Episode 568: Take me home, Tyrian roads
The Massively OP Podcast delivers an electrifying episode packed with blockbuster MMO news, declaring 2026 a landmark year for the genre. The biggest shock comes with ArenaNet's official announcement of Guild Wars 3, a full-fledged MMO set 1,200 years before the original game, featuring freeform traversal, skill collecting, and a distinct visual style that deliberately evokes the early 2000s. Crucially, ArenaNet confirms they will continue developing both Guild Wars 1 and 2 concurrently, with a major rework of Guild Wars 2 planned over the next 18 months. This news alone reignites the entire industry, with the podcast noting it's the first time in years that the MMO world has a true 'next big thing' to rally around. The episode then unpacks a cascade of other major releases: Aion 2 launching globally in September, Star's Reach entering early access this summer (with serious concerns about its readiness), Loftia's charming early access launch in fall, Dune Awakening's console debut on September 22nd, and Valheim's full 1.0 release on September 9th. The episode also covers the underwhelming launch of Camelot Unchained and the successful full release of Ederspire, while highlighting significant updates to Elder Scrolls Online and Star Wars: The Old Republic. The overarching message is one of cautious optimism: after years of disappointment, the MMO landscape is finally bursting with momentum, and the industry’s future looks brighter than it has in a decade.
ArenaNet has officially announced Guild Wars 3 as a full MMO with a fall 2027 beta, not a single-player game, and will continue developing Guild Wars 1 and 2 simultaneously.
The visual style of Guild Wars 3 is deliberately archaic and distinct from Guild Wars 2 to establish its own identity and avoid a 'Venn diagram' overlap.
Guild Wars 3 will feature skill collecting, a core mechanic from Guild Wars 1, and will be a prelude to the original game's story, set in the Lane of Ore.
Aion 2's global launch in September is a major event, but its success hinges on NCSoft addressing its controversial monetization model that alienated Korean players.
Valheim's full 1.0 release on September 9th includes the Deep North biome and cross-play across all platforms, marking a potential renaissance for the game.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Most News-Heavy Week in Recent Memory
The hosts open the episode with a sense of disbelief at the sheer volume of major MMO news, stating that stories normally worthy of headlines are now being pushed aside due to the overwhelming pace of announcements.
Guild Wars 3: The Game That Changed Everything
“ArenaNet is making Guild Wars 3. They are not shutting down Guild Wars 1 or 2. They in fact, a day later, affirmed that they were going to continue development for both.”
The Hall of Monuments 2.0 System and Its Impact
“They're going to be doing it in stages, so I think the first one's going to be like the core game and then the next stage will be like Path of Fire achievements and so on, and they're going to slowly work through all of Guild Wars 2.”
Aion 2, Star's Reach, and the September Flood
“I don't know. I don't know. Now, I will admit that I haven't fired up the pre-alpha or whatever it is they're calling it in a little while. But, like, man, when I had been in there, it felt... giga unfinished to me.”
The Fall of Camelot Unchained and the Rise of Ederspire
“Looking at SteamDB right now, at the time of this recording, its last 24-hour peak is 154. And we are recording on a Monday afternoon, so not exactly what we would call primetime.”
“ArenaNet is making Guild Wars 3. They are not shutting down Guild Wars 1 or 2. They in fact, a day later, affirmed that they were going to continue development for both.”
“They're going to be doing it in stages, so I think the first one's going to be like the core game and then the next stage will be like Path of Fire achievements and so on, and they're going to slowly work through all of Guild Wars 2.”
“So they have a new challenge system in the game. ESO is notoriously so easy to play. You could just hit one button and just like single button your way through the game.”
Host
Guest
Guild Wars 3
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ArenaNet
organization
Elder Scrolls Online
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Aion 2
media
Star's Reach
media
Camelot Unchained
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Dune Awakening
media
Valheim
media
NCSoft
organization
Loftia
media
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