Upcoming changes and features

Content updates
The following features have been mentioned recently by ANet staff and are expected to be part of future content updates:

Winds of Change
The first phase of Winds of Change was released on July 7, 2011. Phase two and three will be released throughout the rest of 2011.

Future updates
In addition to the content above, the live team has suggested they are interested in the following:


 * Continuation of the Lunatic Court quest storyline before next Halloween.


 * Updates to the Hero AI, including changes to melee heroes.

Skill balance updates
In 2009, ANet announced plans to release skill balance changes every other month. usually on a Thursday. In 2010, there were 7 updates that involved balancing skills or other aspects of game play: two during each quarter of the year, except the third (which had only one).

These are the pending updates most recently mentioned by ANet:
 * In April 2010, ANet staff said, "[...] non-“Imbagon” Paragons, and the smiting line for the Monk" are "things we’ve been considering for major updates of their own.".
 * In January 2011, John Stumme mentioned that the Live Team would focus on "smaller balance fixes" instead of "major overhauls" in the near future, instead prioritizing unspecified non-balance changes.

Monthly maintenance update
The monthly maintenance updates (usually scheduled for the 1st or 2nd Thursday of each month) includes:
 * Changing map rotations for Automated Tournaments
 * Tweaks to AI, bug fixes

Automated changes

 * Every three hours
 * The Kurzick-Luxon border is updated
 * 00:00, 03:00, 06:00, 09:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, and 21:00 UTC
 * (5:00 PM, 8:00 PM, 11:00 PM, 2:00 AM, 5:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 2:00 PM PDT)


 * Daily
 * 00:00 UTC (5:00 PM PDT): 10% of the total faction is deducted from each alliance.
 * 07:00 UTC (midnight PDT): Nicholas Sandford's requested item changes.
 * 07:01 UTC (12:01 AM PDT): The Codex changes.
 * 16:00 UTC (9:00 AM PDT): New Zaishen Challenges, Wanted by the Shining Blade, and Vanguard quests.


 * Mondays
 * 06:59 UTC (Sunday at 11:59 PM PDT): The weekend event ends (some special events end on a different day and time).
 * 15:00 UTC (8:00 AM PDT): Nicholas the Traveler's location and requested item changes.


 * Fridays
 * 19:00 UTC (noon PDT): New weekend event begins (some special events start on a different day and time).


 * On the first day of each month
 * 00:00 UTC (5:00 PM PDT): The Flux effect changes.
 * Monthly tonic rotation (exact time is unknown).

Guild Wars 2

 * For details, see the official Guild Wars 2 Wiki.


 * Guild Wars 2 beta testing: will likely take place "in the second half of [2011]".
 * ANet will conduct small, closed alpha and beta tests in 2011 (the feedback from these tests will determine if and when any public beta might take place).
 * Guild Wars 2 release date: has not yet been announced.