Visions of Eternity Lands October 28 in Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2’s next major expansion, Visions of Eternity, is officially launching on October 28 after a two-month delay. ArenaNet has finally confirmed the date, along with details on what to expect from the game’s sixth expansion. From new elite specializations to quality-of-life improvements and the introduction of an entirely new region, this expansion aims to keep the live-service MMORPG moving forward well into 2026.

The story takes players to Castora, a remote island long thought to be nothing more than a legend. This place will be the central setting for the expansion, with two large open-world zones available at launch. As the expansion unfolds across 2025 and 2026, two more regions will be introduced through content updates. The core campaign will play out in stages, similar to how previous expansions rolled out their narrative arcs.

Castora isn’t just any new map—it’s a challenging wilderness with terrain that requires a bit more than just a good build. The Skimmer mount is getting an upgrade to better handle the harsh and strange geography of the island. This enhanced version will let players glide over surfaces more easily, making travel feel smoother across the open world.

Elite specializations are also back, giving each profession a fresh layer of character customization. This time around, the new elite specs won’t add new weapon types. Instead, they’re focusing on reworking class mechanics, adding new traits, and unlocking new skill sets that bring more depth to each class’s core identity. These changes are designed to give experienced players more variety in builds and help newer players find their preferred playstyle faster.

An open beta focused on these elite specializations will run from August 20 to 27. This will give players an early look at what their profession could become before the full expansion drops in late October.

Another notable change is the introduction of fashion templates. Long requested by the community, these will let players save cosmetic outfits just like build and equipment templates. Players will be able to swap between favorite armor appearances quickly, without digging through menus or wasting transmutation charges. It’s a big deal for Guild Wars 2’s fashion-first crowd, who treat character design like a game within the game.

There are also backend improvements coming to raids and strike missions. A new combined interface will unify both types of content under one umbrella. ArenaNet plans to roll this out fully in 2026, along with systems meant to encourage cooperative content. These aren’t massive structural changes, but they’re designed to make group content more accessible and rewarding across the board.

If you own both Janthir Wilds and Visions of Eternity, there’s also a new Homestead coming, likely as part of the game’s long-term player housing initiative. Not many details are available yet, but it suggests a continuation of the personal space features that were hinted at earlier this year.

Preorders are live now, with the Standard Edition priced at $24.99. Other tiers with bonus items and cosmetics are expected, following the model from past expansions. No collector’s edition has been announced so far.

Before the expansion reveal, Guild Wars 2 released a teaser campaign featuring cryptic symbols like a lute and winged helmet. These turned out to be hints toward the elite specs being introduced in Visions of Eternity. The lute, for example, sparked speculation that a bard class might finally appear. While not confirmed, the elite spec previews should clarify what professions are getting what changes during the beta.

ArenaNet originally planned to launch this expansion in August, but the studio pushed it back for final polishing. It’s not the first time this has happened. Every major Guild Wars 2 expansion since Path of Fire has seen some delays, mostly in service of long-term stability.

The delay also came during a busy content season. Just weeks ago, the final chapter of Janthir Wilds—called Absolution—wrapped up, closing the story of the Mists and the Titans. Players ended that arc by venturing to Bava Nisos and sealing the Mists gate, setting the stage for the next threat lurking in Castora. If history is any guide, Visions of Eternity will pick up that narrative thread and stretch it across the next year of content updates.

Guild Wars 2 remains one of the few long-running MMOs to avoid a full sequel and instead keep building on its foundation. The addition of new areas, character systems, and community features has allowed it to evolve gradually without splitting its player base.

The expansion will launch on October 28 around noon Eastern Time, barring any last-minute changes. There’s still plenty of time before release, so expect more teasers, previews, and livestreams from ArenaNet in the weeks ahead.

For now, players can get ready by exploring Janthir Wilds, catching up on their gear and builds, or prepping for the beta event in August. With elite specs returning and the mysteries of Castora ahead, Visions of Eternity looks like a strong follow-up to one of the game’s most lore-heavy years.