The predecessor of Guild Wars 2 is receiving a large-scale overhaul with Guild Wars Reforged. The focus is on modernization and accessibility, so that new players can also enjoy the backstory.
What exactly is Guild Wars Reforged? Guild Wars Reforged is a modernized version of Guild Wars, which was released around 20 years ago in 2005. For the 20th anniversary, the backstory of the popular Guild Wars 2 receives an upgrade, allowing new players to have a better entry point and enjoy the journey through the old Tyria.
This new version will be released on December 3, 2025, offering significant improvements over the previous version. A major focus has been placed on more modern graphics, an improved UI experience, and increased accessibility for new players.
Players who own Guild Wars and at least one of the expansions will receive the upgrade for free. For newcomers, the bundle with the base game and all addons costs around €19.99. There will also continue to be no subscription model, so you can buy the game and play it unlimited.
The upgrade is just the beginning, and in the future, the game will receive further updates and improvements.
Guild Wars also for on the go and with controller
What is included in the upgrade? To excite nostalgic players and especially new players for the predecessor of Guild Wars 2, the MMORPG classic receives the following improvements:
- Graphical and acoustic enhancements, making the previously somewhat outdated MMORPG shine in a new outfit
- Especially the user interface and navigation receive an update tailored to newcomers
- A new quest tracking system and an on-screen control guide will also support newcomers and ease the entry
- The game will also be playable on the Steam Deck
- You can also play Guild Wars with a controller
Especially the latter points are likely to please some fans, as controller support for Guild Wars 2 has long been requested by the community (see Reddit). On Reddit, players are also looking forward to playing the old Tyria in a new outfit relaxed with a controller or Steam Deck on the couch.
The upgrade could attract many new and old players to the predecessor of Guild Wars 2. Meanwhile, GW2 recently received its sixth expansion and caused a significant increase in players in the MMORPG. However, some also suspect another cause behind it: New expansion for Guild Wars 2 attracts more players on Steam than ever, community encourages New World players to join them
