[URL]https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/play-for-free-today/[/URL]
[quote]Today we’re happy to announce that the [I]Guild Wars 2[/I] core game is available for everyone to play for free. With [I]Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns™[/I] launching soon, there’s no better time to introduce the game to your friends.[h=3]Our Business Model[/h][I]Guild Wars 2[/I] has the simplest of business models: buy the game and play it as long as you want with no monthly fees. We’ve been championing this as a great business model for MMOs since launching the first [I]Guild Wars®[/I] a decade ago. We continue to believe in buy-to-play. It’s good for gamers and good for developers.
This business model has been fantastic for [I]Guild Wars 2[/I] and our fans. Since launching three years ago—almost to the day, today—we’ve sold more than 5 million copies of the game. And we’ve delivered more than 40 major content releases, with world-changing events, Living World episodes, and feature packs, all free of charge.
Expansions are the one place where the buy-to-play model gets a little tricky. When you’re coming in as a new player to a game that has a bunch of expansions, what exactly should you buy in order to play with your friends? The base game and also every single expansion? We’ve seen examples in the industry where that kind of thing has gotten out of control. It doesn’t seem right, and we want to do better. As we get ready to ship our first expansion for[I]Guild Wars 2[/I], we want to ensure that we keep the business model friendly and simple. So let’s be clear that when we say [I]Guild Wars 2[/I] is buy-to-play, we’re only asking you to buy one thing: the current release, [I]Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns[/I].
To accomplish that, we’ve already included the core game as a free bundle for anyone who buys[I]Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns[/I]. And today we’ll go a step further: we’re making the core game free for everyone. For anyone who’s been curious about [I]Guild Wars 2[/I], now you can just go to guildwars2.com, download the game, and start playing.
If anyone can play [I]Guild Wars 2[/I] for free now, does that mean we’re switching business models to free-to-play? Are we going to be one of those games that aggressively monetizes free players through microtransactions? Absolutely not. [I]Guild Wars 2[/I] remains the same game it always has been. We’re making the core game experience free because we’re confident that anyone who loves [I]Guild Wars 2[/I] will buy [I]Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns[/I].[/quote]
Account restrictions explained here.
[URL]https://help.guildwars2.com/entries/95982157?_ga=1.240955781.78332403.1436571105[/URL]
I just want to point out that almost every single one of the f2p restrictions are for things that have been [I]massive[/I] problems every f2p weekend so they make perfect sense.
Wow, I've been wanting to try this for a good while too - I can't say I have any complaints with their business model.
Yeah, I'll give it a go. I've heard mostly great things about this title, but I've never been much for investing in an MMORPG.
Been looking for a MMO, might give it a go. I'll need to review the limitations and see if they are actual limitations or not
Well I bought GW2 at launch and I'm going to continue never playing it because it's nothing like GW1.
[QUOTE=JohnFisher89;48570392]Been looking for a MMO, might give it a go. I'll need to review the limitations and see if they are actual limitations or not[/QUOTE]
The limitations are pretty much purely from a social aspect. Unfortunately spammers and scammers ruin everything.
Weird. I bought the game, but there wasn't a fee to continue playing unless you bought some item from the shop. Why make it F2P now, unless I'm missing something?
[QUOTE=Dirty_Ape;48570408]Well I bought GW2 at launch and I'm going to continue never playing it because it's nothing like GW1.[/QUOTE]Should have tried a beta weekend. They had more than one before launch.
The map content limitations are not making sense to me (as i'm probably too tired), does this mean that you can reach max level as f2p and do all of the questing, or is there a level cap that requires the base game to progress?
[QUOTE=maddogsamurai;48570435]Weird. I bought the game, but there wasn't a fee to continue playing unless you bought some item from the shop. Why make it F2P now, unless I'm missing something?[/QUOTE]Because they have a big expansion pack releasing in less than two months, and that content will only be available to people who buy the expansion pack. They've very easily made back all the money on development for the base game, so they can open that up and entice even more people to buy their expansion.
