Tower-Linked Mapping as Acts

Hey all, I had an idea for improving the feel of mapping system, Let me know what you think.

The Core Idea:
What if maps within the range of a tower became interconnected like a mini-act, and you could move between them through loading zones (like in the campaign).

So rather than opening a portal for every individual map, you’d access one map from the tower, and then walk or transition into nearby maps, exactly like you go from zone to zone in acts.

Why This Could Be Cool:
1. Feels More Like a Cohesive World

One of the best parts of PoE2 so far is how immersive the campaign is.

This would make the endgame feel like an extension of the world, not just a series of disconnected "rooms."

2. Reduces Portal Fatigue

Constantly opening portals to new maps can feel clunky.

Walking through loading zones like campaign areas keeps you immersed and reduces friction.

I can see people not liking this though due to POE1s mapping being deeply beloved, which I also love, but hey, something different is what they are going for, right?

3. Encourages Exploration and Flow

You might discover a unique boss or event in the next area without backing out to your hideout every time.

It creates a more organic rhythm instead of go-in, clear, port-out, repeat.

4. Eliminates Current Overlapping Tower Problem

Could help eliminate the current meta of overlapping the towers effects on the maps. They'd have to be much more spread out, and maybe there would have to be a way to "build" your acts, but I can see that being an interesting way to reward players who invest into the endgame.

Things to Consider:
Technical demands: Larger, interconnected maps might be harder on performance or load times.

Map mods: Would adjacent maps share modifiers or keep them separate? Could get complicated.

Limited portals/deaths/Objectives: How would they handle limited portals based on map mods, and how would objectives work?

Party play: Would the whole group transition together? How would disconnects or stragglers be handled?

Possible Implementation:
This could be optional, players could still portal in/out if they want the current experience.

Maybe have certain precursors offer this "campaign mode" where nearby maps are stitched together.

Could add NPCs, objectives, or events that span multiple zones, making the tower feel like a real regional quest hub.

Why This Matters:
This could help bridge the gap between PoE2’s more immersive campaign and its traditionally grind-heavy endgame. It’d make the game world feel more continuous, intuitive, and alive, all things that would help PoE2 stand out from PoE1 and elevate the endgame experience.

Let me know what you think is this something you’d want to see GGG explore?

The only reason I'd want this implemented is if it somehow makes sprinkling in "secrets" easier. I like that sometimes you find a side room with a bunch of gold chests in it in campaign and that kind of stuff just vanishes in endgame. I think it could be added into endgame in a similar way to bonus content, but if merging the zones together into a cohesive thing makes it easier to accomplish than I'm on board. Otherwise it just feels like a lot of work for fluff.

Alternatively if they completely rework endgame, which might happen, than I could see this idea being expanding into the new version of endgame. Like maybe bring back the eldritch map device but instead of going to one little slice of a "world" you actually open a region of multiple maps so it actually feels like the world it lore-wise supposedly is.

+1