Core Guild Wars 2 game is now a free download, 10-player raids coming with expansion
ArenaNet announced at PAX today the core Guild Wars 2 game is now free to download.
The developer said it didn't want to make things complicated by offering various payment versions; therefore, it decided to make the base game free.
“In making Guild Wars 2 free, we’re not switching business models to a traditional free-to-play game, and we’re not aggressively monetizing free players through microtransactions,” said ArenaNet president Mike O'Brien in the press release.
“We’re making the base game free because we’re confident that anyone who loves Guild Wars 2 will consider buying Heart of Thorns, continuing their experience into the expansion and beyond with Living World and our newly announced raids.”
"We believe that if people love Guild wars 2, they’re gonna buy the expansion pack," O'Brien told PC Gamer.
"The expansion pack is such a great value. There’s so much content, not only in the expansion pack but in all the free updates that will come past that."
Mind, the Heart of Thorns expansion will still cost you, but the base game is free. The new expansion will contain 10-player raids, so in order to get in on those, you will have to purchase the new content.
Raids won't contain an the typical trinity system so players won't be restricted. They can just "form up and play the raid." Like the core game, this means raid groups won't need to comprised of the typical tanks, melee, ranged and healer roles as the MMO has a free classing system based on professions.
All contain the core, action-based combat system allowing weapon and ability changes on the fly in combat, skill combos, dodge rolling, positioning for attacks, and the ability to heal for every class. All players in a group will need to "support, control and do damage" in order for the group to succeed.
More information on raids can be found through an update on the official website.
The developer announced yesterday the Heart of Thorns expansion would release on October 23.
Screenshots and a video which accompanied the raid announcement are posted below.
