In late March 2024, during an NCSoft shareholder meeting, the financial performance of several NCSoft games was on the agenda. This included titles like Throne and Liberty, which, as per a report by MassivelyOP, had underperformed in Korea. During this shareholder meeting, something unexpected came to light: NCSoft dropped the bombshell that they’re currently working on “Guild Wars 3”, following the success of Guild Wars 2.
But before we continue, a personal message…
I’d like to start with a heartfelt thank you to my dad, who unexpectedly passed away in April, 2024.
My dad suffered from SMA, a degenerative muscular disease similar to ALS. Although we both knew he wouldn’t reach 100, his passing was still extremely unexpected.
Despite his illness further limiting his abilities, he continued to help me make important life and business decisions, supporting me all the way. I’m incredibly grateful that we spent so much quality time together in these past weeks, months, and years. You helped me, and I helped you.
I’ve never felt such sadness before, and I wish we could have had a few more years together. I will continue my dad’s legacy by being honest, loyal, and sticking to my values. Thank you for everything, Dad.
To learn more about SMA and ALS, please check out the the links to the ALS association. It’s all my dad and I could ask for.
Guild Wars 3 announcement and 5th expansion
During the shareholder meeting in march 2024, NCSoft mentioned that the concept for “Guild Wars 3”, was on the table, following the success of Guild Wars 2. This revelation caught many off guard, considering Guild Wars 2’s history of directional changes. Just when we thought we had a handle on things with recent expansions like End of Dragons and Secrets of the Obscure, the mention of Guild Wars 3 sparked my curiosity.
Then, just two weeks later, on April 15th, 2024, the next Guild Wars 2 expansion was unveiled, set to release later in the year. Now, typically, when a studio works on a completely new game, they’d focus most of their resources there, leaving expansions on the back burner. While I’m all for a fresh expansion, the focus on both the current game and its successor is certainly noteworthy. Does this mean they’ve got enough resources to handle both projects, are they just exploring the options of a Guild Wars 3 without fully diving in?
While I might not sound overly enthusiastic about both a new expansion and a new game being developed simultaneously, I’m happy to see NCsoft’s confidence in the franchise, allowing ArenaNet to work on both projects.
Llet’s delve into some aspects of a potential storyline for Guild Wars 3, explore the features we’d love to see in the sequel, and discuss how it could affect the landscape of Guild Wars 2.
What would be a good story for Guild Wars 3?
The story of a possible Guild Wars 3 is going to be interesting. Guild Wars 2 focused heavily on the awakening Elder Dragons, with each expansion introducing us to a new Elder Dragon threatening to tip the balance in their own way or destroy the world of Tyria.
The groundwork for this Elder Dragon saga was laid out in the original Guild Wars. In the 2007 expansion, Guild Wars: Eye of the North, players aided the dwarves in their struggle against the Great Destroyer, a minion of the Elder Dragon Primordus. Also, they assisted the Asura, now a playable race in Guild Wars 2, and the Ebon Vanguard, whose presence extends to their own city in the sequel, in their conflict against the Charr, also a playable race. These plotlines seamlessly transitioned into Guild Wars 2, set 250 years later.
If we follow this direction, it’s likely that Guild Wars 3 will continue to build upon the foundation established in its predecessor. With the Elder Dragon narrative wrapped up and Guild Wars 2 now delving into the mysteries of the Kryptis in “Secrets of the Obscure“.
We may anticipate the involvement of these otherworldly creatures in the next game. However, this is all uncertain, as there are still more expansions on the horizon for Guild Wars 2 that could conclude this storyline before Guild Wars 3 releases.
Personally, I wouldn’t build my next MMO’s storyline to the events surrounding the Kryptis or rely too heavily on the Elder Dragons’ legacy. Looking back, Guild Wars 2 has sometimes fallen short in terms of storytelling. Initially the game was without traditional expansions, as it relied on Living World updates for fresh content. Which, over time, felt somewhat lackluster and brief. The reintroduction of expansions gave new life into the narrative, but subsequent shifts between expansions and Living World updates left the storyline feeling disjointed and inconsistent. It seemed as though certain plotlines were abandoned or hastily resolved to make way for new ones, potentially due to the writers’ tight focus on the Elder Dragons storyline. Which limited their creative freedom.
In my ideal scenario for Guild Wars 3, the game would draw inspiration from the rich history of both the original Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. Rather than rehashing old concepts, it would explore untapped aspects of the universe. Such as revisiting iconic locations from the original game or reintroducing beloved characters like Ogden Stonehealer. By using the existing lore to tell new stories, Guild Wars 3 could strike a balance between nostalgia for veteran players and intrigue for newcomers.
What features should Guild Wars 3 have?
Let’s talk gameplay features for Guild Wars 3! Personally, I feel like Guild Wars 2 missed the mark on a few things. Take Dungeons, some Raids, and Dragon Response Missions, for example – they came and went, leaving us wanting more. So, here’s what I’d love to see in the next installment.
Clear direction
Let’s talk about having a clear sense of direction, particularly content releases and storytelling. As I mentioned earlier, maintaining a consistent schedule for releasing story content keeps players engaged. While Guild Wars 2’s Living World updates dropped new story content every three months, these segments were often brief, with most content completed in just a few hours. I’d prefer a more robust, captivating story that may come less frequently but keeps me hooked for longer periods.
