What’s Next for Guild Wars 2

[Skyroar.2974]

@"Blaeys.3102" said:I like the priority list. It's way past time GW2 got back to what sets it apart from other MMOs. They need more energy into open world maps and gameplay that brings large groups together - which can definitely include expanding upon and adding events to existing maps. Focus on giving groups reasons to stay on maps and play together.

Open world and WvW are the two core elements of GW2. Focus on making those as fun and entertaining as possible and this game will have a bright and long future. Everything else is secondary imo.

My problem with open world is that combat is generally shallow, either because you're playing solo (so there's no teamplay) or you're in a zerg (which is ultimately about macro organization and spamming 10-man support skills mindlessly and hoping your annonymous allies make use of them).

But then, my problem with group content in GW2 is that it's incredibly niche. There's either fractals, which don't exist outside Lion's Arch, are daily-reliant (you can't do whatever fractal you want outside dailies unless you don't want to be rewarded for it while also having a hard time finding a group for it) and require a long, infusion grind. And then there's raids, which are too hardcore, inaccessible and too time-consuming for players like me. In contrast, everything in GW1 was group content - even in the "open world", even in story missions, and even when you were playing solo.

GW2 combat and class design has so many interesting skills for group play that are effectively wasted in 90% of currently supported content, and this increasingly huge focus on open world/ living seasons is not a strategy that makes the best use of GW2's combat system potential.

Interestingly enough, there's actually a very simple and obvious solution to fix this. All Anet had/ has to do, is to give us a new dungeon each new LW episode. That's it. A simple, 1-path dungeon tied to each new map, with daily rewards that would give you a nice amount of that map's currency. A dungeon tied to the LW story at hand, helping to further expand the narrative and the world building of each episode. Quite a simple solution, and it would probably attract a much bigger crowd than fractals and raids probably do, because raids are unaccessible to most and fractals are hidden inside a single city and hidden behind dailies, while a dungeon-per-episode/ dungeon-per-map would grab the attention of all players who simply follow the main narrative or simply enjoy exploring Tyria.

[Erasculio.2914]

It's nice to see more communication.

That being said, there isn't anything really interesting for me in this announcement. Legendary runes and sigils are likely something that will require a lot of grind and so something I'll never see; cooking is the grindiest of all crafting professions, so I have never cared about it; I'm really not sure about how build templates will work with inventory management (if it just messes all my items around, it's not going to be that useful); and so on.

At the same time, all I really want is a new expansion and new expansion-like content. I really don't care about dungeons or raids or fractals, so no news about those don't bother me. I would love to know more about a future expansion, if we will get expansion-like content on season 5, and so on.

[Silverwing.8750]

Personally, I have never got much out of Living World episodes, just a few evenings play. The biggest improvements for me were when the expansions added gliding and mounts and I was hopping for something like that from the next expansion - e.g. player housing (like guild halls) with lots of customisation where we could display awards etc perhaps? An expansion would seem to me much more exciting then a slow stream of small updates.

But, thanks for the road map, it is always nice to have updates.

[Einlanzer.1627]

@Kylden Ar.3724 said:

@Dami.5046 said:

@BlueJin.4127 said:

@Dami.5046 said:Well the people who wanted less new maps got their own way. Good for you.No cantha. Maybe is i shout loud enough i'll get

my

way.

I can’t speak for others, but the reasons I want less maps isn’t because I don’t like having more maps.

1) Too many maps result in players that are spread too thin across all maps.2) More resources spent on creating new maps takes away from resources that could be spent on other stuff, such as more armors, etc.

A new map every episode is, IMO, not the most beneficial approach.

How boring.

Just what I think about Cantha.

Been there, done that. Sick of nostalgia patches/xpacs.

Show me something new!

Lol. Cantha is an entire continent. It's not boring. It's actually badly needed.

[wickedkae.4980]

No mention of new classes or races.... Also no mention of a real Xpack, which real MMOs receive..... This MMO is not long for this world. How sad.

[Sockski.4297]

Thank you for sharing this, the honest communication is so much appreciated!! Road-maps, even tentative ones keep the community hopeful and engaged!

[TheQuickFox.3826]

Very nice update.

I miss the mention of the word "Expansion" in the update, but it is great to have a roadmap and some exciting long-term goals at least. It gives confidence for the future after the bad news of the last months.

Thank you. Please never be so secretive again. The best way to keep the community engaged, involved and hyped is to keep them informed on what's on the horizon.

