Guild Wars 3 will launch with no monthly subscription or battle pass fees, while aiming to land “near the middle of the MMO spectrum” in terms of scale, developer ArenaNet has confirmed in a new blog post touching upon its philosophy when developing the threequel.
ArenaNet’s approach to developing new games starts with observing the current MMORPG landscape with its positives and negatives before identifying “player problems, frustrations, and limitations,” and looking for potential solutions.
Guild Wars 3 Launches With No Monthly Subscription Fee
Monthly subscription fees are a barrier of entry that keeps some players from engaging with MMORPGs long-term, and Guild Wars 3 will continue the series tradition of being a buy-to-play game.
“Guild Wars 3 will be a buy-to-play game at release. There will be no subscription fee,” Studio Head Colin Johanson wrote in a post on the MMORPG’s website.
“That model matters because it puts players in control. Our goal is for players to feel like their time in the game is something they choose, not something they owe. Want to take a break and go play other games? Great, go for it!”
He goes on to note that modern live service games have “reshaped” the traditional subscription model through the inclusion of paid battle passes and seasonal reward tracks that introduce an element of FOMO (fear of missing out). Guild Wars 3 will also avoid them, Johanson explains, as it strives to offer as much player freedom as possible.
“When we say Guild Wars 3 won’t have a subscription fee, we mean it. No monthly fees and no battle pass subscription fees. Just buy the game and play when you want. If we earn your trust and you feel we’re delivering experiences you love, we’ll have expansions and other things you can buy from us if you think they’re worth your investment. “
In the same post, Johanson adds that pay-to-win elements will also not be present in the series’ third entry. While getting unfair advantages over other players by using our wallets is ruled out, convenience items, account services, and cosmetics will likely be purchasable through an in-game store, following Guild Wars 2’s model.
Guild Wars 3 also aims to make players “feel good about the time you invest, whether you’re playing every day, only have an hour or two every week, or are coming back after a long break from the game.”
Lastly, in its effort to innovate the MMORPG genre and deliver a fresh experience, Guild Wars 3 “lands near the middle of the MMO spectrum,” providing more massively multiplayer action than the original, only without “replicating the large-scale gameplay pillars that so uniquely define Guild Wars 2.”
The goal is to have three distinct live service games covering different eras of Tyrian history.
Guild Wars 3 is launching with no monthly subscription and battle pass fees is undoubtedly good news for both long-term fans of the series and newcomers.
This approach allows it to stick to an important element that set the original apart from its peers while tapping into several aspects that made Guild Wars 2 stand the test of time.
Guild Wars 3 is in development for PC and PS5. There’s no word yet about a potential Xbox release. You can find out about an upcoming beta test here.
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