ArenaNet dropped a bombshell announcement on November 18, 2025 that nobody saw coming: Guild Wars, the original 2005 MMORPG that launched the Tyria franchise, is getting a full remaster called Guild Wars Reforged. Launching December 3 for just $19.99, the updated version bundles all three original campaigns with controller support, Steam Deck verification, improved visuals, rebuilt audio, and quality-of-life improvements that remove 20 years of friction. The best part? If you own even one of the original campaigns, you get everything unlocked for free.
This isn’t just a nostalgic cash grab. ArenaNet partnered with 2weeks, a new studio formed in 2024 by former ArenaNet developers who helped build the original Guild Wars and spent over 14 years working on the franchise. These are people who understand what made Guild Wars special and are committed to preserving that vision while making it accessible to modern players. The announcement comes during the game’s 20th anniversary year, and the community response has been overwhelmingly positive.
What Guild Wars Reforged Actually Includes
Guild Wars Reforged bundles all three original campaigns: Prophecies, Factions, and Nightfall. These weren’t traditional expansions but full standalone campaigns that could be played independently or connected for a complete journey through Tyria. Buying them separately when Guild Wars was active could get expensive, especially for someone discovering the game years after launch. Now everything comes in one $19.99 package.
The visual upgrades include new ambient occlusion, HD bloom, and improved antialiasing rendering. The UI has been completely overhauled with HD skill icons, larger text options for readability, and quality-of-life improvements throughout. High DPI display support means the game looks crisp on modern monitors rather than the blurry mess old games often become on 4K screens.
Audio received a complete rebuild with environmental effects that don’t require special hardware support. The original Guild Wars had excellent music and sound design, but the technical implementation was dated. The new positional audio system makes the world more immersive, with sounds properly positioned in 3D space as you explore.
Controller and Steam Deck Support
One of the biggest additions is XInput controller support, including Xbox Wireless Controllers. The original Guild Wars was designed exclusively for keyboard and mouse in an era before controller support was standard for PC games. Adapting the complex 8-skill system and dual-class mechanics for controller without compromising the gameplay is a significant technical achievement.
Guild Wars Reforged will be Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve has tested and confirmed it runs well on the handheld. This opens the game to portable play for the first time in its 20-year history. The on-screen control guide helps players navigate the controller layout, which is essential for learning the adapted control scheme.
The new quest tracking and direction system addresses one of the original game’s biggest pain points. Guild Wars didn’t hold your hand, and finding quest objectives could be frustratingly vague. The updated tracker provides clear guidance without removing challenge, helping new players avoid getting lost while preserving the exploration that veterans loved.
Why Guild Wars Was Never Really an MMO
Here’s something that might surprise people who never played the original: Guild Wars wasn’t actually a traditional MMORPG despite being marketed as one. The game used instanced zones for almost all content, meaning you only saw other players in social hubs like towns and outposts. Once you ventured into the actual playable areas, you were in your own instance with your party and AI henchmen or heroes.
This design made Guild Wars feel more like a cooperative action RPG similar to Diablo than a persistent world MMO like World of Warcraft. You didn’t compete for monster spawns or quest objectives. You weren’t waiting for dungeon groups to fill. You could play through the entire game solo with AI companions or bring friends for cooperative play.
The 8-skill system remains one of the most unique mechanics in gaming history. Instead of having access to every ability your class provides, you built a deck of 8 skills before each mission from a pool of hundreds. Combined with the dual-class system where you could mix any two professions together, the build diversity was staggering. This was deck-building before deck-building games became mainstream.
No Subscription Fee Ever
Guild Wars launched in 2005 during the height of the subscription MMO era when World of Warcraft dominated and everyone assumed monthly fees were the only viable business model. ArenaNet took a different approach: buy the game once, play forever with no subscription. That promise still holds with Guild Wars Reforged.
The $19.99 price gets you all three campaigns with no monthly charges. If you already own any of the original campaigns, you get all three unlocked for free when Reforged launches. ArenaNet is honoring purchases made as far back as 2005, which is remarkably generous considering how many studios would use a remaster as an excuse to make everyone buy everything again.
This business model is part of why Guild Wars built such a loyal fanbase. Players didn’t feel pressured to log in daily to justify a subscription. You could take breaks and come back months later without guilt or financial penalty. That same philosophy continues with Reforged, making it accessible for players who want a complete experience without ongoing costs.
Who Is 2weeks and Why Should You Care?
2weeks is a new studio formed in 2024 by former ArenaNet developers who worked on the original Guild Wars. According to the announcement, these developers have a combined 14 years of experience with the franchise and were excited to return after a 15-year break. This isn’t outsourced to a random contractor who’s never touched the code before. These are people who built Tyria the first time around.
The collaboration between ArenaNet and 2weeks started in early 2025, meaning this remaster came together incredibly quickly. That rapid timeline suggests much of the original codebase was in good shape and the developers knew exactly what needed updating versus what should be preserved. The fact that former staff were passionate enough to form a new studio specifically to work on Guild Wars speaks volumes about their commitment.
ArenaNet emphasized that Guild Wars Reforged isn’t a one-time update. They plan to continue collaborating with 2weeks on further improvements beyond the December 3 launch. This suggests ongoing support rather than releasing the remaster and moving on, which should give players confidence in the game’s longevity.
