Grinding Gear Games

Founded in November 2006 in Auckland, Grinding Gear Games quickly became one of the leading studios in modern action-RPG game design, led by Chris Wilson, Jonathan Rogers and Erik Olofsson. The young company was born from a small team of enthusiasts who had worked in fields ranging from artificial intelligence to pure (competitive) game design.

Its first project, Path of Exile, was a huge success despite the long beta phase that preceded its official release in October 2013, gradually becoming a free reference point for its complex loot economy and seasonal content. In 2018, Tencent acquired a majority stake in the studio, before fully acquiring it in 2024, while still allowing it to retain independent creative direction. Today, it continues to expand this universe with Path of Exile 2 and a mobile project.