Guild Wars 2 initially wanted to inform players about the future of the MMORPG through a live event. However, since August 30th, the mood in the forums and on reddit has been poor. This also affects the developers.
Why is the mood poor? The announcement of the Living World Season 5 titled Icebrood Saga was supposed to be a nice event. More than 30,000 players watched the event live on Twitch.
However, the mood leading up to it was somewhat tense. There were concerns about:
- lack of support from ArenaNet for raids in general and the community tournament in particular
- as well as a prolonged content drought
Nonetheless, many fans of Guild Wars 2 entered the announcement with positive feelings.
After the end of the livestream, however, some of them were left disappointed. While the announced content was not necessarily bad, something significant was missing that would have justified this event.
Why did players expect more? In the lead-up to the event, the developers of Guild Wars 2 promoted the announcement with several blog posts, giveaways, and a 48-hour countdown on Twitch.
There were also statements from Game Director Mike Zadorojny announcing addon-like features for Living World Season 5.
However, a major innovation or announcement was missing from the event. Nearly everything mentioned at the event either already existed in previous seasons of the Living World or had already been announced in a roadmap in spring.
Community longs for openness
How are players reacting now? Fans of Guild Wars 2 express their disappointment on reddit and in the forums. Many do so constructively, discussing improvements to the game or explaining why the event was overly elaborate.
The biggest criticism from players is the communication from ArenaNet. Reddit user Kyouji writes:
But they do not speak openly with us about what they are working on and what the future holds. By remaining silent, they only reinforce the negative sentiment the community currently has. [..]
The stream on Friday was the first glimpse into the future of the game since the last patch in May. This is unacceptable for an MMO studio. Not talking about the future for months is a great way to turn the community against you.
The desire for communication was also the top thread in the Guild Wars 2 Reddit for several hours. Players do not expect a fully fleshed-out roadmap, but simply regular behind-the-scenes insights.
Is disappointment turning into anger? Alongside constructive criticism, there are also fans who are crossing the line. Currently, there are reddit threads open where NCSoft’s VP of Marketing, Mike Silbowitz, is personally insulted.
Players are also increasingly attacking developers and community staff on social media. Content Marketing Manager Rubi Bayer has also been a target.
Personal attacks hurt the people behind GW2
How are the developers reacting? On Twitter, Rubi Bayer published a thread addressing individual reactions to the announcement.
She points out that people who insult others because the game is not developing in the desired direction have crossed a line. This is no longer about passion for the game.
Hey friends, this industry can be a weird one to work in and this year has been an especially roller-coaster-y one for lots of companies. A couple of important things to remember: (1/5)
— Rubi (@Rubi_) August 31, 2019
Who else spoke out publicly? Former developer Matthew Medina, who is no longer part of ArenaNet since the layoff wave in February, also spoke out on Twitter.
He finds the community’s reactions incomprehensible. Despite almost a third of the studio having to leave, ArenaNet, in his view, put on a great event:
Honestly, the team can recover from this heavy blow and comes forward with such an announcement, so well prepared and presented, it’s a small miracle.
Yes, expectations were high and the hype train rolled, and maybe you were hoping for more. But man, the team deserves every applause and every support you can give them.
Expectations vs. Communication
What issues does GW2 face? Since the release of the MMORPG in August 2012, it has struggled with the high expectations of players. Many refer to Guild Wars 2 as a rough diamond that was never properly polished.
However, the following aspects are frequently highlighted:
- The combat system
- The dynamic events and world bosses
- The positive social component (No stealing loot, EXP, etc.)
- No item spiral
Since release, there have been continual changes in the release structure. Initially, innovations were released that did not remain in the game permanently.
Later, they reached an agreement on a Living World in its current style. However, the Living World was interrupted by the release of purchasable expansions.
During these transitions, various areas of the game were neglected or only received small updates, as is currently the case with PvP and WvW.
However, instead of openly discussing mistakes and issues and involving the community, ArenaNet often stays silent.
What went wrong with communication? In many MMORPGs, players complain about a lack of communication from developers. However, Guild Wars 2 has experienced many extremes over the years.
There have been phases when everything was communicated and even hyped by the developers. The meme of the smiling Game Director Colin Johanson circulated around the announcement of Heart of Thorns.
Conversely, there have also been periods where players heard nothing from the developers for months.
In the past, there have also been many promises that were never or only fulfilled years later. These included both content innovations and the regularity of updates that were not maintained.
Recently, several PR disasters have worsened the situation:
- For example, developer Jessica Price was fired after getting into a dispute with an ArenaNet partner on Twitter
- A partnership with Bubble Tea and a newly introduced weapon both sparked controversy.
What happens next? Game Director Mike Zadorojny, who took over in August 2017, will likely address the heated situation in the coming days.
He has previously tried to clarify and ease the situation with various contributions.
However, it is clear that both players and developers are unhappy with the current mood. Both parties simply want Guild Wars 2 to be enjoyable for everyone involved.
This is how the second quarter of 2019 went for Guild Wars 2:
