Guild Wars 3 was announced on June 5, 2026 at Summer Game Fest — ArenaNet's first brand-new game since Guild Wars 2 in 2012. It's built in Unreal Engine 5, comes to PC and PlayStation 5 (a Guild Wars console debut), and is set roughly 1,000 years before the original Guild Wars. The first beta is targeted for fall 2027, with pricing and release details still to come.
If you've been waiting for the next big buy-to-play MMORPG, this is the one to watch. Here's the full picture of what ArenaNet has shown so far — separated cleanly into what's confirmed and what's still open — plus how to get a head start before beta.
What is Guild Wars 3?
Guild Wars 3 is a next-generation entry in ArenaNet's long-running MMORPG series, pitched as a "modern evolution of the MMORPG." The studio is rebuilding the experience on Unreal Engine 5 with a focus on large-scale open-world exploration, dynamic combat, and a world that reacts to player choices. Crucially, ArenaNet has said it will keep developing Guild Wars 2 alongside GW3 — so GW2 isn't going anywhere (more on why that matters below).
Setting & story
GW3 is set more than a millennium before the events of the original Guild Wars — a smart move that opens up unexplored history without cannibalizing GW2's ongoing story. You'll explore Orr in a way the series has never allowed, and join the Vaelwardens: a guild sworn to protect the land, its people beyond the city walls, and the nature spirits of Orr.
Platforms, engine & release window
- Platforms: PC (via Steam) and PlayStation 5 — the first time a Guild Wars game lands on consoles.
- Engine: Unreal Engine 5, a major leap from GW2's in-house tech.
- Beta: first test scheduled for fall 2027.
- Release date: not yet announced — more info promised through late 2026 into 2027.
What we DON'T know yet (and won't guess at)
We keep this page honest — here's what's still unconfirmed, and we won't invent it: exact release date, pricing/business model specifics, class and profession lists, combat details beyond "dynamic," and system requirements. As ArenaNet reveals these, this section shrinks and the guides grow.
The best community breakdowns
Warm up in Guild Wars 2 while you wait
Beta is a year+ out — but the fastest way to be ready for GW3 is to learn Tyria now. GW2 is free to try, deeply beginner-friendly, and new players are flooding back in after the reveal. Learn the world, the lore, and the ArenaNet combat feel so you land in GW3 already ahead.
Start the GW2 warm-up guide →Quick answers
When does Guild Wars 3 come out?
No release date yet. The first beta is targeted for fall 2027, and ArenaNet has said more details are coming through late 2026 and 2027 — so a launch is likely 2027 or later.
Is Guild Wars 3 on PS5?
Yes. GW3 is confirmed for PC and PlayStation 5 — the first Guild Wars game to come to consoles.
Will Guild Wars 2 shut down?
No. ArenaNet confirmed it's developing GW2 and GW3 at the same time. GW2 remains the best place to warm up for GW3.
Is it buy-to-play like GW2?
Pricing isn't confirmed yet, but GW3 is being framed as a modern take on the buy-to-play MMO the series is known for. We'll update the moment ArenaNet says more.