Guild Wars 2 is getting a PvP revamp with the start of season five on December 13. It’s changing basically everything about how players are graded and matched against each other, from widening the possible player pool to making sure those who don’t play can’t sit at the top of the ladder forever. It’s briefly laid out in the video above, with more details in a blog post later today.
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Here’s where ArenaNet are focusing their efforts:
- Making better matches – pip restrictions are being removed in matchmaking, meaning quicker queue times for everyone. They’re also changing ranked to only allow parties of two at most.
- Skill measurement – skill rating will be added, placing players into one of five divisions. The top 250 players also get their own league to fight it out in. Skill rating itself is based off standard MMR, but will be soft-reset every season to bring people back towards the norm and make them prove themselves again. It also decays over time if you don’t play regularly.
- Rewards – the system of acquiring sweet loot from PvP is being changed so that playing more will always mean more rewards, rather than requiring long win-streaks or an above-average winrate. There will be different items on offer and increased rewards across the board.
- Ranking players in-game – personal score is being removed in favour of a series of stats, from damage dealt to deaths taken. There will also be a variable stat that depends on how much you’ve helped your team in objective-based modes.
- Maps – Skyhammer is being added to the rotation, while Stronghold is pushed out.
They’ll have to more to share on their blog later on today, at 8pm GMT / Midday PST.