Guild Wars 2
News, coverage and analysis tracking Guild Wars 2 across the outlets.
Latest coverage
MMO Week in Review: Destiny 2’s revival, Aion 2’s stress test
This week's MMO news covers Destiny 2's revival with unvaulted content, Aion 2's stress test, and Ultima Online's 29th anniversary. Dune Awakening launched on consoles, Elder Scrolls Online discussed experimental features, and Microsoft continued layoffs. World of Warcraft Forever is impressing players, while other news includes The Division 2, Marathon, Warframe, and various other MMO updates and discussions.
The Stream Team: Our Journey Continues in No Man’s Sky’s 10th anniversary expedition
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie is covering the 10th anniversary expedition for No Man's Sky, titled 'Our Journey Continues.' This expedition revisits previous updates, offering players a chance to experience content they may have missed, with developers providing insights into the design process.
WRUP: A tribute to Beepalus Slimon, also known as ‘Mr. Beepy,’ because I was asked to do this edition
This week's 'What Are You Playing' feature highlights community and staff plans for the weekend, with mentions of City of Heroes, Guild Wars 2, Elite Dangerous, Lord of the Rings Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Warframe, and Diablo IV. The article also includes a humorous, albeit strained, tribute to a character named Beepalus Slimon.
Betawatch: World of Warcraft Forever gets the beta explosion as Aion 2 cracks its doors open a bit
The beta for World of Warcraft Forever has launched with high player numbers, while Aion 2 has opened its doors for testing. The article also provides updates on State of Decay 3's development under an indie Undead Labs and Guild Wars 2's upcoming WvW map test. It serves as a weekly roundup of MMOs in various testing phases, including open betas, closed betas, and early access.
Massively Overthinking: Does action combat have too much of a negative effect on MMORPG scales?
This article discusses whether action combat negatively impacts the scale of MMORPGs, using Guild Wars 3's design as a focal point. Developers and writers debate if the emphasis on movement and momentum is worth the potential loss of large player numbers, with opinions varying on whether a compromise is possible or necessary.
My first MMO character #5: Fraser Brown
Fraser Brown recounts his first MMO character, Zarwulf, an Orc Hunter from World of Warcraft, though he also mentions playing Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, and Guild Wars. He notes that while Zarwulf remains frozen in time, a character with the same name exists in Guild Wars 2.
Guild Wars 2 prepares WvW players to pummel each other in a new borderlands map beta November 10
ArenaNet is inviting Guild Wars 2 players to test a new, early-access World vs. World borderlands map beta on November 10th. This greybox state map will focus on layout and objective feedback to help developers refine the experience.
A tribute to PC Gamer's first MMO characters—may they never be forgotten
Several PC Gamer writers share nostalgic memories of their first characters in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, primarily from the mid-2000s. Games like World of Warcraft, RuneScape, and EverQuest feature prominently as writers recall their early gaming experiences and character creations.
The Stream Team: Starting the end of Guild Wars 2’s Visions of Eternity with Code of Creation
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie is diving into Guild Wars 2's latest content update, Code of Creation, which marks the beginning of the end for the Visions of Eternity storyline. The stream will focus on exploring a new map, engaging with Asuran politics, and uncovering the plot surrounding the character Vloxx.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 580: A Loftia set of goals
The Massively OP Podcast episode 580 covers a range of MMO news and discussions, including WoW Forever's beta, Guild Wars 2's final content drop, Loftia's early access launch, and RuneScape's Dragonwilds release. The hosts also touch on Soulframe, rage quit moments, minigames, and a potential Pokémon MMO.
I can't wait to play a Kodan in GW3 concept art
The author expresses excitement about the possibility of playing as a Kodan in Guild Wars 3, drawing parallels to their experience with Charr in Guild Wars 2. Concept art for Guild Wars 3 is highlighted, fueling anticipation for new playable races and character customization options.
The Stream Team: Finding a Secret Forge in Return to Moria
The Massively OP Stream Team, featuring Larry and MJ, will be exploring Return to Moria to find a secret forge. This guide-style stream aims to uncover hidden areas within the game's mines. The team will also be streaming other games like Guild Wars 2 and Project: Gorgon later in the week.
One Shots: A very Viking campout
This week's 'One Shots' feature showcases community screenshots from various MMOs, including cozy nighttime cooking in Valheim, posing in Final Fantasy XIV, observing dragon growth in Guild Wars 2, and exploring a new Hytale world. The column encourages readers to share their own screenshots.
Guild Wars 2 plans a patch to improve the pacing and difficulty of the controversial Solitary Throne fractal
ArenaNet is planning a patch for Guild Wars 2 to address player concerns regarding the difficulty and pacing of the Solitary Throne fractal. The upcoming update will include hotfixes for bugs and mechanics, as well as larger changes to improve clarity and reduce frustrating elements in the Eternal Tyrant fight.
The Stream Team: Building a boat in Dinkum
Massively OP's MJ Guthrie is focusing on building a boat in Dinkum, having acquired a sailboat blueprint and a rowboat blueprint. She plans to explore the waters and discover if sharks pose a threat to the rowboat. The stream will also feature content from Guild Wars 2 later in the week.
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.
