View source for Living World

{{Otheruses redirect|LS|the zone|Lowland Shore}}
[[File:Living World seasons.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Living World Seasons 2, 3, and 4]]
{{quotation|Level 80 rewards.|Level 80 isn't the end of your journey. Experience the ever-changing world through Living World stories and adventures. You can access Living World episodes in your story journal.}}
[[Living World]], originally '''Living Story''', are series of paid content upgrades in ''[[Guild Wars 2]]''. Unlike [[expansion]]s, Living World are generally post-expansion content that continue existing stories and systems from the preceding expansion that then setup the following expansion. They introduce new content exclusive to them, including [[Story Journal|story chapters]], [[zone|explorable zones]], [[mastery|masteries]], and [[mount]]s. They can be purchased as standalone products as long as the related expansion is owned; however, the stories are not standalone as  all ''Guild Wars 2'' story releases follow one continuous narrative. 

As of February 28, 2022 with the release of ''[[Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons|End of Dragons]]'', the Living World content model was discontinued. Post-expansion content were previously separate and not included with expansion purchase. They were instead permanently unlocked for free upon logging into a [[character]] during the release period, or purchased with [[gem]]s after the period if not claimed. Now, all future post-expansion content are included for free upon purchase of the respective expansion. Access to Living World remain unchanged, however, and are still standalone purchases.<ref>[https://imgur.com/jcLpprm Comment by Joshua Davis]</ref><ref name="Guild Wars 2 in 2023">[https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/studio-update-guild-wars-2-in-2023/ Studio Update: Guild Wars 2 in 2023]</ref>

As of November 8, 2022, all players can now re-experience the entirety of [[Living World Season 1]] for free permanently.<ref>[https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/arenanet-studio-update-the-future-of-guild-wars-2/ ArenaNet Studio Update: The Future of Guild Wars 2]</ref> This season was previously unavailable to play due to the nature of the original 2013-2014 releases. The re-release includes most of the original content but with adjustments.

== List of Living World Seasons ==
This is a list of all major releases applicable to the Living World content model: the core game, expansions and Living World seasons. These are ordered by their respective release dates as well as the story order.
* '''Core Game''': {{GW2}} '''[[Guild Wars 2]]''' <small>('''Buy-to-Play''': August 28, 2012; '''[[Account#Free accounts|Free-to-play]]''': August 29, 2015)</small>
** [[File:Living World logo.png|30px|link=Living World Season 1]] [[Living World Season 1|Living World Season 1 ― Scarlet's War]] <small>('''Original''': January 28, 2013 – March 18, 2014; '''Re-release''': April 19, 2022 – November 8, 2022)</small>
** [[File:Living World logo.png|30px|link=Living World Season 2]] [[Living World Season 2|Living World Season 2 ― Glint's Prophecy]] <small>(July 1, 2014 &ndash; January 13, 2015)</small>

* '''Expansion 1''': {{HoT}} '''[[Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns|Heart of Thorns]]''' <small>(October 23, 2015; '''Free with Path of Fire''': August 30, 2019)</small>
** [[File:Living World Season 3 logo.png|30px|link=Living World Season 3]] [[Living World Season 3|Living World Season 3 ― Glint's Legacy]] <small>(July 26, 2016 – July 25, 2017)</small>

* '''Expansion 2''': {{PoF}} '''[[Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire|Path of Fire]]''' <small>(September 22, 2017)</small>
** [[File:Living World Season 4 logo.png|30px|link=Living World Season 4]] [[Living World Season 4|Living World Season 4 ― Rise of Kralkatorrik]] <small>(November 28, 2017 – May 14, 2019)</small>
** [[File:Living World Season 5 logo.png|30px|link=Living World Season 5]] [[The Icebrood Saga|Living World Season 5 ― The Icebrood Saga]] <small>(September 17, 2019 – April 27, 2021)</small>

* '''Expansion 3 & beyond''': {{EoD}} '''[[Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons|End of Dragons]]''' and future expansions <small>(February 28, 2022 and beyond)</small>
** Instead of separate Living World releases, additional post-expansion content is automatically bundled with expansions for free upon purchase.

== Unlocking Living World ==
[[File:Story Journal claiming.jpg|thumb|Where to claim episodes inside the Story Journal.|350px]]
Each season is split into episodes, each of which can also be purchased separately or bundled along with the purchase of an entire season. All Living World seasons, except Seasons 1 and 2, additionally require their related expansion to purchase them. 

