How Guild Wars 2 Plans to Survive
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One of the most prominent of these growing pains was the Ascended Gear debacle. Before the game released, ArenaNet made a manifesto video (which you should definitely check out, if you haven't already) setting out guidelines the company hoped to adhere to when making and maintaining the game. One of these that players latched onto most fervently was the promise that there would be no (gear treadmill); a common feature in MMOs akin to a carrot on a stick, where increasingly powerful gear is regularly added for players to chase after, with new sets coming every few months. Guild Wars 2 players were pleased to learn they'd be free from this sense of obligation that other MMOs foster when it comes to acquiring the best gear.until Ascended Gear was added in November.
Though Johanson accepts the huge outcry and accusations of betrayal from the playerbase were unavoidable, he admits the situation could have been handled better. In actual fact, Ascended Gear isn't the most powerful gear in the game; it's just as good as Legendary gear, but takes a fraction of the time to earn. (I think that ascended gear was something we should have had at launch,) Johanson says. (We didn't have something above that exotic level that you put in a lot of time and earn it, but you don't have to put in your whole life to earn it like a legendary weapon.
(Is this going to become a gear-tiered game where you're constantly on this treadmill to chase after that stuff? My hope would be no. I think that certainly in 2013 you're not going to see another tier of gear.)
But what else of the future? Well, while Johanson has suggested that the game may one day follow in the footsteps of its predecessor and receive some expansions packs, right now the focus is on the game's (Living Story). There are a whole host of (quality of life) changes coming to address player concerns.
The team are already at work to reduce queue times for World vs World matches as well as increase the number of players you'll be able to see on-screen even with a low spec machine. PvP is also set to receive a massive overhaul; while matchmaking was recently added, this will soon be joined by both ratings and a leaderboard so you can see where you fit in the global rankings and to prepare the game for a potential future inclusion as an eSport.
