The PvP in Guild Wars 2 has received few updates in recent years. However, some new features have been announced that could soon make their way into the game. They primarily appeal to fans of new modes and casual players.
Update February 18: In a new blog post, the big PvP update for Tuesday, February 25, 2020, was announced. It is set to bring the Swiss-style tournaments, the mini-seasons, a new armor set, and the announced balance patch.
Additionally, there is a skin for the mount Warclaw available that can be earned through a reward path. From February 25 to March 3, there will also be a bonus week with buffs in PvP and WvW.
News January 5, 2020: Developer Ben Phongluangtham has provided an overview of upcoming changes for PvP in the forum. This includes:
- The upcoming balance patch
- The Swiss tournament mode
- Mini-seasons
- A new armor set
- A new 15v15 map
The new map is particularly interesting, as there has only been a maximum of 10v10 in PvP so far. Additionally, the new map will focus on team deathmatch rather than capture points. This could make arena PvP appealing to a new audience.
When will the changes be implemented in the game? Some of these changes will take a bit more time. There are no rewards yet for the mini-seasons, and UI changes are required for the 15v15 map. A release of these features seems still far off.
The roadmap for the first quarter of 2020 already includes the balance changes and the Swiss system. These will therefore soon find their way into the game.
Balance Patch, whose extent is hard to assess
The balance in Guild Wars 2 is a delicate topic, as there are always builds that dominate a game mode for a while. Although there have been a total of 13 balance updates over the past two years, the upcoming patch is said to bring larger and more profound changes.
What’s in the new balance patch? The exact adjustments from the patch are not known. Developer Ben Phongluangtham, however, speaks of a significant update, the extent of which is hard to predict:
The update will … be large. So large that I don’t believe that all the implications can be predicted. But the plan is to make further adjustments as quickly as possible once the big patch is released.
The balance patch is also exciting because it was developed by the PvP team itself for the first time. Previously, there was a separate balance team that took care of all areas, PvE, PvP, and WvW. This one now only focuses on PvE.
New Tournaments for Variety
What is changing with the tournaments? Already with the patch on December 3, the rhythm of the automated tournaments was changed. Now a tournament takes place every 3 hours. Participation can now be planned better than with the previous erratic rhythm.
With the Swiss system, equality of opportunity should also be improved. It works as follows:
- The first round is drawn
- Then place 1 meets place 2, the third place meets the fourth, etc.
- In the next round, the first again faces the highest-placed opponent he has not yet met, etc.
The Swiss system thereby creates a clear ranking. Previously, half of the teams would be eliminated directly after each round in a tournament. This meant there were no clear placements and no second chances.
What is changing with the seasons? Those who play regularly in seasons alone or with one other person rise in a ranking system. A season runs for 8 weeks and then there is a break of 2-4 weeks before the next season starts.
This break is to be filled in the future with fun-seasons and alternative game modes. Thus, 2v2 or 3v3 tournaments are to take place during this time. Tournaments on the upcoming 15v15 map are also a possibility.
Currently, developers are working on a separate rating for these tournaments. Moreover, rewards for them are still lacking.
The Future of PvP is Challenging
Can the changes revitalize PvP? I was an active PvP player for many years and even a shoutcaster for Guild Wars 2. I have experienced many highs and lows and am excited about the announcements. However, the current problems of PvP are significant.
The biggest problem lies in the player count, which is currently very low. This causes very one-sided games in seasons and tournaments, and players often face the same opponents. Experienced PvP players are therefore bored and have left the game, as they have already achieved all rewards.
Fun seasons and new game modes could bring some of them back. But at the same time, the rewards also need to be attractive, and the balance must be right.
The forum post gives the impression that the developers have recognized this problem and are holding back some features until they can be released in good condition.
For casual players and general PvP fans, 2020 could therefore be an interesting year. Nevertheless, PvP in Guild Wars 2 is unlikely to ever regain the size it had during the time of the Pro League and many hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.
