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MMO Week in Review: Way too early access
This week's MMO news covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, which some consider premature. Other highlights include a look at Guild Wars 3's Kodan, Daybreak's acquisition of Cold Iron Studios, new content for EverQuest Legends, and an analysis of the survival game Stormforge. The article also touches on various other MMO updates, rumors, and industry discussions.
The Daily Grind: Do you play the most popular class or spec in your MMO?
A fan-created chart for Guild Wars 2 revealed player preferences for specific classes and specializations in open-world PvE, with some popular specs like Reaper ranking high while others like Holosmith and Antiquary are less favored. The article discusses the reasons behind these popularity differences, including complexity and effectiveness compared to other options.
‘A fork in their path’: Guild Wars 3 illustrates the folklore of its playable Kodan species
ArenaNet has provided a deep dive into the playable Kodan species for Guild Wars 3, highlighting their spiritual re-awakening and their role as Vaelwardens. The Kodan in Guild Wars 3 are presented as distinct from those in Guild Wars 2, embarking on a new path to heal and protect the land.
Fight or Kite: Guild Wars Reforged on mobile brings quick-shot PvP to my pocket
Guild Wars Reforged has been released on mobile, offering players the chance to experience the classic MMORPG's PvP on their phones. The free-to-download client allows existing ArenaNet accounts to be used, bringing characters and progress over. While the mobile interface requires adjustment, the core gameplay, particularly the Random Arenas, remains a compelling draw for quick PvP sessions.
‘Humanity before its great fall’: Guild Wars 3 previews the look and lore of its Human species
ArenaNet has provided a deep dive into the Human species for Guild Wars 3, detailing their lore and role in the game's world. Unlike Guild Wars 2, Guild Wars 3 will launch with at least four playable races, with infrastructure for more. Humans are presented as 'humanity before its great fall,' with a focus on their role as Vaelwardens in Orr, protecting the magic of the Vael spirits.
Guild Wars 2’s Festival of the Four Winds is live, and so is Jimothy
Guild Wars 2's summer event, the Festival of the Four Winds, is now live, offering players rewards such as new armor skins, weapons, and backpack items. The event also introduces a new raccoon character named Jimothy, who can be interacted with to unlock a miniature and homestead decoration. Additionally, select Zephyrite-themed items are available at a discount from the Black Lion Trading Company.
Guild Wars 2’s Code of Creation update brings Visions of Eternity to an end on September 15
ArenaNet has announced that the final update for Guild Wars 2's Visions of Eternity, titled Code of Creation, will launch on September 15th. This update will conclude the current story arc with six chapters, introduce new explorable maps, a meta-event, a fractal, a raid, and a new mastery. The studio also confirmed an 18-month content gap before future expansions, during which Guild Wars 3's beta will be available.
More playable species might be coming to Guild Wars 3 later down the line, according to latest developer blog post
ArenaNet has indicated that Guild Wars 3 may receive additional playable species beyond the initial four at launch. The game is being designed with future flexibility in mind, allowing for the addition of new races. While Humans and Kodan are confirmed, the fourth launch race remains unrevealed, and the developer noted that species with extreme body silhouettes might not be feasible.
Guild Wars 2’s Festival of the Four Winds returns August 11 with new rewards
ArenaNet announced that the Guild Wars 2 Festival of the Four Winds event will return on August 11, featuring new rewards and activities. This marks the ninth iteration of the traditional summer festival, which includes returning to the Labyrinthine Cliffs and testing players in the Crown Pavilion.
Guild Wars 3 confirms Humans, Asura, and Kodan, plus a mystery species, will be playable at launch
ArenaNet has confirmed that Guild Wars 3 will feature Humans, Asura, and Kodan as playable species at launch, with a fourth mystery species also planned. The developer is building the game with the intention of adding more playable species in the future, establishing shared technical foundations to support this expansion.
