Guild Wars 2's 5th expansion launches next week, and once again a mount is the star of the show

GamesMMOGuild Wars 2Guild Wars 2’s 5th expansion launches next week, and once again a mount is the star of the showWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: ArenaNet)

NPCs ride their new Warclaws.

We’re just a week away from the launch of Guild Wars 2’s fifth expansion, and with it the long awaited addition of player housing to ArenaNet’s MMO. I’ve already spenta bunch of time with the new Homestead feature, but recently I got a chance to sample the rest of the expansion too—a hands-on press tour that let me try out a part of the new story, and explore some sections of the two new maps planned for the Janthir Wilds' launch.

The trouble with an MMO preview, though, is it can be hard to get a sense of what really matters to players. The new maps look nice—the first is a rustic haven for a new faction of bearfolk, full of cosy cabins hidden away in a wild forest biome. But this is a game designed to be played for hundreds of hours. The real meat of any Guild Wars 2 map is in the flow of its events, and the desirability of the rewards it offers. The real question is whether I’ll still have reason to visit in three months'—hell, even three years'—time? Sure, I’m excited to explore these new spaces, and to properly attempt the second map’s world boss meta with a proper number of players. Beyond that, though? I have no deeper analysis to offer.

Instead, I’m here to talk about instant, immediate gratification. I’m here to talk about the Warclaw.

The Warclaw was first added to Guild Wars 2 back in 2019, as the designated mount for the World vs World game mode. Youcouldequip it in PvE, but really there wasn’t any reason to. Unlike other mounts, it didn’t offer any special traversal option. It had no role outside of the ability to use it in a competitive game mode.

(Image credit: ArenaNet)

A Kodan of the Lowland Shore

When ArenaNetfirst mentioned this last month, my response was merely “huh, OK”. Itsoundsneat, but how is a double jump useful in a world wherethe Skyscale exists? An extra mid-air jump is less impressive in a world where you can already fly short distances. But then I played it and realised it wasn’t just a double jump. Your Warclaw’s mid-air jump ability actually has three charges, but, more importantly, it’s tied to the endurance bar and actually regains energy while you’re still in the air. That means, if you time your jumps right, you can fit in even more.

I’ll be honest: as we were playing through the expansion’s first story chapter, I wasn’t pulling my weight in the various fights that occurred. I was jumping—trying to see how far I could bounce through the air. Using Season 4’s Bond of Vigor mastery skill and a Mount Energy Booster 3 installed in my Jade Bot, I counted 17 jumps before landing. Reader, that is not a double jump. That is a septendecuple jump. And I suspect I could have got that number higher if I’d really tried.

There are two important takeaways from this experiment. One, it is fun—just a real nice interaction. Good videogame stuff. Two, it might actually be a more useful traversal tool for vertical movement between two high points than the Skyscale, which has to battle with its flight meter over longer distances.

There are plenty of interesting quirks to Janthir Wilds—tweaks being made as ArenaNet refines the new annual expansion format that kicked off with last year’s Secrets of the Obscure. The first map, for instance, won’t feature a map-wide meta event chain. Instead, Renown Heart quests are returning, in a new tiered format that promises more rewards and even changes to the world as you move up the ranks. The annual roadmap has been updated, with raids returning in expansion’s first major update later in the year. I’ve got plenty of questions about how it’ll all play out—especially after SotO struggled to stick the landing on the story it was telling. My early time with Janthir Wilds didn’t answer those questions—these are things that will take weeks and months to discover. But whatever the future holds, I’ll be here, bouncing through it.

More about mmoDragonflight got WoW back on its feet, now we get to see if Blizzard can make the Worldsoul Saga runOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillLatestSorry everyone, Minecraft 2 is cancelled, and it might be our faultSee more latest►

More about mmo

Dragonflight got WoW back on its feet, now we get to see if Blizzard can make the Worldsoul Saga runOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skill

World of Warcraft The War Within screenshots

Dragonflight got WoW back on its feet, now we get to see if Blizzard can make the Worldsoul Saga run

A party of runescape adventurers

Old meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skill

LatestSorry everyone, Minecraft 2 is cancelled, and it might be our faultSee more latest►

Latest

Sorry everyone, Minecraft 2 is cancelled, and it might be our fault

Herobrine standing in front of a foggy forest

Sorry everyone, Minecraft 2 is cancelled, and it might be our fault

See more latest►

Most Popular

‘It’s simply impossible to make a difficulty level that’s just right for all players’: How Final Fantasy 14’s lead battle designer has been playing a precarious balancing game for Dawntrail’s dungeons and raids

Please join me in getting super excited for all the cool looking survival games coming in 2025 (and beyond)

Competitive shooters are at a crucial crossroads in 2025: ‘sweaty’ teamplay vs. casual fun

Call of Duty’s $28 Squid Game skins are the perfect crossover for our capitalist dystopia, and Activision knows exactly what it’s doing

These are the 14 biggest upcoming RPGs of 2025—get ready for another amazing year for the genre

Five new Steam games you probably missed (January 6, 2025)

I’ve seen enough: No more forcing singleplayer studios to make mediocre live service games

6 games that could be bigger hits than you’re expecting in 2025

What are your 2025 gaming resolutions?

The FBI put a $5 million bounty on the ‘Cryptoqueen’ last year but still hasn’t found her, so take your pick: Russia, South Africa, or murdered on a yacht in 2018

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review