[Aenaos.8160]

This game needs expansions.If PoF is not proof enough of this then I don't know what is.Unless the plan is to keep the lights on for a couple more years and then slowly move into maintenance mode.

[Jen.6021]

Thx Mike Z and all the rest of devs in anet for this!!!

We needed this kind of communication ty!

[RatTailJack.2785]

Thanks for the communication!!Not that anyone is really going to read my mere two cents but just some ideas I've touched on before and would like to bring up again and hopefully others are of the same mindset on this:1) Polymock Tournaments!! - The Portal is STILL in Rata and this content still has not been touched since GW2 was released. Instead of redoing everything like GW1, you could use what we already have. Which is all the minis that have been constantly released. Let us use those as our "Polymock" and the various rarities will determine their power level.2) Guild Halls - It was Awesome that a new Guild Hall was released with the new xpac, and no others will probably be until the next one which is understandable. BUT it would be nice if we could get some more GH love from the content team. Give the guilds something to work on together. Keep raising the max GH level with new content. Give them something to look forward to building and creating. Expand on the recipes that scribes can craft (most notably the useless Resonating Slivers). Guild Missions are only Core Tyria and the same ole ones over and over again, make something new to spice up Guild Interaction!!3) Well looks like you finally touched on the build loadouts so don't need to harp on this anymore lol.

[Perisemiotics.4579]

@Ashamray.7416 said:Season 5 next?A whole year of 4 nothing-to-do-in locations, 1-2 fractals, 1 raid and 1 mount?

3 fractals and 2 mounts... plus a lot of different, reworked and new stuff... but yeah, if all that didn't entertain you...

[RatTailJack.2785]

@"Silverwing.8750" said:Personally, I have never got much out of Living World episodes, just a few evenings play. The biggest improvements for me were when the expansions added gliding and mounts and I was hopping for something like that from the next expansion - e.g. player housing (like guild halls) with lots of customisation where we could display awards etc perhaps? An expansion would seem to me much more exciting then a slow stream of small updates.

But, thanks for the road map, it is always nice to have updates.

Not to downgrade this comment, but we do have "player housing" in a way, it's called Home Instances. And we can showcase some achievements like the farming nodes that can only be obtain by collections and such. Or the the cats, frogs and the like. But yes I see what you mean about further expanding on that. Maybe something like the "Hall of Monuments" from GW1?

Also, the Guild Hall is another place we can display awards. Scribes can use the trophies obtained from teq (and lots of others) to make bigger and better statues for the GH to show off everyones accomplishments.

[bjwhiteda.7645]

Can you please include a option for turning off armor and weapon effects? Going into heavily populated areas is like walking into a super nova, especialy when a new shiny glowing is released. Please? Pretty Please? If you do I wont fuss about you killing off Aurene anymore

[Ashamray.7416]

@Perisemiotics.4579 said:

@Ashamray.7416 said:Season 5 next?A whole year of 4 nothing-to-do-in locations, 1-2 fractals, 1 raid and 1 mount?

3 fractals and 2 mounts... plus a lot of different, reworked and new stuff... but yeah, if all that didn't entertain you...

It didn't. We speak about whole year, that simply means me and my friends will play for 2 weeks after each season release. Frustration.

[Simzani.4318]

We now can see why they didn't talk about their plans . They are in panic mode and only just began to develop things awaited by the players for years like build teamplate. So until 2021, we will just have some qol stuff and the usual living world ; 2 years of near to nothing, and probably nothing already planned after that.

[Iozeph.5617]

This was a belated April fools message, wasn't it?

[Stand The Wall.6987]

this is awesome. we cant wait!please keep up the trait line reworks!

[Rose Solane.1027]

Our Philosophy

I’ve been speaking with members of the team for a few months, examining the way we create content to make sure we continue to do what’s best for the game. Lately we’ve been scrutinizing not only our plans for Season 5, but our core development philosophy. Ultimately, we believe that our core pillars for Guild Wars 2 have not changed:

• Encourage players to interact positively
• Support player autonomy
• Focus on horizontal progression instead of vertical
• Build upon previous designs
• Strive for the fun

The Living World of Guild Wars 2 is a great way for us to accomplish all of that. It’s the best way to provide our player community with regular content updates—great features, new horizons to explore, and an engaging story that brings our world and characters to life—without charging a subscription fee.

I think a lot of people missed the part I made bold. Living World is the way ArenaNet is continuing to go. That doesn't exclude a new expansion but ArenaNet thinks Living World is the best way to deliver new content. If you didn't like that in the past you won't like it now. If you liked the LW episodes in the last 2 years you will probably like what is coming.

