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Guild Wars 3 Launches Buy-to-Play, GW2 Expansions Paused

6/9/2026

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Summary

Story summary

ArenaNet announced that Guild Wars 3 will launch without a mandatory subscription or paid battle pass.
The game will be a premium buy-to-play title, letting players play without ongoing fees.
ArenaNet will fund the sequel via paid expansions, cosmetic microtransactions, and optional convenience items, keeping gear progression horizontal.
Guild Wars 2’s Wizard’s Vault challenges will remain active.
GW2 expansions will pause until Guild Wars 3 launches, after which both will receive new content.

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Story summary

ArenaNet announced that Guild Wars 3 will launch without a mandatory subscription or paid battle pass.
The game will be a premium buy-to-play title, letting players play without ongoing fees.
ArenaNet will fund the sequel via paid expansions, cosmetic microtransactions, and optional convenience items, keeping gear progression horizontal.
Guild Wars 2’s Wizard’s Vault challenges will remain active.
GW2 expansions will pause until Guild Wars 3 launches, after which both will receive new content.