January Update to Include Gliding in Central Tyria & More

In a new developer blog on the Guild Wars 2 site, Colin Johanson reveals that the first update for the game is going to be a massive one with some amazing new things in store. Of particular note, or at least flashy note, is the fact that gliding is coming to Central Tyria and will not be confined to the Heart of Thorns expansion!

Johanson begins the discussion focused on 2016 becoming the year of "balanced focus" in which regular updates and work on the next expansion will receive equal, or near equal, time. In addition, rather than focusing on what Johanson calls "breadth of development", work will be more focused to provide depth to existing content and systems. ArenaNet will be working to make the content and features that are popular and successful even better by providing more depth that will include new content in those areas, polish and more. While the overhauled WvW system is not ready for release, Johanson is confident that the rest of the game is in a state that requires more polish and more depth.

Over the course of 2016, players can look forward to major seasonal updates, one about every three months or so. The first of these major updates is slated to be released on January 26, 2016! Over the next couple of weeks, expect the team to be revealing more about what will be included, not the least of which is....

GLIDING IN CENTRAL TYRIA!

In addition, the first 2016 update will feature:

• The Shatterer is building a new army and ArenaNet will be providing players with an improved and much more challenging fight. Players can also look forward to a brand new achievement category specific to Shatterer, a better reward chest, more experience earned and a unique back-slot item.
• Fractal of the Mists - The LFG tool is being reworked a bit to make it easier to find other players by expanding the range to queue for "higher scales". The hub is also receiving attention to make it simpler to adjust the difficulty scale of a fractal and the fractal achievement UI will be the default display when inside the hub.
• Support roles are being given higher experience gains for events to equal that of DPS players. Applying boons, removing conditions, reviving others, healing, etc. will generate bonus contribution to scale up the rewards given.
• Squad markers are being added and the squad UI is also being upgraded to allow promotion of lieutenants. These secondary commanders will be able to handle administrative tasks by permission of Commanders. Squad leaders will also be able to mark locations (enemies and players) by marking them on the game and compass maps.
• Several objective upgrade levels will be changed to occur "after having delivered or received a certain number of dolyak caravans rather than being timer driven". In addition, players will receive one point of war score for the team for killing players, allowing those who focus primarily on this to contribute to the team's success.
• New Mist Champion - Tybalt Leftpaw will be unlocked by finishing his reward track in PvP. He can then be used in Strongholds.
• Eldvin Monastery Brew of the Month Club - Brew will arrive in the mail each month with a brewer's backpack skin after collecting all twelve.
• New World and Raid Boss Guild decorations are being added
• More controls with new key bindings for action camera, snap ground targeting and autotargeting.
• Major balance update - changes will be coming to traits, professions, specializations, and skills, to name a few. 

By way of a small peek at the early part of 2016, players can look forward to the Lunar New Year event beginning on January 26th that will run through February 9th. The event will feature new rewards, fireworks, decorations and Dragon Ball PvP.

A new raid wing, Salvation Pass, is also incoming later this year with new bosses, rewards, new masteries and the continued acquisition of materials for legendary armor.

On February 23rd, the PvP League will launch with new rewards, resetting of league badges, resetting of the guild leaderboard and new leaderboard rewards.

Not enough yet?

Further into 2016 will see Living World Season 3 begin. We won't spoil it here since there are allusions to the events that are ongoing in Heart of Thorns. Visit the GW2 site if you want to read more.

Lastly, WvW is being addressed:

We've focused a heavy amount of developer resources on this overhaul for WvW, and the team has been working hard for over a year now to solve these complicated issues. We may not be ready to reveal more in early 2016, but you'll have an opportunity to get all the details and give feedback when we go into the beta phase of this massive project later this year. And as a brief reminder: WvW tournaments are currently on hold, but they'll return once we've released this new format for WvW.

You can head to the Guild Wars 2 site to read the full developer blog as well as several others that address specific parts of the January update.