Guild Wars 2’s Future Is Bright, Says ArenaNet, with Steam Launch and Another Expansion Confirmed
Today, ArenaNet provided an update on the future of Guild Wars 2, its 10-year old MMORPG. The team said it was humbled by the reception of the End of Dragons expansion, adding that it has already outsold the previous expansion (Path of Fire). Overall, the number of active Guild Wars 2 players has more than doubled over the last three years.
Then, the development team switched gears to discuss the reportedly bright future for the MMORPG. Executive Producer Amy Liu and new Game Director Josh Davis said in a shared statement:
We need to prioritize delivering consistent updates for our players. The release of End of Dragons and the resolution of a story arc that was 10 years in the making feels like a fitting time to reevaluate the overall Guild Wars 2 experience specifically, how we provide regular content updates to our players and what those updates contain. This means continuing to tell compelling stories that expand the world of Tyria while providing a better experience for those who enjoy game modes such as World vs. World, Player vs. Player, and endgame group content.
They also provided an update on the Guild Wars 2 Steam release. It’s now a priority for ArenaNet, although they do want to get it right. The plan is to wrap up the work on the platform integration while improving some aspects of the early game experience to welcome the brand new Steam audience. Additionally, DirectX 11 will become the default API setting, ensuring better performance.
ArenaNet did not share a release date for Guild Wars 2 on Steam. However, they’re hoping to launch within 2022. The roadmap for this Spring was also unveiled, with the return of Living World Season 1 being the content’s centerpiece. The first episode will be available on April 19th, and the season will conclude with the return of “Battle for Lion’s Arch,” which will include a new Strike Mission and Challenge Mode.
Last but certainly not least, ArenaNet confirmed Guild Wars 2 will receive the fourth expansion at some point. Needless to say, it’s still very much in its infancy, but it’s good to know players can look forward to that in the coming years.
