The uncertainty behind Guild Wars 2’s Steam release, means a lot is riding on the success of the End of Dragons expansion.
ArenaNet has revealed a lot of Guild of Wars 2: End of Dragons’ gameplay since July 2021, and a plethora of new gameplay features could set it apart from Guild Wars 2’s Heart of Thorns (2015) and Path of Fire (2017) expansions. Set in the land of Cantha – first seen in 2006’s Guild Wars Factions – players will uncover secrets of the Elder Dragons as they befriend giant siege turtles, which serve as the game’s first-ever cooperative mount. It was also previously confirmed that nine additional elite specializations will be added, as well as new legendary weapons, world events, and the new Strike missions mechanic. With a $29.99 price tag for The Standard Edition and $54.99 for the Deluxe Edition, it’s been said that End of Dragons’ success hinges on its endgame improvements.
ArenaNet launched Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons, adding to the MMORPG’s ever-growing story. Set in Cantha, “a multi-cultural land of magic and intrigue,” players will explore a lush region “dotted by islands and exotic architecture” not seen by outsiders for over 200 years. With vast technological achievements, Cantha introduces four new, distinct open-world maps filled with a cast of new NPC characters, public events, and the debut of the siege turtle, a “mobile artillery platform” and “all-terrain vehicle.” The expansion also adds the skiff, a personal watercraft that serves as a mobile ferry for large groups of friends and guildmates, as well as fishing. The Jade Bot is a new type of companion in the Guild Wars franchise, enabling horizontal progression in line with “Guild Wars 2’s philosophy.” The new trailer can be seen below.
The features in Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons are extensive, though some have pointed out that they are underwhelming considering the length of time ArenaNet has had to develop the expansion. As previously announced, End of Dragons adds nine elite specializations – one for each character profession – that provide endgame improvements for max-level characters. Elite specializations were ArenaNet’s alternative to adding an entirely new class to Guild Wars 2, instead of providing new ways to play existing classes with new themes and concepts. While beloved in its first two expansions, Screen Rant has previously pointed out that the new elite specializations don’t break class rules or showcase any groundbreaking ingenuity.
Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons could be exactly what the franchise needs, as long as the laundry list of gameplay mechanics deliver on ArenaNet’s promises. The selection of Strike Missions supposedly introduces new challenging boss encounters to Guild Wars 2 that players need a group of 10 to tackle, so there is hope for engaging endgame content for veteran players to enjoy.
