This article was updated with new information as of June 6, 2026.
NCSoft and ArenaNet are officially making Guild Wars 3, a sequel 12 years in the making, and a fresh announcement at Summer Game Fest on June 5, 2026 has delivered more context on its release date and platforms.
The Guild Wars franchise remains one of the most successful MMORPG series ever, and is one of the few of its kind left at this point. In the wake of “WoW killers” trying and failing to dethrone Blizzard, Guild Wars ignored the discourse entirely. Instead, the developers focused on what made Guild Wars stand out from its competitors, specifically the franchise’s focus on releasing expansions and in-game items for revenue over a subscription model.
12 years into its life, Guild Wars 2 still boasts a solid player base, ready and willing to support the game. Although NCSoft released Guild Wars 2 in 2012, the game still receives regular updates and expansions, with the latest release in 2023.
When NCSoft casually revealed that Guild Wars 3 is being discussed, fans didn’t know what to think. While a new game from a beloved studio excited players, fans of the franchise worried about what this meant for Guild Wars 2, an MMORPG they’ve spent over a decade in.
Things got that much more real when developers brought more information to the table at Summer Game Fest. Here’s everything you need to know about Guild Wars 3 so far.
Is Guild Wars 3 in development?
ArenaNet has made clear that it is now developing Guild Wars 3, more than two years after NCSoft first confirmed that Guild Wars 3 was in development in March 2024.
During an NCSoft shareholders’ meeting, acting chairman Park Byung-moo stated work has begun on a third title in the series. ArenaNet, the development studio behind the Guild Wars franchise, released a statement of its own on the matter.
“As an active game studio we are always doing internal exploratory work for possible future titles we’d want to create, however, we have nothing to confirm right now. The team’s focus is on Guild Wars 2 development, including the game’s next expansion, which we’re excited to talk about soon,” stated a representative from ArenaNet.
NCSoft and its subsidiaries have gone through some internal strife over the past few years. In January 2024, NCSoft laid off 70 of its employees. Guild Wars remains the most successful property under its umbrella, and it’s likely the one keeping the lights on, so to speak.
ArenaNet made its intent more clear at Summer Game Fest, directly saying that the company is “developing Guild Wars 3.”
Does Guild Wars 3 have a release date?
Guild Wars 3 does not have a final release date, but the game’s beta period is now targeting fall 2027.
With the game said to be in an early stage of development, a final release window likely won’t be announced anytime soon. In fact, it could take years yet. The statement from ArenaNet emphasized the studio’s focus on Guild Wars 2’s development. If true, this would likely slow any plans for a new game.
Fan skepticism was bountiful that a new game in the series was even in its early review stages. ArenaNet’s confirmation at Summer Game Fest put that skepticism to bed.
What platforms will Guild Wars 3 come out on?
Guilds Wars 3 has been confirmed as multi-platform, with the PC and PlayStation 5 platforms specifically being cited.
Given how the game could be several years from release, it’s impossible to say if other platforms might also be included.
The game has also been confirmed for Steam. Guild Wars 2 only made its way to Steam in 2022, a full decade after its original release.
In 2010, a “very small team” reportedly explored a potential console version of Guild Wars 2. As ArenaNet’s silence since showcased, the research likely didn’t yield satisfying results. Still, with big-name MMORPGs like New World jumping to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, Guild Wars 3 will buck the tradition and come to PS5.
Will Guild Wars 3 be free-to-play?
NCSoft has not confirmed if Guild Wars 3 will be free-to-play.
The Guild Wars franchise takes an interesting approach to its revenue models. The first Guild Wars was a paid game with paid expansions, but no subscription model. Guild of Wars 2 is free-to-play with paid expansions, also with no monthly subscriptions.
With some of the most popular multiplayer titles today being F2P live-service games, Guild Wars 3 will likely be free-to-play if NCSoft looks to capitalize on its longevity. Without hard confirmation, however, it remains speculation.
Will Guild Wars 2 be shut down?
ArenaNet is promising that both Guild Wars 2 and Guild Wars Reforged will continue to be supported, despite the confirmed focus on developing Guild Wars 3. ArenaNet went so far as to say that the company “is not done making Guild Wars 2.”
Of course, that may change once the new game actually releases and requires live support. But the game’s projected beta is still some ways out, much less a full release, so GW2 players should have plenty of time left with the game before there’s a real risk of its support being ended.