The Stream Team: Everything is lava in Guild Wars 2’s Thunderhead Peaks
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie will be streaming Guild Wars 2 live, focusing on the Dragonsblood Forge in Thunderhead Peaks, which is powered by lava. The stream will showcase preparations for using the forge to craft dragonsblood weapons for the fight against Kralkatorrik. The event is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 4th, 2026.
Guild Wars 2 recaps WvW beta 2’s ‘healthier spread’ for scoring, plans beta 3 for August 11
ArenaNet provided an update on Guild Wars 2's World vs World (WvW) beta testing, noting that the second beta achieved a 'healthier spread' of scoring points from objective capture and player combat. The studio plans a third beta for August 11th to September 4th, focusing on further adjustments to point values, removing certain scaling multipliers, and reintroducing placement-based rewards.
MMO Week in Review: I want to believe
This week's MMO news roundup covers updates and announcements for numerous titles including Stars Reach, EverQuest Legends, Elder Scrolls Online, and Final Fantasy XIV. Key stories include Stars Reach's official early access date, Elder Scrolls Online's post-layoff roadmap, and Guild Wars 3 revealing its composers. The article also touches on game development, business practices, and player sentiment across various MMORPGs.
Star Wars, Metal Gear, and Halo composer Kazuma Jinnouchi confirmed as lead composer for Guild Wars 3
ArenaNet has announced Kazuma Jinnouchi, known for his work on Star Wars, Metal Gear, and Halo, as the lead composer for Guild Wars 3. A video detailing the creation of the game's main theme, featuring Jinnouchi and other composers like Asuka Ito and Maclaine Diemer, was also released.
Massively Overthinking: Are there any MMORPGs or MMO features that are good kinda by accident?
This article discusses MMORPGs and their features that became popular or fun by accident, often in ways unintended by developers. Examples include "alting" and the architect system in City of Heroes, content trains in Guild Wars 2, and the unintended consequences of Grand Theft Auto Online's content creator. World of Warcraft and Fortnite are also cited for features that evolved beyond their original design intent.
Guild Wars Reforged has added new loot and minis to Underworld and Fissure of Woe
ArenaNet has released a new patch for Guild Wars Reforged, adding new miniature collectibles and unique items as rare rewards to the Underworld and Fissure of Woe endgame content areas. The update also includes fixes for disconnect issues and AI improvements for hero skills.
‘It’s like your mom reading you an old story’: Guild Wars 3 reveals composers and main music theme
ArenaNet has revealed the composers for Guild Wars 3, with BAFTA Games Awards nominee Kazuma Jinnouchi serving as lead composer. He will be joined by Asuka Ito and longtime Guild Wars 2 composer Maclaine Diemer. A new video showcases the game's main theme, emphasizing a warm and comforting musical style.
Someone made a Lego Jimothy Racoon set with over 180k likes, so I think we've peaked
A fan-made Lego set of Jimothy the Racoon has gained significant online attention, amassing over 180,000 likes on Instagram. This original build, created using spare Lego parts, accurately captures the racoon's distinctive appearance and has sparked discussions about fan creativity within the Lego community.
An ArenaNet developer's spouse first discovered Jimothy the raccoon, so it's only right that Guild Wars 2 adds…
ArenaNet is adding a virtual version of the viral raccoon, Jimothy, to Guild Wars 2 starting August 11th. The decision was partly inspired by the fact that the spouse of an ArenaNet developer was the one who initially discovered and popularized Jimothy online. Players will be able to unlock a Jimothy mini-pet within the game.
Guild Wars 2’s extended fam is basically responsible for making Jimothy a thing, so we’re getting minipets
ArenaNet is adding the internet-famous raccoon, Jimothy, as a minipet in Guild Wars 2 on August 11th. The developer acknowledged the meme's origin, which stemmed from a video filmed by the spouse of an ArenaNet developer. Jimothy will also appear in World of Warcraft, AdventureQuest 3D, and RuneScape.
