Guild Wars 2 just got its biggest update in years. Visions of Eternity, the sixth expansion for ArenaNet’s long-running MMORPG, officially launched on October 28, 2025, bringing players to the mysterious island of Castora. This isn’t just another content drop. The expansion introduces nine new elite specializations, upgraded skimmer mount abilities, new legendary weapons, and promises a full year of quarterly content updates stretching into 2026.
Welcome to Castora
The expansion centers around Castora, an island so remote that Tyrians thought it was either inaccessible or completely mythical. Saturated with unstable ley energies and filled with dangerous wildlife twisted by magic, Castora serves as the backdrop for the expansion’s central conflict. The secretive Inquest faction has launched covert voyages to reach the island, and players take on the role of the Commander racing to discover what the Inquest is plotting before they can harness whatever power lies buried there.
At launch, players get access to two new open-world maps with two additional zones planned for future quarterly updates. The landscapes range from lush jungles to ancient ruins, all drenched in magical atmosphere. ArenaNet designed these zones specifically with the new elite specializations in mind, giving players fresh builds to experiment with in environments built to showcase them. The expansion also includes underwater combat sections, so players will want to make sure they have level 80 exotic water weapons ready.
The Nine Elite Specializations
Every profession in Guild Wars 2 is getting a new elite specialization with Visions of Eternity. That means whether you main Warrior, Guardian, Revenant, Engineer, Thief, Ranger, Mesmer, Necromancer, or Elementalist, you’ve got a fresh playstyle to master. The nine new specs are Paragon for Warrior, Luminary for Guardian, Conduit for Revenant, Amalgam for Engineer, Antiquary for Thief, Galeshot for Ranger, Troubadour for Mesmer, Ritualist for Necromancer, and Evoker for Elementalist.
What makes these elite specs different from previous expansions is that they don’t come packaged with new weapon types. Instead, they focus on altering profession mechanics and adding new skills that fundamentally change how you approach combat. Some specs like Luminary and Amalgam introduce entirely new resource management systems. Others like Galeshot take a more streamlined approach, enhancing existing mechanics without adding excessive complexity. Players who participated in the beta events have been sharing tier lists and rankings, with community sentiment varying wildly depending on whether you focus on open-world content or high-end group play.
Skimmer Mount Upgrades
The aquatic skimmer mount is getting major upgrades in Visions of Eternity. Players can now hover, dive, and soar faster across water and underwater environments. Given that Castora features significant underwater sections and the expansion includes new underwater legendary gear, the skimmer improvements make sense as a quality-of-life upgrade. Underwater combat has historically been a divisive feature in Guild Wars 2, but ArenaNet seems committed to making it more engaging rather than removing it entirely.
New Legendary Gear
Visions of Eternity introduces six new legendary items spread across three weapons, a ring, an accessory, and the long-requested legendary aquabreather. The star of the show is the Aetheric Anchor, a unique legendary weapon that unlocks both a spear form called Bellum and a staff form called Pax when you craft it. This two-for-one legendary has sparked debate in the community about whether it devalues existing legendary staves and spears, though most players seem excited about the concept.
The legendary aquabreather is called Selachimorpha, and yes, it gives you shark fins and summons a school of fish to accompany you underwater. The visuals are appropriately over-the-top in classic Guild Wars 2 fashion. Between the aquabreather and the upgraded skimmer, ArenaNet is clearly trying to make underwater content more appealing. Whether that’s enough to win over players who’ve historically avoided water combat remains to be seen.
Quality of Life Updates
Beyond the expansion content, the October 28 update includes several quality-of-life improvements that all players will appreciate. ArenaNet implemented a graphical update to shadows that makes environments feel more immersive. They added ten new hairstyle options, with two new styles for each of the five playable races, available through the character creator, Self-Style Hair Kits, and Total Makeover Kits.
The homestead system is getting expanded functionality. Players can now unlock a magical new island map for their homestead and use homestead layouts to save and share decoration placements. This addresses one of the biggest complaints about the homestead feature, which was that rearranging decorations was tedious. Now you can save multiple layouts and swap between them or share your creations with other players.
Wizard’s Vault Refresh
The Wizard’s Vault reward system is getting refreshed with new items and objectives. For players unfamiliar with the system, the Wizard’s Vault is Guild Wars 2’s progression framework that replaced the old login reward system. It offers daily and weekly objectives that grant currency you can spend on various rewards. The refresh means new cosmetics, materials, and items to chase alongside the expansion content.
What’s Coming Next
Visions of Eternity is structured like the previous two expansions, with content rolling out over four major releases through 2026. The launch content includes the two initial maps and the beginning of the story campaign. Future updates will add two more maps and continue the narrative as players uncover more of Castora’s secrets and confront the Inquest threat.