[editline]29th August 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=sopie;48570443]The map content limitations are not making sense to me (as i'm probably too tired), does this mean that you can reach max level as f2p and do all of the questing, or is there a level cap that requires the base game to progress?[/QUOTE]You can do everything. But to access certain features you have to hit a certain level with a character first. Like you can't leave the starting zones until level 10. Which is all of like a few hours of work.
[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;48570448]Because they have a big expansion pack releasing in less than two months, and that content will only be available to people who buy the expansion pack. They've very easily made back all the money on development for the base game, so they can open that up and entice even more people to buy their expansion.
[editline]29th August 2015[/editline]
You can do everything. But to access certain features you have to hit a certain level with a character first. Like you can't leave the starting zones until level 10. Which is all of like a few hours of work.[/QUOTE]
Ah that's awesome, I actually already own gw2, but my wife doesn't, this could be nice a nice way of letting her try it out!
[QUOTE=sopie;48570443]The map content limitations are not making sense to me (as i'm probably too tired), does this mean that you can reach max level as f2p and do all of the questing, or is there a level cap that requires the base game to progress?[/QUOTE]
here's the official info. Since the expansion's announcement there has been no way to buy "core" gw2 anymore, as it was already announced it came free with the pre-order for expansion.
[img]http://dulfy.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/gw2-free-to-play-account-restrictions1.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=Dirty_Ape;48570408]Well I bought GW2 at launch and I'm going to continue never playing it because it's nothing like GW1.[/QUOTE]
amen
[QUOTE=Dirty_Ape;48570408]Well I bought GW2 at launch and I'm going to continue never playing it because it's nothing like GW1.[/QUOTE]
Content feels so barren and worthless to me, Which is a shame, i love the games style and EU people were so cool :(
[t]http://i.imgur.com/tfoSeaT.jpg[/t]
am i remembering something incorrectly or are masteries not the skill point system?
I think GW1 was one of the very few MMOs I've seen/played that have successfully pulled off instanced-based areas. GW: Factions in particular is the one I was most fond of.
I think what caused GW2 to lose some of it's fun was that it tried to go the stereotypical open-world MMO based gameplay that everything else is doing now. That's not to say the content is bland, but rather generic instead. I kinda wish they stuck to that unique feel GW1 had.
[QUOTE=~Kiwi~v2;48570644]no guild bank access and no map chat
ouch
the latter is very useful sometimes for getting info on X quest or tips especially for new players
the former guild bank i guess isn't that useful but for people who want to join guilds (say our facepunch one) that's also a big ouch
to be that seems a little bit limitting but i guess it's okay, hopefully that will encourage people to buy it with the EXP(i don't know if F2P can buy the expansion and be converted into a HoT account or if they still have to buy GW2 base + HoT)[/QUOTE]
the reason for map chat is, scammers can make a billion accounts at no cost. They should not have any way to mass harass. You can still chat normally on local /say, in parties, and to people you're whispering, so it's not like you're locked into talking only to a mutual friends list
as for guild bank, it's another thing to avoid spammers/botters from abusing the system. There's ZERO way for a user on a free account to move money and items to other players.
the limit that really strikes me is just having three bag slots, but you can get 20-slot bags so it's not too hard to not care about it. I use the starter 20 and usually a bunch of 15's so I only have 20 more slots than someone else could max out, and it's comfy space
[QUOTE=dai;48570723]the reason for map chat is, scammers can make a billion accounts at no cost. They should not have any way to mass harass
as for guild bank, it's another thing to avoid spammers/botters from abusing the system. There's ZERO way for a user on a free account to move money and items to other players.
the limit that really strikes me is just having three bag slots, but you can get 20-slot bags so it's not too hard to not care about it. I use the starter 20 and usually a bunch of 15's so I only have 20 more slots than someone else could max out, and it's comfy space[/QUOTE]
But fractal 20's are dirt cheap.
