ArenaNet Studio Update: The future of Guild Wars 2

[SlateSloan.3654]

"Working on so much more"

"Restructured the studio and want to make more frequent balance releases now"

"Stay tuned" in your "cornerstone gamemode"

"Number of players increased"

Where did I read that before somewhere?

Did anyone in the studio make statistics of how many of these "new players" actually arrive with the same IP-Adress on the server?

Its not a secret that there are players who own like 200+ Accounts by now to grab the daily login rewards and some are even actively exchanging with each others of how to automate this process by chrone jobs, macros and such...

So would be interesting to know how the "number of players" has been determined.

[Seth Moonshadow.2710]

Just now, LucianDK.8615 said:

Did people notice this bit?

The Future, Confirmed

One last update before we go: we’re happy to confirm that there will be a fourth expansion for Guild Wars 2! We mean it when we say we’re focused on the long-term. This is a very early confirmation (the earliest we’ve ever done this, in fact), so don’t expect news anytime soon. Expansions take a very long time to develop. Plus, there’s plenty of cool things to look forward to between now and then.

 

That should silence the doomsayers claiming this is the 'last' expansion.

Yes, but we knew this from earlier information also. The only problem I see is that the game is going in a direction of "challenging content" and the days of PreEoD are gone. That frustrates me when you consider the volume of players and content that isn't getting completed by small groups or solo players or PUGs. When HoT arrived every one was gliding, when PoF arrived every one was mounted when EoD arrived only the elites had their turtle. Now it can be bought but then you must complete strike missions at a higher challenge than strike mission before EoD. So yeah Not so hyped for the future of guild wars 2. I liiked Strike Missions before EoD but not the EoD strike Missions. We could duo or four man it it was rough but we could do it. EoD nope not an option!

[celestia.3829]

1 hour ago, Rubi Bayer.8493 said:

Learn more about our plans for Guild Wars 2 in 2022 and beyond!

 

WOoooo

[celestia.3829]

3 minutes ago, SlateSloan.3654 said:

"Working on so much more"

"Restructured the studio and want to make more frequent balance releases now"

"Stay tuned" in your "cornerstone gamemode"

"Number of players increased"

Where did I read that before somewhere?

Did anyone in the studio make statistics of how many of these "new players" actually arrive with the same IP-Adress on the server?

Its not a secret that there are players who own like 200+ Accounts by now to grab the daily login rewards and some are even actively exchanging with each others of how to automate this process by chrone jobs, macros and such...

So would be interesting to know how the "number of players" has been determined.

One last update before we go: we’re happy to confirm that there will be a fourth expansion for Guild Wars 2! 

at least there is a new expac for certain

[yoni.7015]

11 minutes ago, Seth Moonshadow.2710 said:

Yes, but we knew this from earlier information also. The only problem I see is that the game is going in a direction of "challenging content" and the days of PreEoD are gone. That frustrates me when you consider the volume of players and content that isn't getting completed by small groups or solo players or PUGs. When HoT arrived every one was gliding, when PoF arrived every one was mounted when EoD arrived only the elites had their turtle. Now it can be bought but then you must complete strike missions at a higher challenge than strike mission before EoD. So yeah Not so hyped for the future of guild wars 2. I liiked Strike Missions before EoD but not the EoD strike Missions. We could duo or four man it it was rough but we could do it. EoD nope not an option!

Everyone is driving his skiff and fishing. After PoF released it took a while before everyone had the griffon. You see already today how many now have the turtle after three weeks. 
What is this more challenging content? It’s only the strike missions and the first three are not that challenging. HoT open world was more challenging than EoD open world. except for last map, the meta events are not more challenging than in HoT or PoF. 

Edited March 22, 2022 by yoni.7015

[miiroto.3672]

Absolutly great communication in the new post, but one thing that still get stuck in minds of Super adventure box lovers like me since first post about new content for SAB is:

When SAB world 3? 

Edited March 22, 2022 by miiroto.3672

[RyuDragnier.9476]

Just now, miiroto.3672 said:

Absolutly great communication in the new patch, but one thing that still get stuck in minds of Super adventure box lovers like me since first post about new content for SAB is:

When SAB world 3? 

Why must you remind me of our unfinished joy? We've awaited a new world for so long...

[Raykiu.7841]

Professions update = NERFS, BYE Warrior/Elementalist haha.

[Obtena.7952]

1 hour ago, mythical.6315 said:

So no new content likely until the last part of the year?

Just for clarification, I’m not against anything they’ve mentioned in their blog. I’m just disappointed that we won’t get new content until much later in the year. 

