Guild Wars 2

Dear ArenaNet,

I just wish to say GW2 was one of the best MMOs I have ever played. The customization, battle system and aesthetics have all left a lasting positive impression. Unfortunately, my gaming pc broke down a few years ago and so I decided to focus on console gaming since then. However, I have always missed the game.

There are other MMOs like FF14, ESO and more on consoles. Though they have their niche and are well polished, they feel very outdated gameplay wise and lack the character customization GW2 brings. There is no MMO on consoles like GW2 currently.

There were official statements close to the launch of GW2 about a console port but this was during the PS3 era where the power of consoles were certainly not sufficient enough to run this game to the standard expected without making major sacrifices.

This has changed with current gen where the technical challenges have been surpassed by various developers who are able to release full scale MMOs. FF14, ESO and Tera scheduled to be released this year are examples of this. BDO developers have also expressed interest in a console port.

Point is there is an evergrowing market in console MMOs and various developers are taking advantage of this trend.
GW2 is a unique MMO in its own right and I believe will be extremely well received by the console audience who wishes to enjoy such an MMO.

Yes, the game will obviously need to be optimized to the control scheme but in FF14 where I currently have to quickly keep track of over 30 skills on pad and have no trouble doing so, I cannot see this as an insurmountable obstacle. I am aware there are MANY other issues such as costs, Sony/MS policies and so on…

Is ArenaNet exploring a future console port?

The likelyhood of getting a dev response is rare but a very long time has passed since the console port was dismissed and well… yeah I am looking for a glimmer of hope if anything

The game is nearly 5 years old so I’d say: no. I think it could work really well on consoles but it’s too late for that.

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: Very very very unlikely.

It’s highly unlikely to happen now.

I’m pretty sure that’s something developers have to plan for right from the start. I know that was the case with Elder Scrolls Online – even though the console release was over a year after PC release they’d been planning for it since they started so they built the game to work on consoles. That wasn’t done with GW2.

But the biggest problem for this game is likely to be the updates. All updates for consoles have to be checked and approved by the console company, and that can take weeks (or months for something big like a whole new game) and the game developer has to pay for it to be done.

Even now GW2 has dropped down to ‘only’ having a big update every 2-3 months and smaller patches in between that would still end up being an expensive process and it’d delay all the releases because it can’t be checked until it’s finished. (This is why all the updates for Elder Scrolls Online are about a month later on consoles, but they don’t include any bug fixes that came out during that month – they’re only allowed to release what they originally submitted.) If an update is rejected it takes even longer because the developers have to fix it and resubmit it.

There is good reason for that process. Back in the mid-80’s badly made console games almost destroyed the entire games industry (no really, it did). It’s also a big part of the the reason even today installing and running games on a console is usually much simpler process than on PC and viruses and things are virtually unheard of. Whereas PC uses are pretty much left to manage the risk themselves.

But the downside is it’s expensive and slows down releases. Which I just don’t think would be practical for a game which uses regular big releases as a major selling point.

Current consoles are very underpowered on a per core basis and relies on game engines designed around being extensively multithreaded to perform well. GW2’s engine simply isn’t.

its possible i see many mmorpg have ps4 and xbox already ad to there game

Warframe
star trek online
FF14
elder scrolls and many more

and this game is not ubber heavy that a ps4 cant handel ore xbox

i was running this game with gt530 wont be a huge deal for consoles

I was about to write something about cpu core usage and how poor it is in current generation consoles but then figured, if people are to lazy to look up such simple stats and instead like to focus on gfx and other useless stuff it be wasted time.

Simply put: GW2 is not optimised to run on current gen consols, the effort to change this is quite huge and finally as long as you don’t see GW2 on steam, don’t expect arenanet to willingly give Microsoft or Sony part of their cake (go look up what PS4, Xbone and steam have in common monetisation wise).

Do console controllers even have enough buttons to play GW2?

10 buttons needed for skills, 1 for dodging and 1 for jumping means 12 buttons minimum for combat, not to mention class mechanics, and then being able to change target/interact with NPCs and other pretty basic functionality for the game.

Edit – Oh and ofc weapon swap, means 13 buttons minimum just for combat to be on a fair playing field for combat.