The first major post-launch update scheduled for early 2026 will focus on merging raids and Strike Missions into a single unified system. This includes a new raid encounter designed to test player skill at the highest level. At the same time, fashion templates will debut, introducing a new way to swap outfits between fights without disrupting your build. Given how fashion-focused the Guild Wars 2 community is, this feature might end up being more popular than the raid content.
Pricing and Availability
Visions of Eternity is available for 24.99 dollars on PC through Steam and the official Guild Wars 2 website. Players who prepurchased the expansion received exclusive bonuses including the Plumed Commodore’s Hat skin, the Eternal Alchemist title, and a Chromatic Resin Weapon Skin Choice Box. The expansion is subscription-free, following Guild Wars 2’s buy-to-play model. You purchase the expansion once and have access to all the content without monthly fees.
Guild Wars 2 itself remains free to play for the base game and the first two expansions, Heart of Thorns and Path of Fire. This makes it relatively easy for new players to try the game before committing to purchasing the newer expansions. However, most of the active player base and end-game content exists in the latest expansions, so you’ll eventually want to upgrade if you get hooked.
Community Reception
Early reactions from the Guild Wars 2 community have been cautiously optimistic. Veterans appreciate that ArenaNet is sticking with the yearly content cadence established by the previous two expansions. The nine elite specializations offer meaningful build diversity, though debates are already raging about which specs are overtuned and which need buffs. The shadow improvements and graphical updates have been well-received, with players noting that the game looks noticeably better in certain areas.
Some players remain skeptical about the underwater content and whether the skimmer upgrades will be enough to make those sections enjoyable. Others are concerned about the raid and Strike Mission merger announced for early 2026, worried it might dilute the unique identity of both content types. But overall, the sentiment is that Visions of Eternity represents solid value for 25 dollars, especially considering the year of content updates included.
FAQs
When did Guild Wars 2 Visions of Eternity release?
Visions of Eternity launched on October 28, 2025, at approximately 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The expansion is available now for PC players on Steam and through the official Guild Wars 2 website.
How much does Visions of Eternity cost?
The expansion costs 24.99 dollars. Guild Wars 2 follows a buy-to-play model with no subscription fees, so you purchase the expansion once and have permanent access to all content.
What are the nine new elite specializations?
The new elite specs are Paragon for Warrior, Luminary for Guardian, Conduit for Revenant, Amalgam for Engineer, Antiquary for Thief, Galeshot for Ranger, Troubadour for Mesmer, Ritualist for Necromancer, and Evoker for Elementalist.
How many maps are available at launch?
Two new open-world maps are available at launch, with two additional maps planned for release during quarterly content updates through 2026.
What new legendary items are included?
The expansion includes six new legendary items: three weapons including the Aetheric Anchor that unlocks both a spear called Bellum and a staff called Pax, plus a legendary ring, accessory, and the aquabreather called Selachimorpha.
Do I need previous expansions to play Visions of Eternity?
While you don’t technically need previous expansions to play Visions of Eternity, having access to earlier expansion content like mounts and masteries will significantly improve your experience. Guild Wars 2 is designed so that newer expansions build on systems introduced in previous ones.
Is there a lot of underwater content?
Yes, Castora features underwater sections, and the expansion includes underwater legendary gear and upgraded skimmer mount abilities specifically designed for aquatic gameplay. Players should have level 80 exotic water weapons ready.
Will there be more content after launch?
Yes, Visions of Eternity will receive four major content releases over the course of a year, continuing quarterly into 2026. This includes two additional maps, story chapters, and the raid and Strike Mission system merger planned for early 2026.
What is the Aetheric Anchor legendary weapon?
The Aetheric Anchor is a unique legendary weapon that unlocks both a spear form called Bellum and a staff form called Pax when you craft it. It’s essentially two legendary weapons in one, which has sparked discussion in the community about its value compared to existing legendaries.
Conclusion
Guild Wars 2 Visions of Eternity represents ArenaNet’s continued commitment to their 13-year-old MMORPG. The mysterious island of Castora, nine elite specializations, upgraded mounts, and new legendary gear provide plenty of reasons for veterans to return and new players to jump in. The expansion’s structure, spreading content releases across four major updates through 2026, ensures the player base will have fresh activities for the next year. Whether you’re interested in exploring magical jungles filled with unstable ley energy, mastering one of the new elite specs, or finally getting that legendary aquabreather you’ve been waiting for, Visions of Eternity delivers a solid expansion at a reasonable price point. The real test will come over the next few months as players dig deeper into the content and ArenaNet continues balancing the new elite specializations. For now though, it’s a good time to be a Guild Wars 2 player. Castora awaits, and the Inquest isn’t going to stop themselves.