Other than Season 1, which is unlocked for free upon reaching level 80, Living World is unlocked by the following methods:
# Purchase the ''Guild Wars 2: Elder Dragon Saga—Complete Collection''.
#* This includes the first three expansions as well as Living World.
#* Not to be confused with the related Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate editions offered for [[File:ArenaNet tag.png|20px|link=ArenaNet]] [[ArenaNet]] [[account]]s, which all do not include Living World.
# Purchase the Living World Season Complete Pack in the [[Gem Store]].
#* Baseline discount of {{gem|160}} per episode. Each unlocked episode further reduces the bundle price.
#* These are added to the Gem Store upon a season's conclusion. Accounts must own the respective expansion to see them:
#** {{item icon|Living World Season 2 Complete Pack}} 
#** {{item icon|Living World Season 3 Complete Pack}} <small>(Heart of Thorns required)</small>
#** {{item icon|Living World Season 4 Complete Pack}} <small>(Path of Fire required)</small>
#** {{item icon|The Icebrood Saga Complete Pack}} <small>(Path of Fire required)</small>
# Purchase via the [[Story Journal]] for {{gem|200}} as indicated by the image.
#* This is not recommended as it is cheaper to purchase all episodes with a Living World Season Complete Pack rather than individually.
# Log into a character during the episode's initial release or re-release period.
#* Release periods last until the next episode is released. Episodes are generally released on a 2-4 month cadence.
#* Episodes re-release periods generally do not occur, with the last free access period being the 2021 [[Living World Return]].

== Features overview ==
{{see|Expansion#Features_overview}}

== Story steps ==
{{see|Story Journal#Storylines}}

{{collapsible section|<h3>Season 1</h3>|style=max-width: 55em|
[[File:Living World logo.png|300px|center|link=Living World Season 1|Living World Season 1 logo]]
{{Living World Season 1 nav}}
}}

{{collapsible section|<h3>Season 2</h3>|style=max-width: 55em|
[[File:Living World logo.png|300px|center|link=Living World Season 2|Living World Season 2 logo]]
{{Living World Season 2 nav}}
}}

{{collapsible section|<h3>Season 3</h3>|style=max-width: 55em|
[[File:Living World Season 3 logo.png|300px|center|link=Living World Season 3|Living World Season 3 logo]]
{{Living World Season 3 nav}}
}}

{{collapsible section|<h3>Season 4</h3>|style=max-width: 55em|
[[File:Living World Season 4 logo.png|300px|center|link=Living World Season 4|Living World Season 4 logo]]
{{Living World Season 4 nav}}
}}

{{collapsible section|<h3>The Icebrood Saga (Season 5)</h3>|style=max-width: 55em|
[[File:Living World Season 5 logo.png|300px|center|link=Living World Season 5|Living World Season 5 logo]]
{{The Icebrood Saga nav}}
}}

== Trivia ==
* The Living World was originally introduced as the "Living Story," but [[ArenaNet]] switched to "Living World" and stopped using Living Story partway through Season 1 (confirmation in July 2013).<ref>[[User_talk:Stephane_Lo_Presti/January-December_2013#Living_Story.2FLiving_World|Confirmation of switch to Living World by Stephane Lo Presti in 2013]]</ref> However, [[player]]s often continue using Living Story to refer to the Living World releases.
* The original Season 1 releases of the Living World were largely temporary, but were remade into permanent content that started with [[Flame and Frost]] in the [[Game updates/2022-04-19|April 19, 2022 game update]] and ended with the [[Battle for Lion's Arch]] in the [[Game updates/2022-11-08|November 8, 2022 game update]].
* Initially, Living World releases were a mix of new story and new features. In Season 2, new features were dropped from Living World updates and were bundled together in releases like the [[April 2014 Feature Pack]]. Starting in [[Living World Season 3|Season 3]], this has been reverted and new features are bundled into an update whenever they are ready.
* Season 1 is currently the only Living World season that is completely free for all players.

== See also ==
* [[Living World Return]] 
* [[Expansion]] — lists Guild Wars 2 expansions
* [[Release]] — lists past, current, and scheduled storylines for the Living World and festivals
* [[Side Stories]] - small living world events that occurred during Seasons 3 and 4
* [[Story characters]]

== External links ==
* [https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/the-living-story-in-guild-wars-2/ The Living Story in Guild Wars 2 | GuildWars2.com]
* [https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/living-world-in-guild-wars-2/ Living World in Guild Wars 2 | GuildWars2.com]
* [https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/recap-the-living-world-of-guild-wars-2/ Recap: The Living World of Guild Wars 2 | GuildWars2.com]

== References ==
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