What is the point of having GW2 on consoles? It will just split playerbase even more and give none benefits.

Cyninja.2954:

I was about to write something about cpu core usage and how poor it is in current generation consoles but then figured, if people are to lazy to look up such simple stats and instead like to focus on gfx and other useless stuff it be wasted time.

Simply put: GW2 is not optimised to run on current gen consols, the effort to change this is quite huge and finally as long as you don’t see GW2 on steam, don’t expect arenanet to willingly give Microsoft or Sony part of their cake (go look up what PS4, Xbone and steam have in common monetisation wise).

Of course GW2 is not optimised for consoles… neither is TERA but that is coming out, unless the developers foresaw a console port 6 years later which is highly unlikely. What are TERA’s development team doing that ArenaNet cannot do to make their MMO run on consoles? This is actually a genuine question and not a rhetoric by the way.
You suggest looking up data but I don’t know what to look for as I’m quite technologically ignorant when it comes to stuff like this. I could look up the requirements to run GW2 and find that consoles cannot match it, but I don’t see how that helps me become more informed if I don’t know whether the game CAN be optimized.
What I’m curious about is not whether consoles can run it now, it’s whether they COULD run it with optimization without having to rework the whole game from scratch.
Clearly then the question can only be answered by the developers themselves as only they would know if the costs involved for porting is worth the potential return. This includes the fees they have to pay to Sony/Microsoft which again, other MMO developers are doing so we’re not talking about some new phenomenon here that only GW2 would have to encounter.

Regardless, I am aware the chances of a port are slim to none and I’m under no illusion. I just wondered if there were any recent rumours in the community going around as I’ve been out of the loop or if I was lucky enough to get a dev response on this matter. I’m sure I cannot be the only one interested in this

Ider.1276:

What is the point of having GW2 on consoles? It will just split playerbase even more and give none benefits.

It won’t have any effect on the PC playerbase as consoles can have their own servers which is something other console MMOs are currently doing. Assuming the return in investment pays off (obviously), it actually benefits everyone, including PC players. More players = more money for Anet to invest back into the game = longer lifespan/more content etc.

Xienzato.7214:

Of course GW2 is not optimised for consoles… neither is TERA but that is coming out, unless the developers foresaw a console port 6 years later which is highly unlikely. What are TERA’s development team doing that ArenaNet cannot do to make their MMO run on consoles? This is actually a genuine question and not a rhetoric by the way.

Tera was developed on Unreal Engine 3, there are optimized versions of the engine for the major consoles. The GW2 game engine was developed in house for dual core PCs. It’s not heavily threaded so the eight, less powerful cores, of the XBone and PS4 is a detriment.

Xienzato.7214:

It won’t have any effect on the PC playerbase as consoles can have their own servers which is something other console MMOs are currently doing. Assuming the return in investment pays off (obviously), it actually benefits everyone, including PC players. More players = more money for Anet to invest back into the game = longer lifespan/more content etc.

And yet I don’t see any point of console porting. Players who wanted to play GW2 already own GW2 on PC, with better controls and performance. Of course, there is some minority who on principal don’t by the game if it is not on consoles, but that is a minority, and I don’t think they can justify spending money and human resorses on console ports.

Behellagh.1468:

Xienzato.7214:

Of course GW2 is not optimised for consoles… neither is TERA but that is coming out, unless the developers foresaw a console port 6 years later which is highly unlikely. What are TERA’s development team doing that ArenaNet cannot do to make their MMO run on consoles? This is actually a genuine question and not a rhetoric by the way.

Tera was developed on Unreal Engine 3, there are optimized versions of the engine for the major consoles. The GW2 game engine was developed in house for dual core PCs. It’s not heavily threaded so the eight, less powerful cores, of the XBone and PS4 is a detriment.

Ok thanks for the explanation

Ider.1276:

Xienzato.7214:

It won’t have any effect on the PC playerbase as consoles can have their own servers which is something other console MMOs are currently doing. Assuming the return in investment pays off (obviously), it actually benefits everyone, including PC players. More players = more money for Anet to invest back into the game = longer lifespan/more content etc.

And yet I don’t see any point of console porting. Players who wanted to play GW2 already own GW2 on PC, with better controls and performance. Of course, there is some minority who on principal don’t by the game if it is not on consoles, but that is a minority, and I don’t think they can justify spending money and human resorses on console ports.

