Discontinuing support for older versions of Windows

Hi,

We just posted the following news on the GW website: http://guildwars.com/players/

Since the launch of Guild Wars in 2005 we’ve stayed locked into our original minimum system requirements. Unfortunately, the game has reached a point where this is preventing us from deploying important features. After serious consideration, we’ve decided that Guild Wars will no longer be supported on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and Windows ME beginning June 14, 2012. In order to continue to play Guild Wars after this date, we recommend upgrading to a more recent version of Windows.

Realistically, we do not expect this to impact the vast majority of Guild Wars players. Our logs indicate that fewer than 0.05% of our active players use one of these versions of Windows. Discontinuing support for older versions of Windows allows us to deploy features that will improve account management and security.

We will be updating the System Requirements on our websites, but we wanted to provide an advance notice to you so that you can prepare for the change. If you have any questions, please visit the Guild Wars Support Forums: https://forum.guildwars.com/forum/fo...ns-of-Windows/

Thanks.

Here's hoping it's customer-friendly and not extremely scummy like having a monitoring program running in the background - about the only reason I can think of for dropping support for older OSes that the game already builds against. (and, if that is what ends up happening, NCSoft/ArenaNet won't be getting money from me for GW2, that's for sure, or any more purchases for GW1)

I've always known gw to work on all my anicent home pcs, but wow are people really on those older ones? I cant imagine the people on them being capable of reading guru.

Sacrifice for the greater good.

Anyone still using these systems to play games deserves a RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOing medal.

Uhm I really wonder what those important features will be..hope good ones but can't think of anything.

And yeah...ME and 98 I can almost understand but 95...really?:P I think you get hardly any support from any program at all for that stuff...

what's a Windows 95????

/sarcasm

I can't wait to see what changes they're going to make to the website

Holy crap I'm surprised GW has been supporting those older systems for this long. I can only imagine how much of pain in the ass that has been.

Why?

What if I'd want to play NfS Porsche Unlimited? It runs on Windows 98/SE - but (afaik) none of the NT-based systems

Create a virtual machine and live happily ever after? Obviously I only meant as a main system, heck I was playing Syndicate in Dosbox just a few weeks ago.

Just 0.05%?
That's nothing.

The 7% of the Entire World still uses Internet Explorer 6.
That's just preposterous.

Totally understandable dropping support for OS older than 10 years. The game is just 7 years old, for Kormir's sake.

What!! If I knew they were supported, I wouldn't have virtualized all my old systems (which I still use to play all my old games BTW!).

Now I have have a real urge to grab up an old hard drive and throw '95 back on it just so I can play GW old style for the next couple of months. I just wish Windows 3.0 was supported - I could fire up my old PC XT and load it up there - of course I would need a 3D card for it, but that's what auction sites are for.

Hanok

but be happy, GW keeps supporting windows 3.1

i never knew those versions could handle GW o_O maybe 98SE and ME, but before that???

does GW also support win 1.3? that'd be really important

Wow, people still use those outdated garbage?

Only 0.05%? That's about the same as the odds for getting a mini Polar Bear!

I think it's the right move.
Out of interest though.. 0.05% of 6 million accounts, that would be about 3000 players. I can't believe 3000 people still stuck on such archaic version of Windows. Makes me curious though, playing Guild Wars on Windows 95..

you can play this on xp but you must change one of the background sky files as it causes crashing

OMG!!! ANET!!!! half of my guild won't be able to play anymore!!!

lol - but seriously, GW2 specs are causing a few problems... alot of people are not going to be able to play without updating their machines (me included).

I concur. I have zero tolerance for that sort of invasive garbage. As much as I have enjoyed GW over the years, I'd quit immediately if they added something like that.

Honestly, i sort of expected the minimum reqs for gw2 to be higher, especially on the processor side of it, Core 2 duo is now almost 6 years ago since that launched, a Geforce 7 series for minimum is very generous as i was expecting it to be atleast something in the 8 series.