Following the recent teases, ArenaNet took the stage at Summer Game Fest 2026 to unveil Guild Wars 3, the next iteration in the MMO saga.
The developers are calling it an action-adventure MMORPG, a modern evolution of the genre that blends rich action combat, character building, and skill collection. In Guild Wars 3, players will master a combat system where depth is achieved through strategic skill use, positioning, and movement, thus mixing classic action RPG combat with Guild Wars-style build-making and creating a unique combat experience. Another trademark feature of the game is a movement system that transfers your momentum between modes of travel, allowing players to run, slide, leap, and bound across the environments.
In the press release, ArenaNet reveals that this is actually a prequel set a thousand years before the events of the original game. It's set in the Tyrian region of Orr, a vast wilderness frontier imbued with the world’s magic. Nature entities with strong connections to the land, called Vael spirits, embody the vitality of this lush, verdant landscape. Various guilds are engaged in conflict over how to protect or exploit the bounty beyond civilization’s borders. These spirits will vary in size and influence within the ecosystems around them, with the most notable of these being the Seeker. As seen in the trailer, every player’s Seeker will serve as a connection to the spirits of Orr and a mount that will carry them on their journeys through the game’s open world.
In Guild Wars 3, players are a Vaelwarden, a guardian of the land of Orr, protector of the people and spirits that call Orr home. They'll discover untold stories and forge lasting bonds with their fellow players as they glide, leap, sprint, and ride across a frontier full of adventure around every corner.
Colin Johanson, Guild Wars 3 Game Director and ArenaNet Studio Head, said in a statement:
Guild Wars 3 is a new era not just for ArenaNet and Guild Wars, but also for MMORPGs as a whole. The MMORPG genre has millions of players worldwide eager for new, modern experiences, and the opportunity to harness that excitement is immense. Our approach with Guild Wars 3 is to push MMORPGs forward, to create an online game world that feels believable, rewarding, responsive, and innovative while at the same time respecting players’ time and providing a positive, supportive space to build community and enjoy new stories in our universe.
The new game will be the first to land on consoles, with GW3 planned for a PC and PlayStation 5 launch and full controller support. The Steam page is already live and includes the minimum PC system requirements, though there's a decent chance they are preliminary and subject to change:
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: RTX 2060 / Radeon RX 5700 / Intel Arc A580
Storage: 65 GB available space
The trailer ended with the reveal that Closed Beta will begin in Fall 2027, thus suggesting a full launch could come in 2028. Pre-registration should be available via the official website once it stops being hammered.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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