Early Access Problem

Hi there, it sounds like you may have only redeemed a Steam Client Key instead of an Early Access Key. The Steam Client Key is solely to grant your account the Path of Exile 2 client in the Steam library, and does not grant access to the early access in and of itself.

You would need to apply a PC Early Access Key to your account to gain access. You redeem these here and after doing so you can obtain your own Steam and Epic Client Keys from your early access page. The Steam and Epic Client Keys are not supposed to be given away, which is indicated by the warning accompanying them on your early access page stating that they should not be given away.

You may want to check with whomever you got the key from to see if they perhaps gave you the wrong key!