Guild Wars 2
News, coverage and analysis tracking Guild Wars 2 across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Massively Overthinking: Does the MMORPG genre have a nostalgia problem?
This article discusses whether the MMORPG genre suffers from a nostalgia problem, with various writers debating the trend of classic servers and re-releases. While some see it as a financial crutch or a sign of stagnation, others view it as a valid form of game preservation or a necessary move in a risk-averse industry. The discussion highlights differing player attitudes and the potential for these throwback experiences to coexist with innovation.
Fight or Kite: Gloria Victis’s combat simply doesn’t land
This analysis of Gloria Victis focuses on its combat system, finding it inconsistent and lacking the precision of similar titles like For Honor and Absolver. While the game offers a classless character system and a free-to-play model, the combat's floaty and imprecise nature detracts from the overall experience, despite the presence of interesting mechanics like damage and armor types.
ArenaNet says Guild Wars 3's ancient Orr setting will entice hardcore fans who 'care deeply' about the lore, but it also means 'it's the perfect time for new people to come join the Guild Wars franchise'
ArenaNet has revealed that Guild Wars 3 will be set 1000 years before the original game in the ancient land of Orr. Studio head Colin Johanson stated this setting will appeal to both longtime fans invested in the lore and new players who won't need prior knowledge of the franchise. The game is scheduled for a PC and PlayStation 5 release, with a beta planned for Fall 2027.
Guild Wars 3 dev wants you to be able to take a break for months at a time and know you're "not going to be left behind"
ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson believes the MMO genre is still thriving and that Guild Wars 3 aims to address common player concerns about time commitment. He emphasizes the need for games to allow meaningful progress in short sessions and for players to be able to take extended breaks without falling behind.
The Stream Team: Achieving Life in the Underworld in Guild Wars 2
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie will be guiding players through Guild Wars 2's Living World Season 4, specifically focusing on obtaining the 'Life in the Underworld' achievement in Dragonfall. The stream will also feature Twitch drops and avoid spoilers for the Code of Creation.
Guild Wars 2's Code of Creation update is now live, bringing an end to Visions of Eternity
ArenaNet has released the Code of Creation update for Guild Wars 2, marking the conclusion of the Visions of Eternity storyline. This update introduces a new explorable zone, Leyspring Hollows, six new story chapters, a new multistage meta-event, and new gear. It also adds the Nexus of Eternity raid encounter and the Solitary Throne Fractal. Future updates are planned through December, while the highly anticipated Guild Wars 3 is expected to innovate the MMO genre with features like a momentum system.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Hands on with Guild Wars 2: Visions of Eternity’s finale, Code of Creation
This preview of Guild Wars 2's final update for Visions of Eternity, Code of Creation, details the new underground map Leyspring Hollows, its lore involving the Inquest, and the new meta event. It also highlights new group content like a fractal and raid encounter, and showcases the new legendary sword Wages of Stars.
World of Warcraft: Forever devs say a direct sequel like Guild Wars 2 is unlikely: 'Why would you throw that away…
World of Warcraft: Forever principal designer Kris Zierhut explains why a direct sequel like Guild Wars 2 is unlikely, citing the value of World of Warcraft's continuously developed engine and infrastructure. The article discusses the merits of remaking classic WoW versus starting anew, touching on technical debt and the appeal of older MMO design philosophies.
MMO Week in Review: Foreverrrrr
BlizzCon 2026 saw major announcements including a new open-world StarCraft shooter, Diablo V for 2029, and World of Warcraft Forever launching soon. The event also revealed World of Warcraft's next retail expansion, The Last Titan, and sparked controversy over World of Warcraft Forever's monetization. Other news included the sunsetting of Ship of Heroes, layoffs at Pantheon Rise of the Fallen, and business dealings involving ArcheAge.
One Shots: Time to throw a balcony bash!
This week's "One Shots" feature highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including Wayfinder, Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, and Fallout 76. Players shared images of in-game views, character creations, and home exteriors, showcasing their virtual adventures.
Guild Wars 2 Visions of Eternity Reaches Its Climactic Finale With Code of Creation | Invision Game Community
ArenaNet has announced Code of Creation, the final major update for Guild Wars 2 Visions of Eternity, concluding the expansion's storyline with new areas, rewards, and challenging group content. The update introduces the Leyspring Hollows zone, new armor and weapon sets, and the Wages of Stars legendary sword. It also adds a new 10-player raid, a five-player fractal, and a 50-player convergence encounter.
The Stream Team: The end of Kralkatorrik and Guild Wars 2’s Living World
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie is concluding Guild Wars 2's Living World story arc, focusing on the final instance of Season 4 where players must sever the dragon Kralkatorrik's connection to the ley-lines. The stream will cover the culmination of the "War Eternal - Descent" storyline.
Guild Wars 2’s Code of Creation adds new zone, new fractal, and new raid on September 15
ArenaNet has announced that the final major update for Guild Wars 2: Visions of the Eternity, titled Code of Creation, will launch on September 15. The update will introduce a new zone, Leyspring Hollows, a 10-player raid called Nexus of Eternity, a five-person fractal, and new legendary weapons and armor.
"20 players is the sweet spot": Guild Wars 3's action game combat is a first for MMOs, but it doesn't work at traditional raid scale
ArenaNet is developing Guild Wars 3 with a focus on action game-like combat and fluid movement, drawing inspiration from titles like Prince of Persia and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This approach shifts away from traditional MMO raid scales, aiming for a 'sweet spot' of around 20 players for optimal combat experience. The developers are also incorporating lessons from live service games to make the MMO more approachable.
The Stream Team: Merrily making meat hats in Return to Moria
Massively OP's Larry and MJ are playing Return to Moria, focusing on crafting a 'meat hat' and other in-game tasks. The article highlights their progress in the game, including building a tavern and defeating a dragon, and promotes an upcoming live stream of their adventures. Other scheduled streams for Guild Wars 2, Valheim, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and AdventureQuest 3D are also mentioned.
The Stream Team: To the moon in Planet Crafter
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie is set to stream Planet Crafter, embarking on a new adventure to terraform a moon after completing her first planet. The stream will focus on her solo journey and preparation for this next challenge.
The Stream Team: Battle to beat the bots in Billie’s Wheelie
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie will be playing Billie's Wheelie, a racing game that has recently added bots to challenge players. The stream will feature MJ competing against these AI opponents in hamster balls, aiming to beat them on the racetrack. The article also lists other upcoming streams featuring games like Planet Crafter, Return to Moria, and Guild Wars 2.
Betawatch: ArcheAge Chronicles plans a network test for next weekend
ArcheAge Chronicles is planning a network test for September 12th, continuing its development journey. The article also rounds up other MMO news, including updates on Guild Wars 3, Farhaven, and Aion 2, alongside a lengthy list of games currently in various stages of testing and development.
The Daily Grind: What’s the most overly and unnecessarily complicated MMO class?
This article discusses the issue of overly complicated MMO classes, using Warframe's Equinox frame and Guild Wars 2's specs as examples. The author expresses gratitude for varied difficulty levels but questions the point of specs that require excessive juggling for no greater payoff.
Guild Wars 3 wants to solve every MMO's biggest problem, and might actually pull it off: "No subscription fee…
ArenaNet is aiming to solve the biggest challenge in the MMO space with Guild Wars 3: making the genre more accessible and less like a 'second job.' Studio head Colin Johanson discussed how the game will focus on approachability and depth without a subscription fee, allowing players to engage meaningfully in shorter play sessions and return after breaks without falling behind. This focus on player time and a less demanding relationship with the game aims to attract both veteran MMO players and a new generation.
