Three Years After Launch, Guild Wars 2's First Raid Arrives Next Week

More than three years after Guild Wars 2 originally launched in August 2012, the PC MMO is finally getting its first raid next week. The first of three raid wings, Spirit Vale, will debut in the game through its recently released Heart of Thorns expansion starting on November 17.

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"Raids in Heart of Thorns will be unlike anything players have experienced before, such as 10-player challenges designed to deliver epic encounters and rich rewards for skilled players, and with gameplay rooted in everything that sets Guild Wars 2 apart from other MMOs," developer ArenaNet said.

Players who defeat raid bosses will receive "ascended armor and weapons," along with unique items themed around the creatures featured in every raid. On top of that, players whose journeys through raids are successful will find themselves with the highly coveted legendary armor.

Guild Wars 2 raids are free, but you'll need to have purchased the paid Heart of Thorns expansion to play them. For more on Spirit Vale, check out the key points below, as written by ArenaNet.

• Allies in Need - A Pact squad has gone missing in northern Maguuma, and you and your allies are their only hope for recovery. But the deadly forest isn't the only risk to the rescue operation--the area holds dark secrets and strange magic.
• Enhanced Squad UI - Along with the addition of our first raid wing, you can get organized on a whole new level with the enhanced squad UI. This feature will allow you to organize, command, and lead your ten-player raid or a squad of up to 50 players in World vs. World and Tyria at large.
• Legendary Rewards - With great risk comes great reward, and conquering raids will start you down the path to gathering the components you'll need to build legendary armor. You may also find ascended gear, miniatures, and new, unique weapon skins.

More details about Guild Wars 2's first raid are available here.

Guild Wars 2 was released in summer 2012 and sold more than 5 million copies before its free-to-play conversion in August. The game's Heart of Thorns expansion was released in October, and not long after, the game hit an all-time high of 7 million players.