Guild Wars 2 is coming to Steam, and a new expansion is coming next year

YouTube

Eight years after its initial release, Guild Wars 2, with all "Living World" content including The Icebrood Saga, is finally coming to Steam in November. The Heart of Thorns and Path of Fire expansions will also be available for purchase on Steam at their regular prices.

The bad news is that existing Guild Wars 2 accounts cannot be converted to Steam, nor can Steam accounts be switched over to non-Steam, if you wanted to do that for some reason. (Currently, Guild Wars 2 uses its own standalone launcher.) Fortunately, ArenaNet confirmed that while accounts cannot be transferred, the world they play in will be shared, so newcomers won't be walled off in any from the existing game.

"Guild Wars 2 has endured for the better part of a decade because of its innovative gameplay, rich storytelling, and passionate fanbase," NCsoft West COO Chauncey Gammage said. "As the game’s incredible fantasy world prepares to grow once again with the End of Dragons expansion, we are excited to bring this universally acclaimed gaming experience to Steam users around the globe."

ArenaNet also revealed a first look at Guild Wars 2's upcoming third expansion, End of Dragons, which will send players off to the mysterious island nation of Cantha, which has been isolated and silent for more than 200 years. Why? As usual, this is the mystery, but the teaser suggests that poor civic planning at some point in the long-ago past may now be coming around to bite the world in the ass, and the job of putting it all straight has fallen to you. (Also as usual.)

End of Dragons is expected to be out sometime in 2021, and you can find out more at guildwars2.com.

And finally, beginning today, owners of the Path of Fire expansion will have the opportunity to unlock a new ability for their Skimmer mounts that will enable them to dive underwater—making them the first submersible mount in the game. Check out these finned bad boys in action:

YouTube

Watch On

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.