ArenaNet held a special demo showcase for the most anticipated MMO in recent years, Guild Wars 3. During the session, developers presented a gameplay video from the demo recently shown at GamesCom. It showcased open-world gameplay and combat innovations. Afterward, Game Director Colin Johanson held a live Q&A, sharing more details about the current state of development and features that will carry over to the final game.
Events of the new entry of the franchise take place a decade before Guild Wars 2. And this period wasn’t chosen randomly. According to developers, this timeline lets longtime players learn more about the world while still serving as a great entry point for new players. Knowledge of previous lore won’t detract from enjoyment, as everyone will be equally new in this story.
Demo footage mostly focused on the new systems which distinguish Guild Wars 3 from its predecessors, giving a clear sense of the direction the team is taking. The main change comes in world exploration, bringing more action to traditional MMORPG gameplay. Developers followed the idea of seamless motion and momentum, allowing players to move smoothly across any terrain.
Unlike in GW2, players in the new game can run over walls, switch to glider mode, and fly over obstacles without stopping for a second. This new system entwines deeply into combat, opening doors for new tactics and clever moves against different challenges. However, this won’t be endless fun and joy. The stamina counter will limit the time for a character to use these special abilities, bringing them back to earth. Moreover, not only can players enjoy the free movement. The developers hinted that some monsters will use the terrain to their advantage, traversing the world in unique ways.
The interactions aren’t limited to the environment either. Players can use this system another way, using unique class perks for different combinations. During the showcase, the developers demonstrated special tactics against different threats. One such case was battles that required an attack from above to exploit an enemy’s weakness. In any other game, players would need to find a high spot to jump from, but GW3 lets them use teamwork instead. The warrior class can help the others by turning their shield into a trampoline, providing a prop for a jump.
According to developers, the new teamup combat system won’t have many limitations, aside from the skill cooldown. Different classes will have special combinations that provide specific tactics, like the warrior trampling shield showcased in gameplay. However, for now the developers prefer to keep the abilities of the other classes a secret, keeping the intrigue for the future.
With all this teamwork-based combat, gathering friends in one spot becomes a main concern for players. GW2 has a system to join friends in a specific layer of the “world reality”, and GW3 follows this logic, yet brings it to a new level. The unique server architecture allows infinite copies of the map to exist at the same time. Players are sorted among them by many conditions such as friends list, guild ties, and much more. In GW3, everyone will be able to play together whenever they want, but for now the developers aren’t ready to share more information about separate console servers or a crossplay experience.
In conclusion, Colin Johanson shared the idea behind the game development and what problems the team tried to solve with GW3. Aside from the more dynamic combat and genre mixing, the developers have tried to create a more satisfying and dynamic experience in general. They do their best to remove the “second job” feel from the MMO, dispelling the genre’s time-wasting curse.
GW3 narrows the routine and opens the door to more fun, where players can enjoy the game without time-consuming elements. The game promises to be more approachable for everyone, without losing depth, allowing everyone to have a healthy relationship with it. Developers promise that no player will feel left behind, no matter how often they play or how much time they spend online. Whenever they log in, they won’t lose anything, and their characters won’t appear useless even if they play only after each major update.
While so far the game is still in development, and the demo showcase demonstrates a raw alpha version, GW3 leaves a nice impression at this stage. Demonstrated systems look promising and intriguing, enticing to finally test them firsthand one day. With the developer team’s spirit and resolve, Guild Wars 3 has everything it needs to become the grand entry of the franchise and earn the love of veteran players and gain new fans.
