ArenaNet has confirmed that Guild Wars 3 will launch without a mandatory subscription or premium battle pass. Studio head Collin Johanson shared the details during an IGN Live interview after the game's reveal at Summer Game Fest. The title will follow the premium purchase model used in earlier entries in the series.
Johanson said the game can be played 'as much or as little' as players want. He noted that many MMOs feel like 'second jobs' and stressed that ArenaNet does not want to 'keep people hostage'.The studio aims to address current frustrations in the MMO genre. Johanson stated that the genre has stagnated and that ArenaNet is positioned to innovate.Support for the first two Guild Wars games will continue. Expansions for Guild Wars 2 will pause until Guild Wars 3 releases, but work on older content will proceed. Expansions for Guild Wars 2 are planned to resume after the sequel launches.