Feedback on Controller Experience in Path of Exile 2

Hi Team,

First off, I want to say that I absolutely love Path of Exile 2. I’m new to POE, but I’ve been playing ARPGs since the original Diablo, and I’m thoroughly impressed. The game is stunningly beautiful, the campaign is engaging, and the large maps, while expansive, feel exciting to explore. I haven’t reached the endgame yet, but my experience so far has been fantastic—except for one major issue: the controller mechanics.

My Setup and the Importance of Controller Support

I play while walking on a treadmill, mirroring my PC to my TV, so using a controller is a necessity for me. Unfortunately, the controller experience has been extremely frustrating, to the point where it’s impacting my enjoyment of the game. Here are some specific issues I’ve encountered:

Targeting Issues
1. Aiming During Boss Fights:
• My character frequently faces the wrong direction, even when there is only one enemy on the screen (e.g., during a boss fight).
• Spell targeting often focuses on empty areas instead of the boss, which is frustrating when there’s clearly only one target to prioritize.
2. Targeting Mobs:
• When fighting mobs, the controller prioritizes the least important enemies (regular monsters) instead of focusing on more dangerous threats like rare monsters or blue packs.
• This behavior is infuriating, as I’d never make these targeting mistakes when using a keyboard and mouse.

Class Choice and Adaptation

I originally wanted to play as a Mercenary but found aiming to be so difficult with the controller that I switched to a Sorcerer, where aiming is less critical due to the reliance on area-of-effect spells. Even so, the targeting issues persist and detract from the overall experience.

Ascendancy Trials Are Unplayable with a Controller

I’ve had to switch back to my PC for Ascendancy Trials because completing them with a controller feels almost impossible. Two major issues stand out here:
1. Crystal Activation:
• In my first trial, I failed repeatedly because the crystal wouldn’t activate when I was next to it, despite pressing the interact button.
• This caused a lot of confusion as I thought I was in the wrong area, but it turned out the issue was with the controller’s aiming mechanism.
2. Portal and Summoner Encounter:
• During the trial with summoners on each side of a portal, it’s nearly impossible to target the summoners effectively with a controller.
• Since aiming requires using the right stick, it’s challenging to simultaneously use the action buttons (XYAB), which are critical for casting spells or attacking.
• This limitation makes the encounter far more difficult than it should be.

Comparison to Other Games

For context, I’ve played Diablo IV extensively, and its controller experience was flawless. Before early access began, many reviewers praised POE2’s controller experience as polished, but unfortunately, my experience has been quite the opposite. Currently, it doesn’t feel comparable to other ARPGs in terms of ease of use and functionality.

Suggestions for Improvement
• Targeting Logic:
• Improve targeting prioritization for both bosses and high-threat enemies during mob encounters.
• Implement a smarter auto-targeting system, especially when there is only one enemy on-screen.
• Crystal and Interaction Issues:
• Ensure interactable objects like crystals respond consistently when using a controller.
• Controller Mechanics for Ascendancy Trials:
• Provide better options for targeting summoners or key enemies during trials without requiring constant right-stick adjustments.

Final Thoughts

I truly believe POE2 has the potential to be a masterpiece, and the controller experience should reflect the game’s overall quality. For players like me who rely on controllers, it’s crucial to see these issues addressed.

Thank you for all your hard work and for creating such an amazing game. I look forward to seeing these improvements in the future!

Best regards,
Yossi

"

Hurricane#7723 wrote:

Hi Team,

...

1. Crystal Activation:
• In my first trial, I failed repeatedly because the crystal wouldn’t activate when I was next to it, despite pressing the interact button.
• This caused a lot of confusion as I thought I was in the wrong area, but it turned out the issue was with the controller’s aiming mechanism.

...

Yossi

If you have a skill bind on X, I use a Dualsense, it will prioritize combat over interact. I have L2+X mapped to interact. This has the benefit of being able to loot/interact with items while in combat.

You also could set the bind for the crystal runs to what ever is easier for you, the hand icon, then change it back for the next trial room.

Now if paddle support and mkb while in menu were added that would be great.

Oh, I see! Thank you for your reply and suggestions. I’m using an Xbox controller rather than a DualSense, which might explain why interacting with crystals during Ascendancy Trials has been such a struggle for me. Your suggestion about remapping the interaction key makes sense and explains why I haven’t had interaction issues elsewhere in the game—only with the crystals.

That said, I still feel it would be helpful if the activation range or interaction mechanics for crystals were adjusted to better accommodate controllers. Also, the other points I raised, like targeting prioritization and general controller mechanics, still apply. I hope these areas improve in future updates, but I appreciate the workaround tips in the meantime!

duplicated reply :)

+1

Great feedback. Matches my overall observations as a fellow treadmill/controller user.

Thank you so much for replying and helping strengthen this case. I’m glad to know there are more fellow treadmill/controller users out there <3

Nice feedback!

I was to right something on the Joystick situation, but... the untold forum rule of "you can't provide feedback before end the campaign" and the "git gud crowd" desmotivated any kind interaction here.

"

Targeting Issues
1. Aiming During Boss Fights:
• My character frequently faces the wrong direction, even when there is only one enemy on the screen (e.g., during a boss fight).
• Spell targeting often focuses on empty areas instead of the boss, which is frustrating when there’s clearly only one target to prioritize.
2. Targeting Mobs:
• When fighting mobs, the controller prioritizes the least important enemies (regular monsters) instead of focusing on more dangerous threats like rare monsters or blue packs.
• This behavior is infuriating, as I’d never make these targeting mistakes when using a keyboard and mouse.

All those situation are so frustrating and infuriating. Targeting priority and smart logic is highly needed.

"

Ascendancy Trials Are Unplayable with a Controller

I’ve had to switch back to my PC for Ascendancy Trials because completing them with a controller feels almost impossible. Two major issues stand out here:
1. Crystal Activation:
• In my first trial, I failed repeatedly because the crystal wouldn’t activate when I was next to it, despite pressing the interact button.

As someone already said above, just remap the keybinds, game logic prioritize combat over interaction, I'm using a Xbox controller as well, I put the hand on A and had no more issues with interaction.



P.S. is a blasfemy here say Diablo IV did something right or are enjoyble, while PoE 2 EA is a hot mess all over.

Again, great feedback!

Thanks, Fhrek!

I really appreciate your tip about remapping the controller bindings to prioritize interaction over combat—I’ll definitely try that out! It’s great to hear from others who’ve found practical solutions to these issues, and it helps a lot in building a stronger case for improving controller mechanics in POE2.

I get why some might feel protective of the game, especially with comparisons to Diablo IV, It’s not about replacing what’s already great—it’s about making it even better for everyone.

Thanks again for your thoughtful feedback and suggestions—it means a lot!