Path of Exile 2, even with all the praise, is a game full of issues, and it is obvious because the game is still in its early access phase. This means the game is still rough on the edges and has a few issues. From the GPU not being detected to regular crashing issues, there are a few annoyances to deal with on a daily basis. Anyway, in this guide, we have shared details about the failed to connect to instance error in PoE 2 and how it could be fixed. So, if you are struggling with the same issue, this is just the guide you need.
The “Failed to connect to instance” error is causing players to be unable to enter certain zones in the game, with some being booted to the main menu. This issue seems to affect specific characters, and even waiting for the zone to “reset” doesn’t resolve it. It blocks progress, and now the only thing that matters is a fix! Read till the end to find out.
Path of Exile 2 Failed to Connect to Instance Error: Is there any fix yet
There has been no official acknowledgment of the “Failed to connect to instance” issue yet, so there’s no official fix available at the moment. However, the player base has helped suggest potential workarounds to resolve the problem, and some players have found success with various methods. It’s worth trying out these community-suggested fixes while waiting for an official patch or update.
Restart and run as admin
A temporary workaround involves fully closing the game and Steam and restarting the PC. After that, reopen Steam as an administrator and log back into the game. You may also have to right-click on the game’s exe file and then run it with admin privileges as well. While it’s not a permanent solution and the issue may occur again, it can get you back into the game.
Internet-related fixes
If you’re still facing the issue, try these additional troubleshooting steps: Check your internet connection and reboot your router to ensure stable connectivity. If you’re using Wi-Fi, try switching to a LAN connection for better stability. Also, check if the game’s servers are down, as this could be causing the issue. If possible, try connecting to different servers within the game to see if the problem persists.
VPN
Players who don’t normally use a VPN should try downloading and connecting to one, as it can reroute their connection and bypass regional server issues or network restrictions. On the other hand, if you already use a VPN, try disabling it or connecting to a different server location. Experiment with these adjustments to find a configuration that allows you to connect successfully.
Check for Updates
The issue was resolved for some players by closing the game and waiting for a small update, which seemed to fix the “Failed to connect to instance” problem. To see if a similar update is available for you, check for any pending updates in your game client. If there’s an update available, install it, and then try loading the game again to see if that fixes the issue.
Change Gateway/Servers
To change the gateway, go to the login screen or settings menu, find the option for selecting a server or gateway (e.g., Europe, North America, Singapore), and choose a different gateway than the one already selected. After changing the gateway, log back into the game and try accessing the instance again. This method works well for connectivity-related problems tied to regional servers.
Create new instance
Creating a new instance might also do the trick. Just go to a waypoint, hold Ctrl while clicking on the area you want to travel to, and select New Instance from the menu that appears. This creates a fresh instance, bypassing any corrupted or problematic one.
Reinstall the game
Reinstalling the game is the last resort if none of the above-mentioned workarounds does the trick. Make sure to remove all the files related to the game before you do a fresh reinstall. Also, installing the game on a faster drive (SSD) is what we recommend so that there is no dip at all when it comes to performance.
For now, those are some of the effective workarounds that have had some success. We hope that one of these workarounds was able to solve the issue for you. Now, don’t forget to visit DigiStatement daily for more awesome guides and news like this on all things gaming. You can also click here for the fixes to the Unable to Trade issue troubling players in Path of Exile 2.