Personally I am fine with another LW season. After that I have to see. I don't think GW2 needs an expansion but HoT and PoF did add a lot to the game.

[Tyncale.1629]

I have to say that LW episodes do not get my blood flowing. Another currency, some more weapons and yet another forgettable Meta/Zerg, with a tiny bit of ho-hum storyline thrown in. I finish them for the Mount masteries and map completion but I stopped bothering about the grindy stuff that is in them (skin collections).

I am hoping for a new feature that injects new zest into the game, like Gliding and Mounts did.

[Astralporing.1957]

@"Shouryu.4169" said:Any info on future expansion (no need a release date) ?If there was any expansion planned, you can bet it would be on that list. So, the lack of info about expac is in itself an info that no expac is planned. It's not delayed, it's not far off in the future, it's not in the plans at all. They just were afraid to say that clearly.

@Rose Solane.1027 said:I think a lot of people missed the part I made bold. Living World is the way ArenaNet is continuing to go. That doesn't exclude a new expansion but ArenaNet thinks Living World is the best way to deliver new content.If you don't remember, they tried that in the past. It didn't work. LS was simply unable to catch the players' attention the same way expacs do. No expacs also mean they gave up on trying to get new players, which is never a good thing. The moment the devs give up on expanding the game is the point at which the game starts to decay.

[Stalkingwolf.6035]

Make Aurora transmogable.

[hugo.4705]

Oki so I don't expect a lot for the future and my hopes grow thin.-No more expasions?-No more Xpecs?-Will never investigate on Asuras past and quora sum? Utopia bis?!-No update of Polymock or SAB?

So wait only for episode 6 of ls4, and will surely leave. The game was at his apogee only back in 2013-14 where all contents were updated. (Including festivals)

Will just die inside if the next story is again about a dragon whereas we know nothing from our races! Whereas in many cities you see where citizens are leaving, not the case of Rata Sum still no golem mine level with their home within the rocks. 6 y that those golems were mining same about the poor worker of polymock gate. Old contents should be updated too. Ex: recently texture and designs from inquest were revamped with ls4e2 and 3. Dredges now in ls4e5 which is cool.

[MetalGirl.2370]

You forgot to say when you are going to give us new hairstyles.Humans got loads with PoF....what about the rest of us ?Last time you added any, was a copy-paste between norn and human. So I don't even count that as "giving new hairs" cuz they were already on other race. It has been years, at least 3+

[AlexxxDelta.1806]

@"Rose Solane.1027" said:

Our Philosophy

I’ve been speaking with members of the team for a few months, examining the way we create content to make sure we continue to do what’s best for the game. Lately we’ve been scrutinizing not only our plans for Season 5, but our core development philosophy. Ultimately, we believe that our core pillars for

Guild Wars 2

have not changed:

• Encourage players to interact positively
• Support player autonomy
• Focus on horizontal progression instead of vertical
• Build upon previous designs
• Strive for the fun

The Living World of

Guild Wars 2

is a great way for us to accomplish all of that.

It’s the best way to provide our player community with regular content updates—great features, new horizons to explore, and an engaging story that brings our world and characters to life—without charging a subscription fee.

I think a lot of people missed the part I made bold. Living World is the way ArenaNet is continuing to go. That doesn't exclude a new expansion but ArenaNet thinks Living World is the best way to deliver new content. If you didn't like that in the past you won't like it now. If you liked the LW episodes in the last 2 years you will probably like what is coming.

Personally I am fine with another LW season. After that I have to see. I don't think GW2

needs

an expansion but HoT and PoF did add a lot to the game.

I am surprised too with how many missed what is a clear statement of their content delivery plan going forward.

To your point about LW though, a repeat of what they 've been doing the past 2 years just won't cut it anymore. Two hours of content every 4 months with some collection and currency grind padding is just not enough. It may have been adequate when paired with a big content release, that is an expansion every 2 years carrying most of the load. But with no xpac in sight, the full weight of this game falls on LW and the drip feeding model of S3 and 4 won't work.

Anet themselves indirectly admitted that, in the redbull interview back in September, with the comment about "expansion-like" LS5. Which indicates their decision to go forward without an expansion precedes the layoffs. It remains to be seen if they deliver.

[ExCentya.4305]

Great to hear! Really looking forward to build templates and overall polish.

I really hope the Vabbi meta event gets a rework. I'm stuck on a collection and have failed the event those few times people were commited doing it. Now I barely see anyone doing it and I hope you guys will make a few changes cough the break bars cough

Cheers and thanks for the post :)