To be fair ... LS1 is so out of mind for every player in this game, that it can easily be regarded as new content. I can't even remember the story. If it's anything like 'Return of ...' we had in Summer/Fall 2021, it will be well received I think. Plus, we DID just get a new expansion. I know some people rip through that content in a month but that's a HELL of alot of new content. 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Obtena.7952

[Deihnyx.6318]

Really exciting news, I wonder what the next XPAC will be about.
(If you ever feel like bringing playable tengus btw ... <3)

34 minutes ago, Seth Moonshadow.2710 said:

Then you haven't looked at post that states what I said. Look here . When taken as speaking to the "elite" community this reads very much like a "You have done much and we are getting the rest of the player base up to your speed so hang tight" NOT like PvE is open world and for the casual gamer. No unless I'm missing something this reads like the game is going to be brought up to EoD standards and if you can't see a difference between the game preEoD and all of EoD then your missing what's really happening.

 

"Closing thoughts:
It's natural to make assumptions about what is common or normal based on our own habits and capabilities and extrapolate that out to the rest of the player community, but most Guild Wars 2 players have few methods for working directly on their legendary goals. Much of it is earned from the 7 clovers a month from the final login track reward!

 The feeling of working hard for something and finding out it’s going to be easily accessible to others in the future can feel bad, and that feeling is real and valid. But you’ve made a ton of tangible progress in fractal Challenge Modes and other people having access to that in the future doesn’t take away from everything you’ve accomplished.

 I hope this gives some more insight into how we think about reward design and clarifies some of the changes coming in Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons ."

Not missing anything. This xpac and most of last living stories mostly catered to casual players.
There weren't pvp updates, wvw updates, raids, fractals, cm in a very long time.

Because -one- meta asks players a bit more doesn't mean the rest of the game isn't welcoming on casual players.

And on top of that they've addressed that issue already.

Edited March 22, 2022 by Deihnyx.6318

[Anthonev.6452]

It will be great to finally play the first Living World season, while I've been here for a few years now, I totally missed all that and I can say that jump in story from base game to LWS2 was somewhat jarring. You all of a sudden interact with people that you have a 'history' with and yet for the player you've never seen them before. Along with near endless references to Scarlet, etc that mean very little, since you never experienced it.

I'm willing to bet this was the main reason for the Steam launch delay, the gaping hole that is LWS1 needed to be filled before adding an expected influx of new players.

Quote

give you an inside look into the studio and the development of Guild Wars 2

On the subject of that note near the end of the post, I know I'd love to see more details on the development side, with as much info/specifics as possible. Like taking an initial idea for a new 'main' character and following the whole process, through concept art, 3D Modelling, texturing, animation, sound and bring it all into the game engine. I'd love to know the software/tools and process of each step (yes I'd watch an hour long video that delves into the whole process and specifics), but that may just be me and my personal interest in 3D/Animation, etc.

[Seth Moonshadow.2710]

11 minutes ago, yoni.7015 said:

Everyone is driving his skiff and fishing. After PoF released it took a while before everyone had the griffon. You see already today how many now have the turtle after three weeks. 
What is this more challenging content? It’s only the strike missions and the first three are not that challenging. HoT open world was more challenging than EoD open world, except for ED, the meta events are not more challenging than in HoT or PoF. 

No HoT open world was much easier, I'm an ele main saying that. Now granted the Cata is superb! If you think EoD metas are equal to HoT or PoF you haven't been reading the forums or playing the game I have. 8 of of us literally started ran the lanes and completed Mouth of Torment meta and legendary. You can't say THAT about EoD or DE meta! So yes MORE Challenging content! 20 players can take OctoVine, Can't say THAT about DE. It's not just DE meta either the other metas are similar.

So yes, Guild Wars 2 while a very great game, has dropped the ball on solo, small group and PUG players. They have even said as much they expect us to be something we do not want to be. Play content we don't want to play and purposefully put carrots behind those modes.

[Debesyla.7102]

25 minutes ago, SlateSloan.3654 said:

...Did anyone in the studio make statistics of how many of these "new players" actually arrive with the same IP-Adress on the server? Its not a secret that there are players who own like 200+ Accounts by now to grab the daily login rewards...

For your information, the automated game system blocks your IP after even a ~10 different account logins from the same IP. And that's not even counting the fact that, jesus, who would even bother with so many accounts. You can even go around and ask people - how many accounts do they have? Go on, ask your guild friends in game. You will be surprised that nearly all players have only 1 account. Your math just don't work out...

[Danikat.8537]

 

34 minutes ago, RyuDragnier.9476 said:

Luckily it sounds like some of those will return as strikes. Oh I'm going to love hearing "Cannonballs, my one WEAKNESS!" again. Memories...

