Guild Wars turns 20 years old with a new anniversary edition

The original Guild Wars launched in April 2005, so the game turns 20 years old this month, joining a venerable club of classic MMOs including EverQuest (1999 and yes, it’s still going), EverQuest 2 (2004), and World of Warcraft (2004). (City of Heroes also launched in 2004, but I don’t quite think it counts with its decade-plus downtime before being revived by fans.) While Guild Wars 2 (2012) followed the game, the original is still around for players who want the classic experience — and now it’s much easier to jump into the game with Guild Wars: The 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Collection.

This new edition bundles all Guild Wars content into a single purchase for $40, including Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall, Eye of the North, and the Bonus Mission Pack. And to celebrate the anniversary, it’s on sale for just $8, while versions of the game are 80% off on Steam if you prefer to play there. There’s no subscription for the game, so if you want to play that’s all you need to spend. The sale will last until April 29, giving you a couple of weeks to decide if you want in on this deal.

The game is also getting a content update that brings previously unobtainable promotional items back to the game as rare drops, including pre-order bonuses and territorial bonuses. You can also buy limited-release minis from Merrise in Embark Beach during the in-game Anniversary festival, which runs through May 6.

But the most interesting addition is the new “of the Profession” weapon modifier. These main-hand weapon upgrades will set the level of the profession’s primary attribute as high as 5, even if you wouldn’t normally have access to that attribute. This means new build options for characters, which I always think is exciting.

Of course, with Guild Wars 3 reportedly in development, the original certainly shows its age. But there’s just no replacing the classic experience of a much-loved game, as we’ve seen in classic versions of other long-lasting MMOs. Here’s to the next decade of Guild Wars.