ArenaNet just announced Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds, an epic new expansion that takes this MMO on a new adventure into your very own front room.
Book some time off to do a little DIY around 20 August 2024, because ArenaNet and NCSoft just revealed the latest instalment in the Guild Wars saga. The long running MMO might be 12 years old, but this tale of cataclysmic proportions still has stories to tell and some exciting new features for players. Moving on from Secrets of the Obscure and the realm of nightmares, this update brings things back to Janthir, where the Astral Ward and a council of nations from across Tyria will follow the Commander into a verdant and unexplored landscape. Players will journey into the home of the Lowland Kodan, learning about their culture, and discovering the secrets of a primordial magical threat wreaking havoc in the depths of the wild. Powerful magics unfurl across : two new explorable maps, the bucolic Lowland Shore and the tempestuous Janthir Syntri. A third will follow in future updates.
Players eager to catch wandering Titans and skirting the rocky shores of these maps will have some help. The Wrawclaw comes bounding out of World vs World maps as a feral beast. Learn to tame feral Warclaws and you’ll be able to develop the steed’s special abilities and add extra traversal opportunities to the existing stable of mounts.
Housing and More!
Once you’ve had enough of the great outdoors, Janthir Wilds unlocks the option to kick back and relax in your very own space. Called Homesteads, these player owned instances are touted as the most player friendly housing system in any MMORPG. That claim will take some work, with FFXIV housing systems already firmly established. We do know that they will include a brand new customization and decorating interface, but there’s scant little detail on how they will work, or interact with Guild halls.
This isn’t all! Underwater weapons finally get some use, with the dawn of Land Spears. Once confined to off shore adventures, now each profession can wield their spear in a unique fashion, testing the limits of this change in an upcoming beat event. Check the Official website for details on the play test before June 27.
As well as these new additions. Players can expect a new 10 player Raid, testing your capability to the limits with the deadliest boss battles Janthir has to offer. The last raid hasn’t dropped for years, so we can’t wait to see it play out. Of course, new challenges mean new rewards, with new legendary spear and backpack item will be earnable by players in future content releases, and with a host of new armor and weapon sets.
With recent remarks on the changes around the game and the expansion cycle, Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds couldn’t look much better. The community, the core of the game, has been waiting for a return to raids and a home of their own for far too long. Josh Davis, game Director, concluded that “From the beginning we wanted to bring together many of the items that have been on both our and the community’s wishlist for years,” and we’re hyped to open the door on this new chapter.
If you’re keen to pick up the expansion, then Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds is available for pre-purchase starting today for as little as $24.99, or local equivalent. This locks in the update, plus a Serpent’s Wrath weapon set, the Whispering Serpent Pauldrons shoulder armor, the Homesteader character title, a shared inventory slot, and a level 80 character boost. The Deluxe Edition ($49.99) comes with the standard edition bundle, plus another batch of exclusive items: the Wayfinder’s Versatile Table, a set of Eldritch Gathering Tools, an additional character slot, and an Identity Repair Kit. The Janthir Wilds Ultimate Edition ($74.99) includes the exclusive Standard and Deluxe Edition items, plus 4,000 Gems, Guild Wars 2’s premium in-game store currency.
