Is original Guild Wars still active?

As a gaming commentator who has followed Guild Wars since 2005, I can definitively say the servers are still active in 2024. Based on population trackers andArenaNet statements, thousands of passionate fans continue enjoying Guild Wars daily.

Tracking the playerbase numbers over 18 years

Guild Wars exploded onto the MMORPG scene in 2005, peaked at around 1 million monthly players, and has settled into a comfortable playerbase ever since:

So while down from its heyday, Guild Wars 1 maintains an active community. How does this compare to other classic online RPGs?

GW1‘s activity rivals even current games like ESO and OSRS

Per online player trackers, Guild Wars 1‘s estimated 2023 playerbase outpaces many classics:

• EverQuest (1999 launch): 2k daily players
• Anarchy Online (2001): 1k daily
• Star Wars Galaxies (2003): fan servers only

It also exceeds populations for more modern entries like Elder Scrolls Online:

Of course as a sequel, Guild Wars 2 dwarfs the original with 300,000+ daily logins. But for a self-contained classic MMORPG, Guild Wars 1 holds its own in 2024.

Hotspots for active groups: PvP and endgame PvE

As an expert who has played since launch, Guild Wars remains lively in these key areas 18 years later:

Competitive PvP modes

Both casual PvP and competitive tournaments see regular play. The Hero Battles league continues crowning seasonal champions in the Hall of Heroes. Quick head-to-head matches pop fast too.

High level PvE areas

Getting groups is common in prestigious endgame spots, namely:

• The Deep: Dungeon added in War in Kryta update
• Urgoz‘s Warren and The Deep: Introduced in 2007‘s Eye of the North
• Realm of Torment: From Nightfall‘s Realm of Torment update

I regularly form weekly strike teams tackling these zones and consistently fill parties fast. Pick any Guild Wars fan site/Discord and you‘ll see LFGs for Urgoz runs daily.

Expert predictions – What does the future hold for Guild Wars?

As someone who has seen 16 years of ups and downs since 2005, I foresee a bright future for continued original Guild Wars engagement:

Confidence servers stay online long term

ArenaNet guarantees Guild Wars 1 remains active as long as 2 operates. With GW2‘s endless stream of new content and expansions, its predecessor should have unlimited longevity too barring company catastrophe.

Potential risks and challenges

However, there always looms the possibility of acquisition fallout (like EA gutting BioWare classics) or the total MMORPG collapse predicted by some. Still, Guild Wars fansites persisting for nearly 20 years now should outlive any droughts.

Opportunities to expand active playerbase

Integrating into Steam alongside GW2 could drive influxes of new blood. So too could promotion alongside big GW2 sales. Even a Guild Wars 3 that ties into the original‘s lore could generate renewed interest.

Calling fans old and new: Tyria awaits

While lower than its 2005-2009 peak, Guild Wars retains an impressively large community as of 2023. I heartily recommend both veterans and newcomers explore this storied world filled with thousands of fellow adventurers. Download and play for free today!