I don't know, the combat seemed boring to me, meh the entire game just wasn't for me. Bought it on launch at 44 euros and regretted deeply.
[QUOTE=Levelog;48570737]But fractal 20's are dirt cheap.[/QUOTE]
I don't really upgrade unless I'm feeling the hurt, and haven't frac'd that much. Need to though, especially with the upcoming changes
also I don't blame people for walking out after experiencing low level combat, it's really short sighted for a while. One of the huge things I always see when people say they didn't like it was that there's "only" 5 attacks, which is kinda true, but far from the truth (if that makes sense)
Once you reach the later levels and start getting into traits and using your skills, it can get pretty hectic, and classes like elementalist and engineer have a treasure trove of skills and extra weapon sets on hand
wait why is this in SH
Bought the game at launch, and stopped playing it 6 months afterward because I didn't like the direction the devs were taking it at the time. That, and I had no friends to play with.
I've heard stories of it being a bit better nowadays, and the F2P means my Steam friends might be willing to try it out, so I may give it a try again.
Are the Engineer's turrets still fucking useless?
[QUOTE=Rahu X;48570826]
Are the Engineer's turrets still fucking useless?[/QUOTE]
Engie turrets are and always will be useless in pve since you need to move around a lot. They actually had to nerf them a little a while back because they were such a pain in the ass to fight against in pvp.
[QUOTE=Cmx;48570968]Engie turrets are and always will be useless in pve since you need to move around a lot. They actually had to nerf them a little a while back because they were such a pain in the ass to fight against in pvp.[/QUOTE]
Ah, well that's at least better than they were initially.
Before, they were useless for both PvE and PvP.
Is the game itself good? I've heard good things about it from friends and Angry Joe at one point.
Guess I'll wait more until HoT is free.
[QUOTE=Pvt. Martin;48571463]Is the game itself good? I've heard good things about it from friends and Angry Joe at one point.[/QUOTE]
I really liked it. The PvE was very underwhelming, but I can name the MMO's that I liked the PvE for on half of one hand. PvP is pretty great and competitive if you know where to look/get with a good group of people. I haven't played it in forever though because I logged over 1500 hours in less than a year. Just got burnt out.
I know that feeling. In case you couldn't tell, I really like WoW :v:. I've been also looking into ESO since I like The Elder Scrolls.
[QUOTE=kenji;48570653]Content feels so barren and worthless to me, Which is a shame, i love the games style and EU people were so cool :(
[t]http://i.imgur.com/tfoSeaT.jpg[/t][/QUOTE]
I still play (the charr is one of my characters), everyone else has stopped for the time being sadly, hopefully HoT will bring a lot of old FPers back.
[QUOTE=Pvt. Martin;48571536]I know that feeling. In case you couldn't tell, I really like WoW :v:. I've been also looking into ESO since I like The Elder Scrolls.[/QUOTE]
my general advice has been-
if you're a big mmo guy: give it a shot but be aware that you should by NO means rush to levelcap expecting the only worthwhile content to be hidden in "endgame" material. The object is to do what comes to you and do that in a way you prefer. If you return to low level areas you get down-leveled to match the general level required for the zone. This makes sure nothing turns to paper for you if you spend too much time in a zone and outlevel it, AND makes visiting lower level content (with friends or as you try to do map completion) a bit more rewarding to tackle, even on a maxed out character
if you've tried mmos in the past and aren't quite a fan: give it a shot because it seems to click well with people regardless. It's a bit more open and friendly to new players, and you work with a limited set of skills at any given time so you're not playing the piano with some optimized DPS rotation. (you still kinda play piano with elementalist and engineer)
now that it's technically free, if it's even half tempting just go for it. I'd say try to surpass level ~35 before making too big of a judgement, low level stuff is a bit of a drag on some classes, as a good handful of them require you to unlock traits and secondary skills and junk before they really click with you.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.