I hope they'll put the original version of the dungeons into the game as they were, or maybe modified to work as 1-5 person story instances, so that it's possible to play through the whole storyline in one go rather than having to track down bits and skip between game modes to find them all. They could turn them into strikes as well, but my main priority is having the complete story available in-game so I wouldn't want parts of it pulled out and turned into something different.

[hatebreeder.8316]

TENGUUUUUUUUUUUUU *hope increases yet again*

 

But actually, I am very happy to hear that my favorite game will continue to grow! ❤️ (Living World Season 1 yes please thank you)

[Deihnyx.6318]

7 minutes ago, hatebreeder.8316 said:

TENGUUUUUUUUUUUUU *hope increases yet again*

 

But actually, I am very happy to hear that my favorite game will continue to grow! ❤️ (Living World Season 1 yes please thank you)

 

Or at least add a tengu as one of the recurring NPCs in living world story. Like Kalidris.

And the Dominion of Winds!

Edited March 22, 2022 by Deihnyx.6318
got the name wrong, huh

[ReV.6097]

LWS1 again and SAB 😎

At last.

Probably too soon to ask if it's SAB W3, but maybe one day xD

[ugrakarma.9416]

anxious for variants, pls drop them all at same time!! lets see a big bang on economy!!!

[Guille.7985]

SAB will have world 3 and 4 or only new esthetic item to buy?

[Luthan.5236]

That announcement is insane (in a good way) - didn't expect a 4th expansion. And them announcing it that early. (Will probably take some years.)

For now I guess the focus actually will shift towards PvP/WvW (hopefully after the balancing and World restructuring they will also try to add new stuff there).

Bringing back LWS1 might be less work (still a lot of work I guess) - giving them resources to spend on WvW/PvP while also doing balancing of the new elite specs in all 3 game modes. Therefore  I do not expect that much new stuff for SAB.

The next new living world stuff probably late this year. And then focus on new living world ... maybe still also focus on the other game modes - as long at the next start of development is not yet and people that had been dedicated to work on the expansion are free for other stuff. Some new PvP map and/or fractal for PvE might be nice ...

But we'll see. I want stories with the "Friend's detectives agency" lol. 😄 Looking forward to the season 1 - I played from release until end of 2013. Remember some stuff but probably missing stuff of the last 1 or 2 new chapters - and nice that the achievements are brought back. This surely will bring new players to the game as well.

If I ever win some millions of real life money I will buy shares of that company (or NCSoft) lol. 😄 Or just buying tons of gems. 🙂

Edited March 22, 2022 by Luthan.5236

[fenriswolfman.5486]

Cant wait to do tower of nightmares again.

[Ankzu.2658]

This is exciting!

[mindcircus.1506]

The year leading up to End of Dragons was a tiresome dreary slog through some of the absolute worst bits of content this game has ever produced. 
Return to Chalice of Tears, Retrospective Runaround, camping the sage in Lake Doric, the awful character development of LWs2 it was just awful.
It was a real lowlight of this game's life.

And now the roadmap is to spend a year restoring content that is, objectively speaking, worse.

With the vague promise of another expac in the future?
And more promises of balance and WvW focus? These promises have in the past turned out empty.
Not just "kinda empty", these are 100% broken promises.

I'm not going anywhere. I'm not taking my ball and going home. I know you guys are working hard on what you feel is best for the game.
While a certain segment of this community may be distracted by the jingling of the keys, the prospect of another extended period of recycled low quality content just....

Anyways.
Hard to get excited about these announcements. Where someone might see "THE RETURN OF SEASON 1", I am seeing carefully worded hype that says "We are spending the remainder of the year rereleasing old content."

After an expac that knocked so much out of the park for me, I just feel deflated at this point.

Edited March 22, 2022 by mindcircus.1506

[Hadi.2430]

1 hour ago, Dami.5046 said:

Not fussed about season 1 but a new cantha map and a new expansion!?!

oh yeah.

Excited about an expansion that will not go live till maybe 3-4 years?  Seriously?   ?  I feel you

Edited March 22, 2022 by sammokdadd.3602

[Donari.5237]

1 minute ago, sammokdadd.3602 said:

Excited about an expansion that will not go live till maybe 3-4 years?  Seriously?  and where did you read a new cantha map? We know there will be one in new living world stories, but seriously ?  I feel you

Probably from this line in the blog:

"Finally, we’re happy to confirm that we’re working on the next story update for Guild Wars 2, including a new map set in the Cantha region. The story (and how we tell it) can go in so many interesting directions now that the Elder Dragon threat is addressed!"