ArenaNet has shared their latest studio update providing upcoming release dates, as well as insights into what we can expect over the next quarter in Guild Wars 2. Check out some highlights we've pulled together below, or visit the Guild Wars 2 blog to read the entire post.
- 7th of November brings us Through the Veil, three new story chapters continuing our adventures with wizards and demons.
- 28th of November brings the awaited PvE balance patch. Get a glimpse of what's upcoming and what we expect to impact the balance in our out article discussing the preview.
- 12th of December marks the start of the game's annual Wintersday event.
New Story Chapters & Map
Whether or not you've loved Secrets of the Obscure so far, most can agree that it's set a new direction for the story and gameplay in Guild Wars 2. This next iteration continues our heroes adventures in Eparch's home realm, Nayos. ArenaNet didn't give much away only sharing a video recap of the story to-date in their announcement post, so we'll have to wait to see more of the new map on November 7.
Based on previous story chapters, we can assume players will be reuniting with Peitha, Zojja, and the Astral Ward to explore Nayos and begin putting an end to Eparch's torments.
Celestial Observatory Challenge Mode
While Celestial Observatory's normal mode mightn't have been found challenging by most experienced and veteran players, the finishing touches are being put on the Challenge Mode (CM) for this Strike, releasing November 7 with the new story content. We're hoping to see an increase in complexity and pressure from the CM, making players need greater coordination and to make an effort to use the available space to avoid damage within the arena.
Our team are waiting in the wings to work on a new guide for the CM once it releases, and we'll hopefully have more news on this soon.
Convergences
An interesting new addition, Convergences are intended to provide squad ready content for players looking for an added level of challenge to the existing Rifts feature. An instance without waypoints, you'll need to work with your squad to keep everyone alive and complete the challenges.