Guild Wars 2

Say I buy HoT. Will I be able to start the story without completing Living World Season 2?

I know I can start 2 without participating in Season 1. Will this be a requirement?

I have multiple characters and have only completed Season 2 with one of them. This information would be greatly appreciated. Thank You

You won’t need to complete LS S2 to access the story in HoT. There is no way that ArenaNet would put that kind of cost barrier to content in for new players.

I don’t think Anet have explicitly said you won’t need to complete Season 2 to play the HoT storyline but I’d be extremely surprised if you did.

So far the only part of the story that’s locked behind completing other stuff is your personal story – you have to play through that in order.

But you don’t need to complete (or even start) your personal story to play the Living World stuff, you don’t need to play any part of Season 1 to access Season 2, don’t need to play Season 2 in order etc.

For example it’s possible for someone to buy GW2 today, get to level 80, buy the very last chapter in Season 2 and play just that without touching any other part of the story. It wouldn’t make any sense, but they could do it.

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

You won’t need to complete LS S2 to access the story in HoT. There is no way that ArenaNet would put that kind of cost barrier to content in for new players.

That’s a good point.

It would be especially weird to give away the base game for free to avoid new players having to pay twice to play HoT and then force them to buy Season 2.

Thanks for the fast replies. This makes the prospect of buying HoT a little easier.

Season 2 won’t be required in the same sense that the personal story isn’t required to play season 2. The only requirement of HoT/Season 3 is being level 80 and owning HoT.

Danikat.8537:

It would be especially weird to give away the base game for free to avoid new players having to pay twice to play HoT and then force them to buy Season 2.

That’s what they’ll probably end up doing after HoT. They’re not giving away the game to avoid multiple payments, they’re making it easier to get people through the door.

Moving forward, I would expect that the living story is now free for anyone that bought the expansion (no need to login like season 2). Start with the next expansion however and although you would get HoT for free, the seasons would be a separate purchase. You wouldn’t be required to play those seasons, however you’d likely be missing out on masteries, elite specializations and whatever else.