Guild Wars 3
News, coverage and analysis tracking Guild Wars 3 across the outlets.
Latest coverage
MMO Week in Review: Funcom’s folly
Funcom has confirmed significant layoffs and the stepping down of its CEO as part of a restructuring effort. The company will now focus on its existing titles, Dune: Awakening and Conan Exiles. This news comes amidst a broader week of MMO updates, including RuneScape halting its Reignited plans and Enshrouded launching its 1.0 release.
Betawatch: Enshrouded launches as Guild Wars 3 starts sharing social hubs
Enshrouded has officially launched into version 1.0, exiting early access. Meanwhile, Guild Wars 3 has previewed its first social hub, and World of Warcraft Forever is preparing for a server slam stress test. The article also lists numerous other games in various stages of beta and early access testing.
Guild Wars 3 shares the background of its first ‘social hub,’ Warden’s Watch
ArenaNet has shared lore details for Warden's Watch, the first social hub in the upcoming MMO Guild Wars 3. This outpost, built around a dormant Forgotten tower in Orr, serves as a gathering place for Orrian guilds and local inhabitants, born out of necessity due to a past tragedy. The developer also promised to reveal the game's fourth playable race in December.
ArenaNet solves an ongoing Guild Wars 2 issue by ditching paid Living World add-ons and bundling them with expansions
ArenaNet is changing how Guild Wars 2's Living World seasonal content is sold, now bundling narrative add-ons with major expansions instead of selling them separately. This move aims to make it easier for new and returning players to access the full story without additional purchases. The company also mentioned Guild Wars 3 and a renaissance for the original Guild Wars series.
2027 Video Game Release Dates Calendar
This guide provides a comprehensive calendar of video game releases scheduled for 2027, including titles with unannounced dates, DLCs, and expansions. It lists games by month and also includes a section for titles with unconfirmed release dates across various platforms.
Riot has "all sorts of smart reasons" to not make its League of Legends MMO, but Marc Merrill is confident it'll succeed
Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill discussed the company's approach to developing a League of Legends MMO, acknowledging the significant challenges and risks involved in the genre. He emphasized that the decision to proceed is driven by the deep existing fanbase and the desire to let players live in the established Runeterra world, despite market trends and development complexities.
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.
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.
Guild Wars 3 takes a lore-focused closer look at the Mavenwrights enemy faction
ArenaNet has provided a lore-focused look at the Mavenwrights, the primary enemy faction in Guild Wars 3. The article details their history from a crafter's guild to their current status as smugglers and experimenters engaged in open hostilities with the Vaelwardens.
ArenaNet studio head says Guild Wars 3 will have 'significantly less' UI elements on the HUD for an MMO — 'We very intentionally designed this because it's also on console and it's a lean-back experience'
ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson revealed that Guild Wars 3 will feature a significantly reduced user interface compared to other MMORPGs, aiming for a cleaner display that emphasizes combat and the open world. This design choice is partly influenced by the game's development for consoles, requiring a more streamlined, lean-back experience.
'Bringing the game to console for the first time' means that ArenaNet 'can reach a much wider group of players' as devs say they want to offer an 'invitation' for everybody to play Guild Wars 3 together by bringing it to PS5 and PC — but not Xbox
ArenaNet announced that Guild Wars 3 will be the first game in the series to launch on both PC and PlayStation 5, aiming to reach a wider audience. Studio head Colin Johanson stated the console release is an 'invitation' for new players to join the MMORPG, which is set 1000 years before the original game. A beta is scheduled for Fall 2027, but a full release date has not yet been announced.
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.
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.
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.
ArenaNet says Guild Wars 3's new momentum system creates a 'seamless sense of movement you'd expect to see in an action game' by connecting all movement and combat abilities to create 'fluid movement'
ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson detailed Guild Wars 3's new momentum system, which aims to create fluid transitions between movement and combat, a first for the MMORPG genre. This system allows players to maintain momentum through actions like jumping, gliding, and wall-running, seamlessly blending them with combat for a more action-game-like experience. The game is scheduled for a Fall 2027 beta on PC and PlayStation 5.
Guild Wars 3 discusses its more approachable setting and being ‘meaningfully multiplayer’
ArenaNet developers discussed Guild Wars 3's approachable setting and its 'meaningfully multiplayer' design. The game will launch on Steam and consoles with a focus on a shared open world for 20 players, balancing the smaller party size of Guild Wars 1 with the larger scale of Guild Wars 2.
Betawatch: Monsters & Memories plunges testers into The Deep, Loftia begins pre-registrations, and ArcheAge S is on its way next year
Several MMORPGs are entering new testing phases or preparing for launch. Monsters & Memories is plunging testers into 'The Deep' ahead of its early access, while Loftia has begun pre-registrations. ArcheAge S is slated for a Q2 2027 release, with gameplay previews coming soon. Legends of Aria Eternal and Valheim have officially launched, while Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen has experienced layoffs.
"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.