Challenging content
Guild Wars 2 introduced Raids and Fractals, which was a step in the right direction, but let’s kick it up a notch. Have you ever heard of the Underworld, the Fissure of Woe, and the Domain of Anguish from the original Guild Wars? These areas were incredibly challenging, requiring teamwork and coordination. One wrong move and it’s over. Despite that this might sound disencouraging, the satisfaction of overcoming these challenges with your team feels great. I’d love to see Guild Wars 3 return to this level of difficulty.
Keep the combat great!
I think Guild Wars 2’s combat is fantastic. Compared to the more static combat of games like Final Fantasy 14 or World of Warcraft. Guild Wars 2’s combat is fluid, engaging, and fun. However, if we’re creating a new game, let’s introduce some fresh combat systems while still retaining the essence of Guild Wars 2’s combat. If not, we might as well stick with what already works.
Player housing
Moving on to player housing – while it’s not my personal preference, I know many in the community want it. Players love to decorate their own space, invite friends over, and engage in various activities together. Having player housing would add another layer of depth to the game and allow for more community interaction.
What’s great is what has recently been introduced in the fifth Guild Wars 2 expansion: Janthir Wilds. With Homesteads, this should cover the housing system. If this is successful, this formula can be migrated to Guild Wars 3.
Progression Transfer system
Lastly, let’s talk about a Progression Transfer system. After spending over a decade in Guild Wars 2 like myself, it’s only natural to want to carry some of that progress over to Guild Wars 3. The original Guild Wars had a system in place called the Hall of Monuments, which allowed players to store weapons and titles. Progressing through specific tiers in the Hall of Monuments unlocked titles and skins that could be used in Guild Wars 2, showing a player’s dedication to the original game. I’d love to see a similar system implemented in Guild Wars 3, rewarding players for their time spent in both the original and sequel games.
Who is Guild Wars 3 for?
Back in around 2006, when I first dove into the Original Guild Wars, I was about 13 or 14 years old. With loads of free time, I spent most of it gaming with my friends. Fast forward to 2012, when Guild Wars 2 was released, I was a bit older but still had plenty of time to spare alongside my studies. However, the transition from the original Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2 saw some players drift away. Whether the game was too different from its predecessor or players simply had less interest and time, it’s hard to say. Now, with Guild Wars 3 on the horizon, I wonder: who is Guild Wars 3 for?
When I was younger, I could invest endless hours into Guild Wars 2. Today, I can build upon that invested time – achievements, gear, gold, and exploration from a decade ago still hold value, especially now that I have much less free time. Many of my friends who joined me in Guild Wars 2 are now juggling parenthood or demanding careers, making it tough to dive into a big MMORPG like before, even if they want to.
I also question whether Guild Wars 3 will attract a new wave of players, considering the typical MMORPG audience tends to be a bit older. These are the players who grew up with World of Warcraft or the Original Guild Wars. Do they still want to start a new MMORPG, grinding their way to the best gear and weapons once more? Or do they prefer MMORPGs like WoW, which evolve within the same game, and does not require them to start over in a new world?
While I believe that true reinvention may require changing a game’s foundation, I wonder if the existing Guild Wars 2 audience is ready to make the leap to Guild Wars 3. Are they willing to invest their time again in a new MMORPG? Guild Wars 2 catered to a semi-casual audience, but Guild Wars 3 will need to strike a balance, catering to casual players while also offering challenges and difficulty options for those seeking more than just an engaging story and exploration.
What’s the impact on Guild Wars 2?
With the new 5th expansion on the horizon, it’s sure to bring back a lot of players to Guild Wars 2. But once Guild Wars 3 drops, I bet most players will shift their attention there. It’s what happened with the original Guild Wars. It still has a small but dedicated fanbase, but there is no new content coming in. Eventually, people move on to something new.
Now, I don’t believe that Guild Wars 2 will be shut down when Guild Wars 3 launches. Much like the Original Guild Wars, the cost of maintaining servers could be relatively low, making it unnecessary to shut it down. The game may continue to exist as a nostalgic haven for players, even as the community gradually shifts its focus to the latest installment in the franchise.
When is Guild Wars 3 is going to be released?
As of now, ArenaNet is actively working on the fifth expansion for Guild Wars 2, with a possible sixth one to follow. While the name Guild Wars 3 has been mentioned once, it seems that ArenaNet is still in the early stages of exploring this idea. Considering the significant resources required for MMORPG development, it’s reasonable to speculate that a potential release of Guild Wars 3 wouldn’t be until 2027, if it happens at all. With so little information available, it’s hard to pinpoint a precise release date for the game.
My Conclusion
So, what are my thoughts on Guild Wars 3? I see it as a logical next step. While I’m a big fan of Guild Wars 2, I believe it’s left a lot of potential untapped. The shifts in direction and releases haven’t always worked out in its favor, in my opinion. That’s why starting fresh with Guild Wars 3 could be just what the franchise needs. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love Guild Wars 2, but there’s still so much left to explore and build upon that’s been neglected over the years. Some game modes and storylines have been abandoned, and in some respects, the game has fallen short in delivering on its promises. Maybe it’s time to move on to the next game to fully realise the franchise’s potential.
