Gab Hernandez 
NCSoft and ArenaNet are officially making Guild Wars 3, a sequel 12 years in the making, and there’s some information that can be gleaned when it comes to 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 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.
Here’s everything you need to know about Guild Wars 3 so far.
Is Guild Wars 3 in development?
NCSoft confirmed that Guild Wars 3 is in development in March 2024.
During an NCSoft shareholders’ meeting, acting chairman Park Byung-moo stated work has begun on Guild Wars 3. 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.
Does Guild Wars 3 have a release date?
Guild Wars 3 does not have a release date, but it’s likely not coming out at any point in the near future.
With the game said to be in an early stage of development, a release window likely won’t be announced anytime soon. In fact, it could take years. 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.
Some fans remain skeptical about the studio’s claim that Guild Wars 3 is still in its early review stages. Given Park’s direct acknowledgment of a sequel, cynical fans say the vague response is just a means to protect commercial sales for Guild War 2 expansions in the years prior to the next game’s release
What platforms will Guild Wars 3 come out on?
There are no announced platforms for Guild Wars 3, but a PC release is effectively guaranteed. It’s uncertain whether the game might also come out on consoles.
Owing to the game being early in development with no definitive release date, it’s impossible to say what platforms it might come out on. Given how the game could be several years from release, it’s impossible to say what platforms might even exist when it comes out. Even without direct confirmation, the studio’s history shows no motivation to pursue platforms outside of PC. Guild Wars 2 only made its way to Steam in 2022, a 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, perhaps Guild Wars 3 will buck the tradition.
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.
