Guild Wars 2

It isn’t. If a player with no version of GW2 buys it, they get the whole game. That’s not an expansion. It also costs the same to existing players as players who don’t own the game. That’s not an expansion.

Does it expand upon the core game? Yes

Heart of thorns is an expansion. It costs the same to everyone.

The base game though is free when buying the expansion, much like so many games companies offer. Like when i bought lotro mines of moria and base came free with it years ago. Like countless other games i bought. This offer is a bundle for new players base plus expac.

Feedback to tne company is great. Twisting the facts to support an argument is not.

In truth it’s a bundle so technically it’s a standalone game with added content…..For new players.

The prepurchase bundle includes free access to the base game to new players.

No where does it state that this will be the case after prepurchases, and I believe the FAQ even specifies that this is a preorder-exclusive offer for new players.

All good and well, except the fact that you can’t buy vanilla GW2 anymore. So HoT is the base game now, not an expansion.

Its not an expansion….it’s a very expensive DLC!

Yeah, I get the feeling it’s a glorified bundle. But, until I see it and the content, that’s pure speculation.

rapthorne.7345:

The prepurchase bundle includes free access to the base game to new players.

No where does it state that this will be the case after prepurchases, and I believe the FAQ even specifies that this is a preorder-exclusive offer for new players.

Your assuming that the FAQ’s mean anything at this point. They could just change them tomorrow, or the next day. They have already changed it to suit their purpose, why wouldn’t they do it again ?

Ok that might be the case, but still doesn’t change the fact it’s a bundle, Thus making it a standalone. So they should call it a new account only bundle no existing accounts need apply.

Dark souls 2: Sin of the first scholar.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EQK5OHY/ref=s9_simh_gw_p63_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1TY6P2NK73S7ST49JGN1&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=577048787&pf_rd_i=desktop merry christmas

Heart of Thorns = Expensive LS3 in other words DLC.

Rebember that “closed beta” where people had (also me) to farm SW for days to get portal? It ended up being nothing more than another bs stresstest. Stresstest =/= beta

Now featuring things that should have been in the original game + half the new content of any other expansion! And including crucial fixes to the core game that plagued the original game for years! Full price!

-CHING!-CHING!-

rapthorne.7345:

The prepurchase bundle includes free access to the base game to new players.

No where does it state that this will be the case after prepurchases, and I believe the FAQ even specifies that this is a preorder-exclusive offer for new players.

This is what the FAQ says:

Q: Do I have to own Guild Wars 2 to play the expansion?
A: Yes, but Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns includes the Guild Wars 2 core game.

Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns includes the core game, therefore it’s a standalone. No pre-purchase exclusivity clause, either.

I’m sure in due time the FAQ will change without notice to reflect whatever new deal Anet comes up with.

Hot is an expansion for Guild Wars 2 players. It’s the full game and an expansion for new buyers. The expansion is there, included with the original game.

(from a player post)

Here is what a expansion is:

It’s an expansion pack, you need an expansion pack for your brain. It’s an expansion pack in the way that the game is expanded with the addition of more content. It’s expanding the current game world. Expanding = expansion

17 pounds for heroic pack is too much when you’re getting a boxed copy. I got mine from amazon for 20, less than the standard package. Just get product key, activate and boom heroic pack for 20, less than standard. I was like LOL.

RabbitUp.8294:

rapthorne.7345:

The prepurchase bundle includes free access to the base game to new players.

No where does it state that this will be the case after prepurchases, and I believe the FAQ even specifies that this is a preorder-exclusive offer for new players.

This is what the FAQ says:

Q: Do I have to own Guild Wars 2 to play the expansion?
A: Yes, but Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns includes the Guild Wars 2 core game.

Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns includes the core game, therefore it’s a standalone. No pre-purchase exclusivity clause, either.

I’m sure in due time the FAQ will change without notice to reflect whatever new deal Anet comes up with.

Too late. If I were a class action attorney I’d be drooling.

Run Away PLZ.7639:

Does it expand upon the core game? Yes

Afaik, you can no longer buy the standalone from their store, only the HoT. That kinda rules out the “expansion” version, or the DLC. As long as there’s no more a GW2 to attach to, the HoT “bundle” IS the game.

There may even be some facts that can support this statement:

• the skills and mechanics have been brought into the desired shape and effect (kinda creating the feeling GW2 had a very long – 3 years – of betas, financially supported by the players).
• The mechanics for LW and general gameplay have been finally fine-tuned and completed
• The “bundle” doesn’t come with the elements most of the addons/expansions come with, but rather offers – based on the price payed – either f2p experience of a full game (at the minimum price of $50) or a normal, full experience with a fistful of bling-blings added at the max price.
• Elements of the game that were missing have been added finally (GHs)

With these in mind, I’m kinda thinking ANet picked the lesser evil by just lying about the requirement to have the original game for the “expansion” over stating that they’ve actually reached that stage where “GW2 is finally ready”. They kept saying it’ll hit the shelves when it’s ready, but it would seem NC wanted it there faster…

It is an expansion whether you like it or not. Get over it.