No debate that the MMO market is certainly dominant on PCs but it is becoming an emergent market on consoles as well. GW2 is not only one of the most popular AAA MMOs out at the moment, but it is also different enough to them that a lot of console players would appreciate the horizonal progression, customization and fluid action combat mechanics.
Not many console players even know what GW2 is and the game is rarely represented in the media for some strange reason. I remember seeing a bit of news about the expansion but that’s pretty much it.

To give you a personal example. My friend and I have been playing FF14 for many years and to this present day. He recently got a gaming PC and I recommended GW2 to him as he never heard of it before… well he is VERY interested in the game. He can’t be the only console MMO fan who has never explored/heard of the game.

Oh well, I am considering purchasing another gaming PC in the near future, so there is still hope for me

Xienzato.7214:

Oh well, I am considering purchasing another gaming PC in the near future, so there is still hope for me

You can run GW2 on a 7-8 year old PC, judging by minimal system requirements. It is a 5 year old game. Nowardays almost anyone with a console has a PC for work/study/internet. And that PC most likely can run GW2, if it is a machine from this decade. That is why I am confused with this thread.

Ider.1276:

Xienzato.7214:

Oh well, I am considering purchasing another gaming PC in the near future, so there is still hope for me

You can run GW2 on a 7-8 year old PC, judging by minimal system requirements. It is a 5 year old game. Nowardays almost anyone with a console has a PC for work/study/internet. And that PC most likely can run GW2, if it is a machine from this decade. That is why I am confused with this thread.

True, but consoles are still very much the go to place for gaming (as an anecdote, I am the only one of my friends who uses a PC for gaming – everyone else uses console, simply because their lower spec PC’s wouldn’t do justice to any games.). There is clearly a market – the emergence of so many MMO’s (FF14, TESO, Star Trek, Neverwinter to name a few) shows there is an appetite for them there even if it is a secondary format for MMO’s. So it’s def a valid question to ask whether a console release is due.

I think the earlier technical specs pretty much shuts the possibility down anyway, but there are other challenges which block it for GW2 and I think the way console versions and PC versions are often separate is key. If they can’t work together, that puts a strain on WvW and ensuring a high enough population for metas. If they do work together, then it looks bad when the sharp influx of new players run into a brick wall with the current full servers.

ArenaNet don’t usually talk about their “maybe, but maybe not” plans. They also seldom rule anything out if they’d like to do it if the opportunity were right, even if it’s unlikely it ever will be; and there’s no chance they haven’t thought about this question. So I’m not holding my breath for an answer on this one.

OriOri.8724:

Do console controllers even have enough buttons to play GW2?

10 buttons needed for skills, 1 for dodging and 1 for jumping means 12 buttons minimum for combat, not to mention class mechanics, and then being able to change target/interact with NPCs and other pretty basic functionality for the game.

Edit – Oh and ofc weapon swap, means 13 buttons minimum just for combat to be on a fair playing field for combat.

My PC is connected to my 4k 65 inch TV…
I play on the XboxOne controller using Xpadder.

Here is my controller layout:
(Combat Mode)

Right Analogue Stick = Camera
Left Analogue Stick = QWES
Click Left Analogue Stick = Auto-Run

Going Clock Wise

(A) = Skill 1
(X) = Skill 2
(Y) = Skill 3
(B) = Skill 4
(Right Trigger) – Skill 5

(Left Bumper) + (A) = Skill 6
(Left Bumper) + (X) = Skill 7
(Left Bumper) + (Y) = Skill 8
(Left Bumper) + (B) = Skill 9
(Left Bumper) + Right Trigger) = Skill 0

Profession Skills
Going Clock Wise

(Left Dpad) = F1
(Up Dpad) = F2
(Right Dpad) = F3
(Down Dpad) = F4
(Left Bumper) + (Down Dpad) = F5
(Left Bumper) + (Left Dpad) = – This is the Mastery Magic Ability

(Right Bumper) = Dodge
(Left Trigger) + (X) = Switch Targets / Interact
(Left Trigger) + (Y) = Swap Weapons
(Left Trigger) + (B) = Escape
(Left Trigger) + (A) = Jump

(Adventure Mode)
Hit the Start Button on the Controller to toggle this layout.

