Why are you still playing Guild Wars 2?

[Hevoskuuri.3891]

Even after thousands of hours I still have a ton of long-term goals to work towards to, and ton of stuff that keeps distracting me from those goals.

Every time new content drops I'll play that until it gets boring, and sometimes I might get obsessed with WvW for a few weeks until something on the PvE side gets my attention again. I might play only fractals or raids for a time, and then jump into the open world to hunt for an achievement or two. Or craft new gear for a new build and have fun with that. Or obsessively play roller beetle races for a while to beat all my guildies' best times. Or suddenly remember HoT maps exist and spend a week there doing the metas and completing the old collections. Or a festival pops up and I'll farm that for as long as it lasts. It just feels like the game has an infinite amount of interesting content for me to tackle.

I haven't let the overall negative forum/reddit atmosphere affect my enjoyment of the game, and I honestly don't believe it's dying or going into maintenance mode anytime soon. I'm hopeful there will be a third expansion in the next couple years, and the steady returns quarter after quarter seem to suggest this game still has a very solid playerbase, which is impressive for a 7+ year old free-to-play MMO. Of course it's slowly declining, like with any other older game, but it's not anywhere near as bad as the online communities seem to suggest.

I'm not saying Anet is the perfect developer or that Guild Wars 2 is a perfect game. Actually far from it; this game has had and still has tons of untapped potential that will most likely never put to use, and if certain things would've been handled differently in the past, I honestly think GW2 would be a serious rival for WoW today. But it's still good enough for me as it is, and I'll keep enjoying it for as long as it lasts.

[Sinfullysweet.4517]

Simple. For the friendships and laughter.

[FrigginPaco.4178]

I want to see where it goes. I'm along for the ride since GW1, and even though somethings make me scratch my head, I still love this IP to pieces.

[FrigginPaco.4178]

@Astralporing.1957 said:At this point? Just plain inertia.

Oof buddy.

[Dante.1508]

I'm heading for another break the games stale for me.. Only been back 3-4 months and i'm out again, last "break" was four years i wonder how long this one will be.. I wonder if Gw2 will still exist in 4 more years.

[Vision.7265]

Beetle Gymkhana and my buddies who share this interest. Look up Ken Block on YouTube for some fun gymkhana examples.

[DebraKadabra.5278]

@Vayne.8563 said:I enjoy the game. That's the reason. Probably the only reason I play any game.

I have a great guild that I love, I love the graphics and combat. I like the world and story. What's not to play?

EXACTLY this. I've been playing since mid October of 2013 (with only one 4+ month break due to being relentlessly stalked) and my only regret about the game is that I didn't start at launch.

[Vision.7265]

@DebraKadabra.5278 said:

@Vayne.8563 said:I enjoy the game. That's the reason. Probably the only reason I play any game.

I have a great guild that I love, I love the graphics and combat. I like the world and story. What's not to play?

EXACTLY this. I've been playing since mid October of 2013 (with only one 4+ month break due to being relentlessly stalked) and my only regret about the game is that I didn't start at launch.

I wish I started at launch too. lol

[Super Hayes.6890]

Because it became a new and different game as each of my kid's became old enough to play. My previous games were not child friendly so GW2 quickly became my only game.

[aspirine.6852]

There is no other MMO just like it. And from the looks of it there might be soon, but so far most MMO's just dissapoint :/

[Poormany.4507]

1 - It's not a subscription based game, so I can log in and out freely whenever I want and not feel like I am wasting money (not) doing so.2 - It's not pay to win, as most other MMOs are (gemstore is all cosmetic or shortcut type items, rather than OP gear/skills), although I am slightly worried about the direction Anet's going in this regard after the build template release.3 - I've been playing as a casual since after EOTN got released and still have plenty of fun stuff to do in both GW1 and GW2.

[Vayne.8563]

@XYLO.7031 said:

@DebraKadabra.5278 said:

@Vayne.8563 said:I enjoy the game. That's the reason. Probably the only reason I play any game.

I have a great guild that I love, I love the graphics and combat. I like the world and story. What's not to play?

EXACTLY this. I've been playing since mid October of 2013 (with only one 4+ month break due to being relentlessly stalked) and my only regret about the game is that I didn't start at launch.

