- ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson has offered a deep dive into Guild Wars 3’s momentum system
- The feature offers “fluid” transitions between movement and combat, which Johanson says is a “first” for the MMORPG genre
- Players can build momentum as they move around the world and in combat to deliver powerful attacks
ArenaNet has revealed more about Guild Wars 3‘s newly introduced momentum system, a mechanic that blends all actions and combat abilities to ensure constant “fluid” movement.
During an exclusive presentation TechRadar Gaming attended at Gamescom, ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson showcased the studio’s action-adventure MMORPG and offered a deep dive into the game’s story and open world, the combat system, multiplayer design, and more.
Johanson also touched on the game’s new momentum system, saying Guild Wars 3 will be the first MMORPG to offer smooth transitions between movement and combat.
“If you can picture with me for a second, movement in an MMO, you’re riding through the world on your mount, and you get off your mount, and your character immediately stops moving,” he explained. “And then you start moving again, and you go to glide, and you stop gliding, and your character immediately stops moving. Then you go into combat, and you use an ability, and then you move, and you’ll stop moving again.”
He continued: “There are no fluid transitions between movement and combat in MMOs, and Guild Wars 3‘s momentum system introduces the first MMO that has truly fluid movement across the entire world.”
With this system, Guild Wars 3 players will be able to jump off a mountain, deploy a glider, dive, fly, or wall-run, all while carrying momentum, “creating a seamless sense of movement you’d expect to see in an action game, rather than an MMORPG.”
Momentum is also part of combat; we previewed a warrior class that has a unique ability that uses their momentum and modifies their attacks when they come down from the sky. This increases damage output and the radius of attacks “based on his velocity or how much downward momentum” the warrior carries. The class can also run up walls and slam back down on enemies, delivering huge amounts of damage.
“Momentum also impacts battlefield control,” Johanson said, adding that the faster the player is moving, the more momentum they have.
The environment, Johanson said, is also “part of the experience,” and enemies can be knocked into walls to be stunned and damaged by building up momentum in combat, explaining that players will need to use their environment, whether it’s the battlefield or terrain, to their advantage.
“This is another first for the MMORPG genre,” he said.
Guild Wars 3 doesn’t have a release date, but a beta is scheduled for Fall 2027. The game is coming to PC and PlayStation 5.
