Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure, the fourth expansion for its MMORPG Guild Wars 2, will host a variety of new gameplay features and epic adventures set high above the surface of Tyria, delving into the ancient mysteries around the floating Wizard’s Tower that have intrigued players for over two decades, and further enriching the subscription-free online world of one of the most enduring and beloved PC games of all time. 

The all-new story puts players into the shoes of both erstwhile defender and explorer of the unknown as they race to defend the world from a heretofore unseen threat. The adventure will begin with a climb through the Skywatch Archipelago, the first of two new maps being added to the game on release day. Hanging high in the sky above Tyria, these floating islands are under attack from the Kryptis, a demonic race of malevolent beings streaming through instabilities in the Mists and threatening the fragile peace of the world in the wake of the defeat of the elder dragons. What follows is an epic struggle into the Demon Realm, where the fate of the world rests in the hands of the player and their secretive new allies.

Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure grows larger with the release of its first post-launch content update, Through the Veil, which arrives on Tuesday, November 7.

Free for all players who purchase or have already purchased the expansion, Through the Veil will bring a new map, new activities, and new encounters as players venture into Nayos, the Realm of Dreams to bring the fight to the demonic Kryptis and further the story of their invasion of Tyria.

Among the new offerings in this update, players will gain access to the Inner Nayos map, a new explorable space in the realm of the Kryptis. Nayos will provide a new mastery track that will tie directly to a new encounter type: Convergences. These large-scale rifts in a unique arena will expand upon the rift hunting activities introduced in Secrets of the Obscure and offer groups of up to 50 players the chance to take on the biggest and most ferocious threats in the Kryptis ranks.

The seasonal Wizard’s Vault will also get a refresh, providing access to new earnable rewards like three unique armor pieces, a new infusion, and more. And the rewards from the inaugural season aren't going away: this release will add a Legacy Rewards tab, where all the exclusive cosmetic rewards from previous seasons will remain available.

New obtainable relics provide even more character build possibilities, and a more difficult challenge mode for the Cosmic Observatory strike mission are also being added to the game.

The expansion will continue to release additional content at no additional charge to expansion players into 2024. On November 28, players will get their first chance to try out a new weapon on their favorite profession.

In advance of the next major expansion update, players will have a chance to demo the upcoming expanded weapon proficiencies feature and provide feedback. This special beta event will run from November 28 until December 3.

A wealth of new features, activities, and storylines open up new possibilities for gameplay:

• New maps: Two new explorable maps will be available on August 22, the Skywatch Archipelago and Amnytas, with a third to follow in a future update.
• New hub area: The enigmatic Wizard’s Tower will serve as the jumping-off point for players to explore Secrets of the Obscure, and be the central location that ties the player to the main characters and events of the expansion
• Astral Ward: As the Kryptis invade Tyria, players will be able to join a band of treasure hunters and adventurers known as the Astral Ward to help protect the world, undertaking monster hunts and bounty contracts throughout the game to rank up and earn new rewards and abilities.
• 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 for the Astral Ward.
• Advanced Flight Masteries: Acquiring the fan favorite Skyscale mount will be easier in Secrets of the Obscure, but for 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.
• New Strike Missions: Two new challenging 10-player instanced encounters arrive with Secrets of the Obscure: the Cosmic Observatory, and the Temple of Febe. Their Challenge Modes are planned to become available in later releases.
• Wizard’s Vault: The Wizard's Vault awards Astral Acclaim for completing daily, weekly, and seasonal achievements across the game. Players can trade Astral Acclaim for unique items like armor pieces, weapon and mount skins, gold, legendary crafting materials, and more. 
• Relics: unlocked at level 60, this new equipment slot will now be the home of the wide variety of rune set bonuses previously found on different rune types, allowing for more customization of special effects and more freedom to choose the stat bonuses players want to use on their characters.
• Weaponmaster Training: each of the game’s nine professions will now gain the ability to equip the weapons previously reserved for their elite specialization, unlocking new gameplay and build options for players.
• New Rewards: A deluge of new earnable rewards await players, including the game’s first set of legendary armor earned through open world PvE activities. 

Guild Wars 2: Secrets Of The Obscure is availalbe for PC at $24.99.