I wish I started at launch too. lol

I started pre launch really. My guild is a pre launch guild. We had 50 people in my guild six months before the game launched. And we played Guild Wars 1 before that.

[Gryphon.2875]

Tyria. Been in love with this world and it's more since the first days of GW1

[Opopanax.1803]

I love the game. Playing different builds is really fun. I love that we have new stories and new maps to play all the time. I especially like that Anet is starting to do more balancing on skills and traits. TY Anet!

[TheAgedGnome.7520]

Started around launch. Still playing because GW2 is the worst game out there except for all the others. :)

[voltaicbore.8012]

This game is the most generous one I've played. With the sole exception of the recent build template rollout, I really appreciate how the game does not nickel and dime us at every turn.

Not only does the game generally respect our wallets, but also our time - so much of what you do at 80 and beyond sticks with your entire account, forever. I think that's why I (and I suspect many others) find it so easy to come back: the game respects our investments into it.

[vyncius.6105]

i play, cause i hate myself

[knite.1542]

Despite the fact that ANet constantly disappointing me, the combat in this game is still far better than any MMO I have played.

[SoulGuardian.6203]

I have a playstation, psp, snes, DS, etc etc... hundreds of games... and I only want to play GW2... and occasionally GW1.I'm addicted to this game.

What can I say?

[Solanum.6983]

Not a veteran but I'd just like to say I've been playing for a couple of months now and this is the single best game I've ever played.I usually don't stick with mmos for long, I planned on getting to 80 and leaving the game but here I am with all the Expansions still loving it. I love solo play and exploration so this game is perfect for me, But when I do need help there's never a shortage of people in the community that want to help, It's really an amazing game with some equally amazing players. At least in my experience.

[Udolpho.1209]

No subscription, I can play when I want -- no demands, no guilt

I look around for other games or mmos... end up not seeing anything that looks better

Really attached and invested in my characters

Helpful community & I like how the game was designed to encourage people to work together

I like the different races and customization. If it was just humans, I'd have drifted away

Feels sandboxy... so many options of what to do. I make little quests for myself, basically just muck about

I spent so much money in gemstore... I can't... just leave? (sort of a joke... sort of.)

[witcher.3197]

I'm not playing much these days, but I keep coming back for PvP.

GW2 combat is a decade ahead of the curve still. It's just so fun, especially in PvP. Everything else about the basics is.. in a bad place though. Sometimes I get the urge to play a game, get a team with shitty builds and teammates who start flaming each other and go afk after a wipe while the enemy is stacked with builds that suck the fun out of the game. Usually it gets so bad I log off for a week after having played a game. If they afk and flame each other I leave mid game. That's GW2 for me atm.

[kratan.4619]

I keep playing for the combat, but mostly because I never need to group with any other person in the game. I have the option to group with people, but to play this game it is never needed to play new content.

[ZDragon.3046]

1 The game is free to play and cost me nothing to play (no sub required but i do onw the x packs)2 Balance issues aside i love how the combat plays compared to other (still ongoing modern mmos)3 No other game has a necromancer profession that draws me like this game does.4 I sitll have plenty of end game content i have not experienced like (some raids) and a at least 1 more legendary i aim to own soon ish.5 Aside from optimization issues the games visuals are pretty great for running on such old tech6 Anet does some of the best sound effects and soundtracks ive heard in any MMO7 I can be a Charr in this game instead of standard human model character.8 Have i mentioned the combat system is just awesome its quick and reactive and makes the action feel more intense.

Not many other games do combat close to this with the exceptions of maybe

Blade & Soul and they spend 80% of their resources on combat refinement which is why the rest of that game is so unpolished which is just a darn shame.Black Desert with its beat em up action combat and that game requires you to spend money to play it with comfort and the rng factors turn me away from it.

[Fallesafe.5932]

@takatsu.9416 said:After so many years, and having taken many breaks, I still find myself returning to the game, especially when the going gets tough in life, there's always a fun and safe place to be here.

With the holiday season here and in the spirit of gratitude and gifting, for veteran players, I'd love to hear your stories and of why you still play now after so many years, and newer players, what new memories have you discovered and made?

I'm not. This is the stalest MMO I've ever played. I think it's been about a year and a half since I last logged on. Don't miss it even a little.