Actually, isn’t it more like a revision?

Like with Street Fighter 4, Super Street Fighter 4, Ultra, Arcade Edition, etc.

New users and old users pay the same price for the full package, and the only advantage long time players have is personal experience and getting to keep the DLC costumes, earned unlocks, and such they already bought on the old versions.

Actually, yeah, it’s EXACTLY like Street Fighter 4,

Except the revisions were released at much lower price points than the original games at release, each one was in the $20-$30 range…

DarkSyze.8627:

(from a player post)

Here is what a expansion is:

When GW2 starts charging a subscription fee as a mandatory requirement for playing the game that comparison will be relevant. Until then it’s meaningless.

The base game has been discontinued. You can’t call this an expansion if there’s no base game left.

Alexxander.8306:

Too late. If I were a class action attorney I’d be drooling.

The fact that you drool is a good indication why you’re never going to be smart enough to be an attorney.

Run Away PLZ.7639:

Does it expand upon the core game? Yes

Would be great if they could tell us exactly what we are getting for our money though.

Facts first please ANet – I don’t pay on hype and promises.

CrimsonDX.4821:

It is an expansion whether you like it or not. Get over it.

Surely an expansion is something that can be purchased to add to an existing product? But that’s not possible anymore. HoT is Guild Wars 2 now. Their is no extra add on under their new packaging. They’ve removed just being able to get vanilla gw2.

Nokaru.7831:

The fact that you drool is a good indication why you’re never going to be smart enough to be an attorney.

Nice ad hominem.

I would be thrilled to know how you correlate saliva flow control to intelligence.

It’s not an expansion, it’s a feature pack.

yes, as others have said, its not really an expansion. Its new game. people who own the old game can play with people who have the new game.

they are not actively selling the old version any more. go ahead, go to the store and try to by the base game, it doesnt exist

Define expansion:

the action of becoming larger or more extensive.

Guild halls (with tons of features), new maps, events, rewards, new WvW, Gliders, LS Season.

Expansion Confirmed.

Either way the original game is being expanded, much larger, more features.

Whether it’s an expansion or DLC matters little, what really matters is the fact that it’s very expensive with not enough content to justify the price tag in my estimation.

T raw.4658:

Its not an expansion….it’s a very expensive DLC!

O so you cant buy a hard copy of it? You do understand DLC just means down loadable content size has nothing to do with it.

olTThreelo.6710:

Whether it’s an expansion or DLC matters little, what really matters is the fact that it’s very expensive with not enough content to justify the price tag in my estimation.

So that the thing what would justify say 10 – 15$ that ppl are saying its over priced by? It all just seems a lot over nothing and when you sit down and think about it the price is a stander for most expansion and depending on cost of production and inflation of money 50$ seems to be right on the mark.

Can you sit there and say “i will not play HoT content and new added classes” becuse of 15$?

If it wasn’t an expansion, then it would be something completely different that doesn’t include any material from the core game (like Factions or Nightfall from GW1). In this case, it does.

I don’t think we can apply industry standard definitions and descriptions to HoT. Perhaps Pokemon offers a solution with HoT being the evolved form of GW2.

I would only consider it an expansion if they added a new continent, not just one zone!

“Oh look they added a new tree” – Expansion confirmed, now pay us $50! And expansion has to be above a given amount of content, and HoT doesnt meet that limit.

Orochimaru.4730:

It’s not an expansion, it’s a feature pack.

Feature packs were free, we’ve had a few in this game over the times. On the 23rd we are getting all those trait changes for free.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/feature-packs/

MashMash.1645:

Facts first please ANet – I don’t pay on hype and promises.

And where have they actually “promised” HoT will arrive? You know that with the iterative development process they use that plans can change, and nothing is off the table. Just because they say something is coming doesn’t mean it is.

::evil grin::

Like you, I’m waiting for more facts, then I’ll decide.

DarkSyze.8627:

(from a player post)

Here is what a expansion is:

Ofc, you’d expect that having dished out a mandatory minimum sub fee of 13 GBP every month since launch.
IT’s the BARE MINIMUM I’d expect of a P2P MMO.

Can someone dig up a video or official post from Anet where they actually say “I promise this” or “I promise that”

I’m not sure they ever “promised” anything, I’m thinking they said things and people took those are promises. People change their minds all the time. Some things have to change to get better.

If they didn’t do a pinky swear with you personally I wouldn’t take it as a promise.

Its the true definition of a Standalone. Just like the first two gw1 expansions.. the third expansion may be a true expansion for GW2 like it was for GW1.

Knighthonor.4061:

Its the true definition of a Standalone. Just like the first two gw1 expansions.. the third expansion may be a true expansion for GW2 like it was for GW1.

HoT is NOT a stand alone as Anet has already stated as such.

Don’t get menough wrong they priced it that way but it aint

briggah.7910:

Can someone dig up a video or official post from Anet where they actually say “I promise this” or “I promise that”

I’m not sure they ever “promised” anything, I’m thinking they said things and people took those are promises. People change their minds all the time. Some things have to change to get better.

