Guild Wars 2’s next expansion is Path of Fire, will be released in September

Today, ArenaNet announced that Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire will be the second expansion to the popular MMO. The expansion, which will bring players back to the original game’s Crystal Desert, will be available on September 22 on PC, with a preview weekend from August 11-13.

Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire will see players return to the iconic Crystal Desert from the original Guild Wars, and to the northern reaches of Elona, the land of Guild Wars: Nightfall, 250 years on. For veterans of the series or those venturing into the world of Guild Wars 2 for the first time, Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire delivers a vast new region of magic-drenched desert plains, ancient temples and ruins, and beautiful oases.

Balthazar, the human god of war and fire, threatens the Crystal Desert and adjoining kingdom of Elona with his Forged legions. Players saw through the course of Living World Season 3 that Balthazar is determined to hunt Elder Dragons – and now he and his armies have invaded the desert to do just that. Now, Tyria’s fate hangs by a thread as players race to the desert to hunt down the rogue god before he can do any more damage to the delicate balance of magic.

“This new expansion is all about content,” said Mike O’Brien, ArenaNet president and co-founder.  “An epic story, five immense new open-world zones, mounts that allow you to move through Tyria in all-new ways, and nine new elite specializations.”

Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire will be available on September 22, with those who have a Guild Wars 2 account in good standing able to partake in a preview weekend from August 11-13. Check out the gallery above for some screenshots and a host of concept art, and stay tuned for more news here on Gaming Trend.

See below for our list of partners and affiliates: