Guild Wars 2's 4th Exansion "Secrets of the Obscure" Officially Launches

Guild Wars 2 launched their 4th expansion today titled "Secrets of the Obscure" today which introduces a ton of new content for players to enjoy. The expansion adds 2 new maps (Skywatch Archipelago and Amnytas), 2 new Strike Missions, and a new central hub.

Like previous Guild Wars 2 expansions, it does cost money ($24.99) and will include future updates as well. The game is available both on Steam and on the game's own website. The game hit 6,590 concurrent players on Steam today, up from 4,320 yesterday.

New gameplay features for Secrets of the Obscure:

Advanced Flight Masteries: Secrets of the Obscure introduces a new, streamlined way to acquire the fan favorite skyscale mount, and those players who train their skyscale in both the new track from this expansion and the previously released Path of Fire® will earn additional functionality for their skyscale. Two of the Secrets of the Obscure skyscale masteries - in-combat mounting and updraft use - will also apply to the griffon mount

The Wizard’s Vault: a new system for daily, weekly, and seasonal achievements across the game to earn unique items like armor pieces, weapon and mount skins, gold, legendary crafting materials, and more.

Relics: a new equipment slot now home to a wide variety of rune set bonuses previously found on different rune types, allowing for more customization of special effects and stat bonuses players can use on their characters
Weaponmaster Training: each of the game’s nine professions will be able to equip the weapons previously reserved for their elite specialization, unlocking new gameplay and build options for players.

The Heart of the Obscure: this important tool will serve as the player’s master key to explore the new expansion; as they make progress in upgrading this mystical stone, they’ll earn the ability to open special doors and reward chests, create support items like leyline and updraft generators, and open and seal the rifts through which the Kryptis threaten the world

Interestingly, the time between the last expansion, End of Dragons, and this new one is shorter than before. End of Dragons launched in February, 2022 which is just 18 months ago. Prior to End of Dragons, Path of Fire launched in September 2017. The time between Path of Fire and End of Dragons was 4.5 years!

Further Reading: Official Announcement