What to Expect from Guild Wars 3 and Its Vision for Advancing the MMORPG Genre

I can hardly believe it—ArenaNet is diving into Guild Wars 3! Unlike many live-service games and MMOs that seem to linger indefinitely as “platforms,” Guild Wars 2 is making way for a new installment, just like the original Guild Wars did. ArenaNet has also committed to continuing support for GW2 even after GW3 launches. I’ve gathered all the details we have about Guild Wars 3 ahead of its first beta tests scheduled for 2027.

I jumped into Guild Wars back in 2006 and was there for the launch of Guild Wars 2, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety about how it would affect my guild while I explored the Wayfarer Foothills as a norn. Although I’ve stepped away from GW2 for a few years, the groundbreaking innovations ArenaNet introduced to the MMO genre in 2012 have me genuinely eager to see how they’ll push boundaries again.

The first beta for Guild Wars 3 is set for fall 2027, but there’s no official release date yet. For context, the closed beta for Guild Wars 2 kicked off less than a year before its launch.

It’s tough to predict if we’ll see a similar timeline for Guild Wars 3. However, ArenaNet has mentioned a timeframe of “the next 18 months” for improvements to GW2 before GW3 arrives. This suggests we could be looking at December 2027, which is quite close to when the beta tests are expected to start. It certainly seems like ArenaNet is eager to keep the momentum going with Guild Wars 3.

For the first time in the series, Guild Wars 3 will be available on both PC and PlayStation 5. This indicates that ArenaNet is focusing on action-RPG combat that works well with both gamepad and keyboard & mouse setups. As someone who enjoys using a gamepad on PC, I’m intrigued.

The Guild Wars series has always followed a buy-to-play model, and ArenaNet has confirmed there won’t be a subscription fee this time around either. Additionally, there won’t be any battle passes, as the studio believes players are tired of those.

The reveal trailer for Guild Wars 3 emphasizes the “joy of movement” that ArenaNet has been highlighting. It showcases characters riding mounts and wall-running, along with the new fabric and embroidery visual themes that are part of the fresh logo. There’s a lot of flag imagery in play here.

Set 1,200 years before the original Guild Wars, Guild Wars 3 takes place in Orr, described as “a vast wilderness frontier imbued with the world’s magic.” Players will assume the role of a Vaelwarden, part of an adventurer’s guild dedicated to protecting nature entities known as Vael spirits, each accompanied by a larger spirit mount called a Seeker. Our guild will be embroiled in conflicts—possibly even wars—with others over the fate of the Vael spirits. Yes, we’re diving back into the guild wars.

ArenaNet describes Guild Wars 3 as an “action-adventure MMORPG,” with combat designed for both gamepad and keyboard & mouse. The studio has highlighted a “one-of-a-kind movement system that transfers your momentum between modes of travel,” including gliding, riding, jumping, and wall-running.

They also stated, “As players seamlessly transition between various movement modes, they can harness their speed and turn it into bigger damage and impact when fighting their foes.” Given the interesting movement mechanics already present in Guild Wars 2, it sounds like GW3 is set to elevate that experience by integrating mounts into combat.

Finally, the Guild Wars 3 website mentions that combat will involve “strategic skill use, positioning, and movement—where action RPG combat meets Guild Wars build-making.” This suggests a shift away from the typical hotbar mashing style that many MMOs have, which I find refreshing. I’m definitely interested in a system that emphasizes skill context over cooldown timers.

While ArenaNet hasn’t revealed specific details about playable races or classes, early concept art hints that we might be playing as ancient versions of:

After announcing GW3, ArenaNet released a video discussing the future of Guild Wars Reforged and GW2, confirming that both games have a future. Guild Wars 2 is set to receive quality-of-life updates leading up to GW3’s launch, with expansion development temporarily paused during that period. After GW3 launches, the team will return to delivering annual major content updates.

Here’s what’s on the horizon for Guild Wars 2: