Twenty years after its debut, the venerable MMORPG Guild Wars is receiving a major revitalization with the release of Guild Wars Reforged. Launched on December 3, 2025, this comprehensive update and re-packaging is a love letter to veterans and a perfectly streamlined entry point for new adventurers into the world of Tyria.
Developed by ArenaNet in partnership with 2weeks—a new studio formed by former original Guild Wars developers—Reforged is a project focused on modernizing the player experience while preserving the classic, skill-based gameplay that defined the franchise.
The most immediate improvements are technical and visual. Guild Wars Reforged brings the 2005 classic into the modern gaming era with a suite of much-needed enhancements:
- Modern Visuals: Experience Tyria with dynamic sky bloom, new ambient occlusion, lighting updates, and refined textures that better utilize modern GPUs.
- Quality-of-Life UI: The user interface has been redesigned with larger text options and native support for high DPI displays. Key additions include a new, user-friendly quest tracking and direction system and an on-screen control guide.
- Immersive Audio: A rebuilt audio system now includes positional audio support, making the world more sonically immersive.
- Controller and Handheld Support: For the first time, the game officially supports modern controllers (XInput) and has been verified for the Steam Deck, opening up new ways to play the classic title.
For newcomers, one of the biggest changes is the structure and price point. Guild Wars Reforged simplifies the process of diving in by bundling the original trilogy:
- All Campaigns Included: For a new, low bundled price of $19.99, new players receive all three core campaigns: Prophecies, Nightfall and Factions.
- Free for Existing Owners: In a generous move, any player who previously purchased even one of the three campaigns will have all three unlocked on their account for free as part of the Reforged update.
- No Subscription Fees: True to its roots, Guild Wars Reforged remains a buy-to-play title with no monthly subscription fee.
Note: The Eye of the North expansion and the Bonus Mission Pack remain available as separate, optional purchases.
Existing players will be relieved to know that the update is applied directly to the current game client and all character progress, inventory, and account status remain unchanged. Reforged is a client and packaging update, not a server reset.
Furthermore, Guild Wars Reforged enhances the connection to its sequel. New accounts created on Steam can now seamlessly link with Guild Wars 2 accounts on the same platform to collect Hall of Monuments rewards, ensuring your legacy in the original game has an impact in the world of the later title.
With a commitment from ArenaNet and 2weeks to continue collaboration on future improvements, now is the perfect time for veteran heroes to return to Tyria and for a new generation of players to experience the groundbreaking, build-focused MMORPG that started it all.
