set the ARPG Standard

2006. Three developers in Auckland, New Zealand. Chris Wilson, Jonathan Roger, and Brian Mersho wanted to make a dark hack-and-slash in the spirit of Diablo II but better — with no investment, no publisher, no grand ambitions, just a game they'd want to play themselves.

Beta 2011 and the F2P Discovery

Path of Exile launched into open beta in 2011 with one of the most radical business models of the time: completely free, with cosmetics only for purchase. No pay-to-win. It was a risk — and it worked. By 2013, the game had millions of accounts with zero marketing budget.

Tencent and Independence

In 2018, Tencent acquired a controlling stake in GGG. Many players saw this as a red flag. But GGG maintained operational independence: no team changes, no pay-to-win mechanics. Wilson has repeatedly said the deal provided resources without creative constraints.

Path of Exile 2: The Reinvention Bet

PoE 2 isn't just a sequel — it's a rethinking. GGG spent years rebuilding the engine, combat, and loot systems from scratch. Early Access launched in 2024 to controversy: the game is harder than the original. Part of the audience left; the core stayed and grew.

Where They Are Now

GGG is one of the few conditionally-independent studios making major titles without publisher pressure on timelines. Wilson says the studio has ideas for another 20 years. We believe them.