If they didn’t do a pinky swear with you personally I wouldn’t take it as a promise.

So you would be perfectly fine if say you purchase the xpac and a month down the road they “change their mind” and decide they aren’t going to release it ? Here’s the kicker, no refunds, after all people change their minds all the time right ?

If you get the core game for free at the same time as the dlc it is no longer an expansion, its just content.

Why do you think Anet is not openly stating how many explorable regions are in the expansion?
Because they know darn well how many players won’t buy it if they find out.
Befrore I buy i need 2 things from Anet openly tell us how many zones are in and create an edition without the core game “The Basic Edition”.
Anything less and I will wait until it’s below 35 dollars.
The only way I will pay 50 is if the game has 12 or more zones and I doubt very much it does.
For the next expansion Anet you might consider not slapping your player base in the face.

No, because if its not an expansion, its the core game, and if its the core game, I already bought and paid for it! In which case, where’s my copy?

evoRobot.4019:

Define expansion:

the action of becoming larger or more extensive.

Guild halls (with tons of features), new maps, events, rewards, new WvW, Gliders, LS Season.

Expansion Confirmed.

Either way the original game is being expanded, much larger, more features.

it cant be called an expansion if you have to buy a new complete product.

the fact that they are no longer selling GW2 core alone, and the only way to get HoT has core as part of the product means that Hot is a complete product, and seperate product, not an expansion.

Galleron Kurn.7490:

If it wasn’t an expansion, then it would be something completely different that doesn’t include any material from the core game (like Factions or Nightfall from GW1). In this case, it does.

no, including material from another game is not what makes something an expansion. In fact an expansion DOESNT include material from another game. It builds on the other game.

here are other examples of non expanison

phantasy star online and phantasy star online ver 2.

required the purchase of a whole new game, even though it was mostly an upgrade. you could import charachters, and play with ver 1 people. In their defense, this came out on consoles, before mass downloads and what not.

for another example

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_IV

see the different versions, they required you to buy a new game, in their defense, each one was cheaper than the initial one.

fact is, HoT is not an expansion, because HoT is now the main version. There is no ability to just buy part of it (which would make it an expansion, and a game update) They are basically requiring a new purchase for the game, and the price aligns with that.

if they did seperate it, it would actually be an expansion, just a very expensive expansion.

So seperating it isnt the main issue, but yeah its no longer an expansion as things are.

briggah.7910:

Random.4691:

briggah.7910:

Can someone dig up a video or official post from Anet where they actually say “I promise this” or “I promise that”

I’m not sure they ever “promised” anything, I’m thinking they said things and people took those are promises. People change their minds all the time. Some things have to change to get better.

If they didn’t do a pinky swear with you personally I wouldn’t take it as a promise.

So you would be perfectly fine if say you purchase the xpac and a month down the road they “change their mind” and decide they aren’t going to release it ? Here’s the kicker, no refunds, after all people change their minds all the time right ?

Seeing as that would never happen and I already think of you as a troll. I have nothing else to respond to you. :P

You don’t have to respond, but I am curious why you would think it would never happen ? I mean we are talking about a company that just insinuated to (I’ll guess and say thousands) of people that they needed to buy the game prior to the xpac, only to “change their minds”.

Arioso.8519:

Actually, isn’t it more like a revision?

Like with Street Fighter 4, Super Street Fighter 4, Ultra, Arcade Edition, etc.

New users and old users pay the same price for the full package, and the only advantage long time players have is personal experience and getting to keep the DLC costumes, earned unlocks, and such they already bought on the old versions.

Actually, yeah, it’s EXACTLY like Street Fighter 4,

Except the revisions were released at much lower price points than the original games at release, each one was in the $20-$30 range…

He, another one with my Street Fighter compareson.
ANet going the Capcom way, so yeah it is not a new thing they are doing here.

Though it is like every Street Fighter since 2.

The good thing about them, though, was the simple fact that you could still sell your old copy of the game.
Upgraded to Super Street Fighter 4 Ulimate Arcade Mega Edition, you got still your Super Street Fighter 4 Ultimate Arcade Edition, or just plain old Street Fighter 4 to give around to your friends or sell it. If the devs were smart, you could even play with them, as the new stuff could have been patched in or could have been plain DLC.

However this is the new modern digital age.

GW2 = GW2HoT

Their thinking is smart, even though it is devalueing the expansion with it.
It is all about new players and everything is directed at new players, who don`t know better, or are easy pickings.

The Core Game and Expansion should have been a seperate bundle. Right now it is taking the place of the core game, making it basicaly GW2 3.0.

So while in marketing speech it could be called a big expansion, as it is not sold seperately and from a developement perspective just a big feature pack it just ends up being (with the fact that the core game doesn`t exist anymore) GW2 after three years. Please pay for it.

I don`t want to be harsh. I know their reasoning. However it still doesn`t makes it right. It leaves a big sour taste in my mouth.