Guild Wars 2 has officially marked down February 3 as the release date for the first major post-launch update for Visions of Eternity. This big patch introduces a massive overhaul to the raid system in Guild Wars 2, including a Quickplay party-finding system that should make these challenging instances easier to approach for all players.
On October 28, Guild Wars 2 released Visions of Eternity, its sixth expansion pack. Heroes of Tyria journey to the remote island of Castora in pursuit of the Inquest, who seek to unlock the secrets buried in the forgotten land.
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Guild Wars 2 Raid System Improvements Coming February 3
Now, it is almost time for Guild Wars 2 to release its first quarterly update for Visions of Eternity. Suitably titled “Raids and Wardrobe,” this content patch is focused on improving core systems and evergreen features. As the name suggests, the Guild Wars 2 raiding system is being completely overhauled, with upgrades coming in the form of a new raid UI. Both raid wings and raid encounters, formerly known as Strike Missions, will be accessed from this panel, where squad leaders can select specific encounters or difficulties, track clears, and even move the squad directly from one raid to the next without needing to leave the instance.
A new raid encounter feature called Quickplay is also being added to the game to allow fans to quickly find teams. Players can queue for Quickplay for select raid encounters to automatically be matched with teams, with no individual being assigned squad leader. While in Quickplay, Guild Wars 2 characters will also get a buff to smooth gaps caused by random team compositions and party makeup, and once successful, teams can either stay together and travel to the Lion’s Arch Aerodrome raid lobby, or return to where they queued. The following raid encounters will have Quickplay available at launch:
- Aetherblade Hideout
- Whisper of Jormag
- Boneskinner
- Cosmic Observatory
- Temple of Febe
- Xunlai Jade Junkyard
- Old Lion’s Court
- Kaineng Overlook
The new raid encounter coming in this quarterly update will not be included in Quickplay until later.
Rewards have also been standardized across raid wings and encounters; Magnetite Shards and Gaeting Crystals are the new currency for these instances, meaning Prophet Shards are being converted to Magnetite Shards. Different raid bosses reward different amounts of Magnetite Shards based on their general difficulty, with even more granted for Challenge Modes, and less for Quickplay encounters. Magnetite Shards will have a weekly cap of 800.
New rewards, including one-time rewards like a Dhuum-themed skin for the Skyscale mount in Guild Wars 2 and weekly items, can be obtained in this system overhaul with raid currencies and progress. Likewise, new achievements, including daily Raid Boss Bounties, mentor achievements, Quickplay-specific milestones, and the Raid God achievement, provide daily, weekly, and evergreen goals to reach for. Lastly, the new raid challenge mode leaderboard can let hardcore gamers compare their raid completion times with competitors across the globe, and keep track of their own personal best scores.
What Else Is Coming in Guild Wars 2: Visions of Eternity’s First Major Update?
Of note, Guild Wars 2 is not introducing a new zone or a continuation of the storyline in this first update in lieu of these core improvements. To compensate, the second and third quarterly updates planned for later this year will have more robust and in-depth stories than those from previous Guild Wars 2 expansions.
That said, there will still be a few other things to look forward to in this first update, all the same. Beyond the raid improvements, there is a brand-new raid encounter coming in the first quarterly update, along with six Relics, a Legendary ring, a weapon set, and a seasonal refresh of the Wizard's Vault. Players will need to own Visions of Eternity to earn many of these new items, but the raid improvements should be available for everyone, even if they only have previous Guild Wars 2 expansions.
A developer livestream is scheduled for January 23 at 12 PM PT on Twitch that will showcase these features and more.
Guild Wars 2
- Released
- August 28, 2012
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- ArenaNet
- Publisher(s)
- NCSoft
- Engine
- Havok, Proprietary Engine
WHERE TO PLAY
Guild Wars 2's open world is all about discovery and exploration. Check your content guide for suggestions when you set out on your adventures, consult your compass to find interesting landmarks…or just pick your favorite direction to travel in and let adventure find you. Tyria is full of characters with their own stories and goals, and you'll be rewarded for helping them out—or thwarting their plans—by completing renown hearts and dynamic events. Read our new player guide for more tips!
When you meet other players in the open world, you don't need to join their party to lend a helping hand, investigate a secret jumping puzzle, or team up against a deadly world boss. Don't grind; play the way you want to play! Whether you're reviving defeated players, rescuing soldiers from a Risen onslaught, or gathering herbs, you'll earn experience points.
Arm your character with an arsenal of new weapons as you play. Every profession wields them differently, and each type has its own playstyle, which you can refine and customize by unlocking and equipping hundreds of skills and traits. If you want to jump straight into structured PvP, go for it—every player competes at the same level, with access to the max-level gear and build options you need to make your mark.
If you love fashion, express yourself with the perfect character design! When you equip new weapons and armor, you'll unlock their skins in your wardrobe. Make them truly yours with thousands of possible combinations and a massive selection of collectible dyes.
