Guild Wars Reforged: Is the Remaster Worth It?

Guild Wars Reforged is basically the “you up?” text nobody expected from a 2005 MMO—and yet here we are. ArenaNet is modernizing the original Guild Wars with a refreshed client, Steam launch, and a big bundle of quality-of-life upgrades, while still keeping its no-subscription, buildcraft-heavy core intact. For veterans, it’s an excuse to dust off old characters. For new players, it’s a low-cost, one-time buy into a full classic RPG ecosystem.

Instead of a full remake or reboot, Guild Wars Reforged is about making the original game feel good on modern hardware: high-DPI support, improved rendering, controller support, and a reworked UI, all wrapped into a $19.99 package that includes all three main campaigns.
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Guild Wars Reforged — Release Date & Platforms

Guild Wars Reforged officially launches on December 3, 2025.

You’ll be able to play it on:

PC (Windows) via the ArenaNet client
Steam, with full Steam integration and Steam Deck support

A few key points:

Existing Guild Wars owners get the Reforged update for free.
New players can buy the remaster as a single, all-in-one package.

So if you already have an old Guild Wars account, you’re not buying the game again—you’re just logging back into a much nicer version of it.

What Exactly Is Guild Wars Reforged?

Guild Wars Reforged is a modernization update to the original game, it’s not a new game and definitely not Guild Wars 3. It’s a refreshed edition of the 2005 classic with:

Updated visuals & rendering
High-DPI & high-resolution UI support
Controller and XInput support, plus Steam Deck support
New quest tracking/objective guide
Improved environmental and positional audio

Under the hood, the remaster is a co-development between ArenaNet and 2weeks, a studio made up of former Guild Wars devs coming back to tune up their old work.

The key idea isn’t to redesign Guild Wars—it’s to keep its identity intact while removing a lot of the friction that comes from playing a 2005 game on a 2025 setup.

What Campaigns & Content Are Included in Guild Wars Reforged?

When you buy the remaster, you’re not just getting a base game—you’re getting the full trilogy:

Prophecies
Factions
Nightfall

That means:

3 full campaigns
Hundreds of missions & quests
PvE, hard mode, and PvP content
Multiple regions and story arcs all bundled into one

The Eye of the North expansion and the Bonus Mission Pack are still sold as separate DLC, but they sit on top of the Reforged base bundle.

Guild Wars Reforged — Classes & Build System

One of the biggest reasons people still talk about the original Guild Wars is its profession and build system, and the remaster doesn’t mess with that foundation.

Guild Wars Reforged Professions

Guild Wars Reforged uses the same ten professions from the original game:

Core professions: Warrior, Ranger, Monk, Necromancer, Mesmer, Elementalist
Factions professions: Assassin, Ritualist
Nightfall professions: Paragon, Dervish

You create a primary profession, then pick a secondary profession, combining skill pools from both. That dual-class system is what made Guild Wars stand out—especially compared to more traditional MMOs.

Skill Bar & Buildcraft

Instead of loading your hotbar with every skill you own, Guild Wars restricts you to an 8-skill bar:

You prepare builds out of hundreds of available skills
You commit to a loadout before going out
Team comp and build synergy matter more than gear treadmill

Overall, the remaster is ideal for players who like tactical, deck-builder-style decision making in an MMO-like environment.

Where to Buy Guild Wars Reforged

You’ve got three main options if you want to jump into Guild Wars Reforged:

1. Steam

It has its own page on Steam as a $19.99 package that includes all three campaigns.
You can launch it straight from your Steam library, and it’s certified for Steam Deck.

2. ArenaNet’s Official Store

You can buy the game directly through ArenaNet’s store on guildwars.com.
This gives you a serial key to use with the standalone client.

3. Existing Accounts (Returning Players)

If you already own any Guild Wars campaign, the Reforged update is applied to your account. You can download the updated client from the official site and log back in without repurchasing the game.

No subscription, no monthly fee—once you own it, you’re in.

Who Is This Remaster For?

Guild Wars Reforged slots neatly into a few player types:

Veterans who played in the 2000s and want a smoother, updated client without losing the old feel
Guild Wars 2 players curious about the origins of Tyria and the story that came before GW2
New RPG/MMO players who like co-op, deckbuilding, and tactical builds more than gear grind

It’s especially appealing if you:

Don’t want a subscription
Prefer instanced missions and co-op over open-world grind
Enjoy experimenting with builds, skills, and profession combos

Is It Worth Playing in 2025?

Short answer: if you like classic RPG structure with modern quality-of-life, Reforged is one of the easiest recommendations in the “older MMO revived” category right now.

What you’re getting:

A complete trilogy for around the price of a single new indie game
No sub fee
A unique build system that still feels fresh compared to many modern MMOs
A big modernization patch that fixes a lot of the friction from the 2005 client

It’s not trying to compete with current “live-service seasons.” It’s more like a premium, self-contained online RPG with a big emphasis on co-op, builds, and story arcs.

Guild Wars Reforged isn’t a flashy sequel announcement or a total remake—it’s something more targeted: a carefully upgraded version of one of the most influential online RPGs of the mid-2000s. With a December 3, 2025 launch, full campaign bundle, no subscription, and modern client upgrades, it’s primed as both a nostalgia revival and an on-ramp for a new wave of players.

If you’ve been waiting for the right excuse to visit pre-GW2 Tyria—or you just want a different flavor of online RPG that values builds and brains over endless loot treadmills—this is pretty much the perfect timing.

Guild Wars Reforged is officially live, so make sure to top up your Steam Gift Cards on Joytify and jump straight into Tyria’s revamped adventure today!