(A) = Jump
(X) = Interact
(Y) = World Map
(B) = Escape

(Menu Mode)
Hit the Select button on the controller to toggle this layout.

(Left Trigger) = Left Click
(Right Trigger) = Right Click
(A) = Left Click
(X) = Interact
(Y) = Options Menu
(B) = Cancle

(Left D-Pad) = Hero’s Panel + Inventory menu
(Right D-Pad) = Friends List + Guild Menu
(Up D-Pad) = Black Lion Trading Company
(Down D-Pad) = PvP Menu

Also here is what it looks like when I play all 9 classes using my XboxOne controller:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qzn6r22W64&t=1s

Ider.1276:

Xienzato.7214:

Oh well, I am considering purchasing another gaming PC in the near future, so there is still hope for me

You can run GW2 on a 7-8 year old PC, judging by minimal system requirements. It is a 5 year old game. Nowardays almost anyone with a console has a PC for work/study/internet. And that PC most likely can run GW2, if it is a machine from this decade. That is why I am confused with this thread.

Why confused?
There are many reasons console gamers prefer console gaming to PC gaming despite them being technically inferior.
I have nothing against PC gaming, I just prefer having all my gaming on one platform as I just like it that way.
Obviously this is the price I have to pay for this commodity but that’s ok, it doesn’t hurt to ask and I got a lot of useful replies.

Thanks everyone

OriOri.8724:

Do console controllers even have enough buttons to play GW2?

10 buttons needed for skills, 1 for dodging and 1 for jumping means 12 buttons minimum for combat, not to mention class mechanics, and then being able to change target/interact with NPCs and other pretty basic functionality for the game.

Edit – Oh and ofc weapon swap, means 13 buttons minimum just for combat to be on a fair playing field for combat.

PS4:

Left Stick = Character Movement
Left Stick Press = Auto Camera Focus
Right Stick = Camera Movement
Right Stick Press = Zoom/In Out

Press X with no D-Pad = Auto Attack
Press X + D Pad Directs = Skill 2-5
Press O with no D-Pad = Healing Skill
Press O with D-Pad Left, Right, Down = Utility Skills
Press O with D-Pasd Up = Elite Skill
L1 = Weapon Swap
R1 = Dodge Roll
R2 = Jump
Options = Menu
Touchpad = Map
Share= Screenshots/Social Media
L2 + D-Pad = F1-F4
L2 without D-Pad = F5

What was that again with too less buttons? People easily forget, how much buttons for once Controlers these days have today – we don’t play anymore with stoneage controlers like the NES one with its simple 4 buttons + DPad only for 8 different signals you can send out to the console.
Games these days have become ages ago more and more complex, so tghat controlers had to become more complex with alot of more buttons too, to be able to play those games with ints complex gameplay systems that require alot of buttons.

With a Controler the functions of the buttons change between the situatinos in regard what you do in the game – meanign f you are in combat or not.
Thats the difference between a keyboard and a controler only due to a keyboard having alot more “buttons” in total than a controler, this means automatically that the reduced amount of buttons that the controler has must take over the functions in multiple “Settings”

So…

- A Combat Setting for the Button Functions
- A General Setting for the Button Functions (talking with NPCs, interact with environment ect.)

If Anet would have the will, the ressources and the money to do a console version, then we would have it already long ago. if they would even care for this, then we would have at least even an official controller support function in this game, but no, if we want to have that, we are still dependent on using 3rd party programs ect. just to be able to play GW2 with controlers cause Anet doesn’t officially support that by themself as a “Feature of the Game” and that is the real disappointing fact here.

Xienzato.7214:

Why confused?
There are many reasons console gamers prefer console gaming to PC gaming despite them being technically inferior.
I have nothing against PC gaming, I just prefer having all my gaming on one platform as I just like it that way.
Obviously this is the price I have to pay for this commodity but that’s ok, it doesn’t hurt to ask and I got a lot of useful replies.

