On April 28, 2005, ArenaNet introduced players to the world of Tyria in Guild Wars. Now, Guild Wars is getting a brand-new update nearly 20 years after its launch, alongside the 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Edition, to celebrate two decades of uninterrupted service.
The Best War Games spoke with Guild Wars game director Stephen Clarke-Willson about this update and what it means for the retro MMO. The game developer has been working on Guild Wars for nearly its entire lifespan, and he acts as the major force behind preserving and improving it. Clarke-Willson talked about some of the exciting features of this big update and shared why it was important to make it happen.
Upcoming Guild Wars 2 Expansion Has Been Delayed
ArenaNet confirms that the sixth expansion to its long-running MMORPG, Guild Wars 2, has been pushed back from its initial August release window.
Guild Wars 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Edition Update
The Definitive Way to Play Guild Wars 1
Over the years, ArenaNet has released over two dozen different editions of Guild Wars, and though most are no longer available, some can still be bought today. “We had the Game of the Year Edition from like a million years ago,” Clarke-Willson said, “but we wanted to come up with a new edition of the game for the anniversary.” Unlike previous versions, the Masterpiece Edition not only includes the base game but also Factions, Nightfall, Eye of the North, and the Guild Wars Bonus Mission Pack. In this way, the Guild Wars 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Edition aims to be the definitive way for fans to get into the old-school MMO.
When developing this new product, Guild Wars almost called the Masterpiece Edition the “Ultimate” Edition, but Clarke-Willson said that he didn’t want to close any doors for an even bigger version in the future. “Unless we’re wiped out totally, we’re going to do everything we can to support our games,” he explained. “Gaming is a service; it’s the buzzword, but to actually deliver and commit over 20 years now? That’s an achievement, and it’s something we want people to appreciate that we do for them because we love our players.” After much deliberation, Clarke-Willson and his fellow developers landed on the Masterpiece Edition name.
“So we looked through the thesaurus and came up with the Masterpiece Edition. I was like, ‘I don't know, is that too ostentatious?’ The feedback was, ‘If you’re still alive after 20 years in gaming, it’s not too ostentatious!’”
This version normally retails for $40, but it will be temporarily available for $8 at an 80% discount–the largest ever in Guild Wars history–for the anniversary sale. “We just want people to be able to have a good time,” Clarke-Willson said, “We want to give people the opportunity to jump in, and overall, we want to make it more accessible.” Guild Wars is far from new, but Clarke-Willson hopes the Masterpiece Edition will be the best way for fans to try out ArenaNet’s original MMO without breaking their bank. “If you ask me, is the game worth $40? Absolutely, people get hundreds of hours of play. But if you’re a player, what risks do you want to take when you buy a product? In this economy!?”
- Released
- April 28, 2005
- ESRB
- T // Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- ArenaNet
- Publisher(s)
- NCSoft, Level Up! Games
- Engine
- Havok
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