Why Modern Players Should Care
If you’re a Baldur’s Gate 3 fan, Guild Wars might surprise you. The build crafting depth, party composition strategies, and tactical combat share DNA with modern CRPG design. The dual-class system letting you mix Elementalist with Mesmer or Warrior with Necromancer creates emergent gameplay that still feels fresh two decades later.
For TTRPG and tabletop gaming fans, the 8-skill deck system scratches that same itch as building a Magic: The Gathering deck or planning a D&D character. You’re constantly theorycrafting combinations, testing synergies, and refining your build. The game rewards creativity and experimentation over following meta guides.
Co-op enthusiasts will appreciate that Guild Wars is designed for small group play rather than massive raids. You can experience the entire game with 1-3 friends plus AI companions, making it perfect for tight-knit gaming groups who don’t want to coordinate 20-person schedules.
What About Guild Wars 2 Players?
Guild Wars 2 launched in 2012 and built a dedicated fanbase of its own, but many of those players never experienced the original game. The stories connect, with Guild Wars 2 set 250 years after the original. Characters, events, and lore from the first game influence the sequel, but you miss those references if you haven’t played through the campaigns.
The Hall of Monuments system rewards Guild Wars 1 accomplishments with cosmetic items in Guild Wars 2. Filling your Hall of Monuments has always been an appealing long-term goal for completionists, but the outdated UI and lack of quality-of-life features made it tedious. Guild Wars Reforged removes those barriers, making it easier than ever to unlock those cosmetics.
The Launch and Beyond
Guild Wars Reforged launches December 3, 2025 on PC via Steam and direct download from ArenaNet. The game will be available on Windows with Linux compatibility through Steam Deck verification. No Mac version has been announced, though Proton compatibility on Steam Deck suggests Linux users should be able to play.
ArenaNet is hosting a special livestream on November 19 at 11 AM Pacific on twitch.tv/guildwars2 with developer interviews and gameplay footage. This will likely be the first time players see the remaster in action beyond the announcement trailer, providing a clearer picture of how the visual and UI updates look during actual gameplay.
The commitment to ongoing improvements beyond launch suggests this isn’t just a preservation effort but an active renewal of the game. Whether that means new content eventually or just continued polish and feature additions remains to be seen, but the partnership with 2weeks appears designed for long-term support.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Guild Wars Reforged launch and how much does it cost?
Guild Wars Reforged launches on December 3, 2025 for $19.99. The bundle includes all three original campaigns: Prophecies, Factions, and Nightfall. If you already own even one of the original Guild Wars campaigns, you’ll get all three unlocked for free when the update goes live. There’s no subscription fee, maintaining the buy-once-play-forever model.
What’s included in Guild Wars Reforged?
Guild Wars Reforged includes improved visuals with ambient occlusion, HD bloom, and antialiasing; rebuilt audio with environmental effects; controller support for Xbox controllers; Steam Deck verification; new quest tracking system; HD UI with larger text options; high DPI display support; and an on-screen control guide. All original campaigns are bundled together.
Will my old Guild Wars character and progress carry over?
Yes, Guild Wars Reforged is an update to the existing game, not a separate release. Your characters, progress, Hall of Monuments achievements, and unlocks all carry forward. If you already own Guild Wars, this is a free upgrade that enhances the game you already have access to.
Who is developing Guild Wars Reforged?
Guild Wars Reforged is a co-development between ArenaNet and 2weeks, a studio formed in 2024 by former ArenaNet developers. These developers have over 14 years of combined experience working on the original Guild Wars and were excited to return to the franchise. Development began in early 2025.
Does Guild Wars Reforged have controller support?
Yes, Guild Wars Reforged adds full XInput controller support, including Xbox Wireless Controllers. The game includes an on-screen control guide to help players learn the adapted control scheme. This is the first time in the game’s 20-year history that controller play has been officially supported.
Is Guild Wars Reforged on Steam Deck?
Yes, Guild Wars Reforged is Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve has tested and confirmed it runs well on the handheld. This brings portable Guild Wars play for the first time. The controller support and UI improvements make it well-suited for handheld play.
Is Guild Wars Reforged an MMO?
Guild Wars uses instanced zones rather than persistent open worlds, making it more like a cooperative action RPG than a traditional MMO. You see other players in social hubs like towns, but actual gameplay areas are private instances for you and your party. You can play solo with AI companions or cooperatively with friends.
Will there be ongoing updates after Guild Wars Reforged launches?
Yes, ArenaNet stated that Guild Wars Reforged isn’t a one-time update. They plan to continue collaborating with 2weeks to make further improvements beyond December 3. This suggests ongoing support and development rather than releasing the remaster and moving on.
A Legend Actually Reforged
Guild Wars Reforged represents something rare in modern gaming: a genuine attempt to preserve and improve a classic without compromising what made it special. The developers aren’t rewriting combat, flattening systems, or modernizing the game into unrecognizability. They’re removing friction, updating visuals and audio to contemporary standards, and making it accessible on modern hardware and input devices.
For a 20-year-old game to receive this level of attention is remarkable. Most studios would either let the game die quietly or use the anniversary as an excuse to charge full price for a lazy port. Instead, ArenaNet is giving it away free to existing players while pricing it accessibly for newcomers. The partnership with passionate former developers who understand the game’s DNA ensures this is a labor of love rather than a corporate obligation.
Whether you’re a Guild Wars veteran who wants to revisit Tyria, a Guild Wars 2 player curious about where it all started, or someone interested in unique RPG mechanics from gaming’s past, December 3 is worth circling on your calendar. The comeback nobody expected might just be the preservation project gaming needs.