In early 2022, the MMORPG Guild Wars 2 will receive its new expansion “End of Dragons.” In this article, we at MeinMMO reveal what is known so far about the release, the setting, and generally the new content.
What’s in End of Dragons? The new expansion for Guild Wars 2 is set to be released in early 2022 and will bring several new features:
- It takes place in the region of Cantha, already known from Guild Wars 1. 4 new areas have already been confirmed.
- In the story, we will encounter the dragon Kuunavang, also known from Guild Wars Factions. Additionally, the Aetherblades from Guild Wars 2 will play a role, and the voice actor for Mai Trin has already been introduced.
- There will be new elite specializations for each class, giving each class a new trait line.
- New features include: a 2-player mount, fishing, and sailing.
- There will be new strike missions, which will also include new rewards and a challenge mode each.
- A new guild hall will be added.
- Jade Bots will arrive as new companions.
- Although the name suggests otherwise, the expansion will not represent the end of the story in Guild Wars 2.
Throughout the article, we will take a closer look at all the announced new features and also tell you more about the pre-order bonuses and the upcoming beta events.
A little sneak peek at the content of End of Dragons can be found in the trailer for the expansion:
Where does the information come from? The information comes from the short trailer, a blog post from Guild Wars 2, and various statements made by the developers in livestreams. Additionally, there was a comprehensive livestream that presented the first new features.
We at MeinMMO have also been able to play the new expansion.
Release Date of End of Dragons
End of Dragons is coming out on February 28. It starts at 18:00 German time.
In the coming weeks and months, all new features will be detailed in blog posts and videos. We at MeinMMO will keep the article continuously updated.
Yes, the pre-sale started on July 27:
– Standard Edition (€29.99) – gives pre-order bonuses in the form of a Flame Serpent weapon chest, a “Shing Jea” mosaic cloak, the special title “Shing Jea Wunderkind” for characters, a shared inventory slot, and a character upgrade to level 80.
– Deluxe Edition (€54.99) – additionally includes a skiff skin for the Shing Jea dragon boat, a Cantha raptor skin for raptor mounts, an additional character slot, and an identity repair kit.
– The Ultimate Edition (€79.99) – includes the exclusive items of the Standard and Deluxe Editions as well as 4,000 gems.
The Story of End of Dragons
What happens in the story? The story of Guild Wars 2 revolves around dealing with the 6 Elder Dragons. These dragons consume the magic of the world in a regular cycle, destroying the world of Tyria, leading to the extinction of races and cultures.
As indicated by the trailer, during the expansion, we will encounter the dragon lady Kuunavang. She has already helped players in Guild Wars 1 Factions to deal with the threat there. Although she is not directly related to the Elder Dragons, she may play a crucial role in the fight against them.
Currently, it is speculated that the Deep Sea Dragon resides in Cantha – the new continent of the expansion – or on the way there. This dragon is the only unknown Elder Dragon at the moment. It’s quite possible that we will somehow fight against him in the expansion.
Interestingly, in connection with the trailer, the second mysterious voice belongs to neither the player character nor the dragon Aurene. Who is behind it remains unknown for now. Additionally, the developers promised that some story questions from GW2 will be resolved. It is already known that we will meet the Aetherblades.
In Cantha, technology also plays an important role. The trailer repeatedly mentions “progress” and that other cultures “live in the past.” Somehow, this technology seems to be related to the dragons.
Maps and Gameplay Innovations in End of Dragons
What do we know about the new maps? We now know that there will be a total of 4 new areas:
The maps are expected to feel completely new and like a vacation island. They should be peaceful but also dangerous, depending on which part of the map you are in. A large lake and the gigantic trees are expected to play an important role. Verticality is present, as well as “general freedom” in movement, whatever that may mean in the end.
Kappas, Nagas, and other familiar creatures from Guild Wars 1 are expected to be found again in Cantha. In general, the maps are said to have evolved, but there will be significant points that veterans should recognize immediately.
An insight into the game world was provided by the first gameplay scenes shown during the presentation livestream:
2-Player Mount: Siege Turtle
What will the new mount be? With End of Dragons, the new Siege Turtle will come into play. This is a mount on which two players can ride. The mount will be unlocked through a new mastery and is meant to assist beginners in exploring the game world. Because even players with low levels can directly hop onto the mount.
The developers also revealed that both players can do something with the mount. While the owner controls it, the second player can fight from the mount.
We have introduced the mount in detail here: In Guild Wars 2, you can currently test the coolest mount ever seen in MMORPGs.
Fishing and Ships
What other new masteries are there? Besides the Siege Turtle, there will be 4 more masteries introduced with End of Dragons. We already know two of them; two more are still unknown.
The first highlight is fishing. There will be over 200 different species of fish that you can catch in the world of Tyria. Included are goldfish, carp, and catfish among other creatures. Fishing is not limited to Cantha, but can be performed in all waters.
The second novelty is sailing. You will get your first boat by completing a special heart on the new maps. This skiff can then be used anywhere in the world. Both you and your group (maximum 5 players) can board the ship.
While sailing, the owner can steer the boat, while the other players can perform various emotes or switch places. Additionally, the ships are excellent for fishing when stationary.
The skiffs, like mounts or gliding, will have a specific mastery that you can level up to unlock new functions, such as a speed boost, more hit points for your boat, or a boost for fishing.
Further insights into fishing and ships will be provided in the official Guild Chat on the subject:
New Strike Missions and Challenge Modes
For fans of instanced content, new strike missions have been announced. In these, 10 players will fight in a small instance, generally featuring a stronger boss. These bosses are said to be strongly interwoven with the story of End of Dragons in the new strike missions.
With the new strike missions, new rewards and challenge modes will also come. Each new strike mission will have such a challenge mode, where the bosses will not only have more health and damage but will also gain new abilities. These challenges are designed for experienced player groups.
The New Guild Hall
Along with End of Dragons comes a new guild hall located in the old Shing Jea Arena from Guild Wars 1. The conquest will occur as usual, but the scaling has been adjusted. You will mainly encounter larger enemies and fewer small mobs.
The focus of the new hall will be the many water surfaces and the very open style, allowing guilds to unleash their decorations.
The New Elite Specializations
Are there new elite specializations? Yes, with End of Dragons, every class will receive a new elite specialization. So far, the Mesmer, the Necromancer, and the Guardian have been introduced.
- The Mesmer will get a dagger and lose its clones, becoming the