Thanks everyone

In that case only thing I can suggest you is creating a petition to port GW2 on consoles and start gathering votes. It worked for Dark Souls PC port. It will work for GW2, if Anet will see that there is a large playerbase on consoles who is willing to buy their game.
And yet I am (personaly) against any porting. Not because I have anything against consoles, I just don’t want Anet to split their resorses. More people working on the port → less people working on living world and expansion 2 → more content droughts → dead playerbase.

Man I hope not. Look this isn’t an “anti console player” type thing either. Its a 90% of the games us PC players get now days are a garbage/dumb down console port. Thats the last thing I want GWs to become.

Just imagine playing ele or engi with a console controller LOL.

Putting the tech aspects aside, it would be near impossible to play GW2 wit ha controller, FF14 has this thing where you get little submenus for the skills (exapmle: skills are fire 1, fire 2, fire 3 and so on, so each skill type is in a little submenu) easily accessible with the controller, but FF14’s gameplay and rotations are simpler and slower. Someone succesfully playing engi or ele in a raid environment, heck even dungeon WITH a controller would be a sight to behold.

I’m sorry man

not every1 have a high end game pc and they only have a console and love to play this game

i see np why Anet wont ad it ??
and you get a much bigger player base all around the world

only problem i see with consoles are that they are behind in updates
pc always get first then the consoles

Genlog.4983:

not every1 have a high end game pc and they only have a console and love to play this game

i see np why Anet wont ad it ??
and you get a much bigger player base all around the world

only problem i see with consoles are that they are behind in updates
pc always get first then the consoles

Your questions are answered higher up in this thread. Read and enjoy!

maybe if they get sponsored by someone who knows?

Nyel.1843:

The game is nearly 5 years old so I’d say: no. I think it could work really well on consoles but it’s too late for that.

Don’t bet on it. Just because the game is old doesn’t mean it will never happen. Star Trek Online launched on Xbox One and Playstation 4 in mid/late 2016, and the game was 6 and a half years old when it happened.

But there are things to consider. Such as the console companies most likely wanting a share of any sales related to the game and/or the gem shop.

Another thing though, in STO’s case it was said ahead of time that your PC account wouldn’t transfer over to consoles. None of your characters, items, subscription status, or cash shop purchases would be available. You don’t lose any of this on the PC version. You just have to start with a completely new account for consoles. To my understanding, this might be a standard practice with the console companies for MMO’s that port their games over.

And if that’s the case, I don’t think anyone with 10’s of thousands of achievement points would be too pleased to find nothing from their account would transfer over. It would also mean, unless the game was fully free-to-play on consoles, you’d most likely have to buy a copy of the game for consoles and make a new account.

Basically, the game releasing on consoles would mainly be for new players, to reach out to players who prefer a different gaming platform that otherwise wouldn’t be interested in Guild Wars 2.

Ider.1276:

Xienzato.7214:

Oh well, I am considering purchasing another gaming PC in the near future, so there is still hope for me

You can run GW2 on a 7-8 year old PC, judging by minimal system requirements. It is a 5 year old game. Nowardays almost anyone with a console has a PC for work/study/internet. And that PC most likely can run GW2, if it is a machine from this decade. That is why I am confused with this thread.

Not necessarily. I know quite a few people who have a console to play games and a tablet for other stuff and don’t have a PC at all.

Admittedly none of them are likely to ever be interested in an MMO…most of them don’t even play what I consider to be the better console games, but the point is there are people out there with a console and no PC of any kind.

Knuckle Joe.7408:

Just imagine playing ele or engi with a console controller LOL.

Putting the tech aspects aside, it would be near impossible to play GW2 wit ha controller, FF14 has this thing where you get little submenus for the skills (exapmle: skills are fire 1, fire 2, fire 3 and so on, so each skill type is in a little submenu) easily accessible with the controller, but FF14’s gameplay and rotations are simpler and slower. Someone succesfully playing engi or ele in a raid environment, heck even dungeon WITH a controller would be a sight to behold.

I’m sorry man

This statement is 100% untrue.
I play effectively sometimes even way better than most keyboard and mouse warriors with my xboxOne controller. The video above this thread is me playing all 9 classes including engineer with my controller. It depends on your layout and experience with the game that determines how well you can perform in combat.

I personally agree with previous statement, I do not want them to dumb down the game because of console port so please keep this game far away from consoles.