Last week there was some anger from fans following the revelation that those who buy the incoming Heart of Thorns expansion for Guild Wars 2, would also be buying a copy of the base game.
Some players were annoyed at the prospect of paying for content that they already own, disgruntled that newcomers were effectively getting all the content, but for a much more attractive price than existing players have paid.
After a few days of discontent bubbling through the community, ArenaNet has spoken out and outlined their position:
"In the future, if we release further Guild Wars 2 expansions, we plan to offer all of the prior expansions, the core game, and the latest expansion for one single purchase price," the studio wrote.
ArenaNet also confirmed that there would also now be a reward for veteran players: "For all players who registered the core Guild Wars 2 game prior to January 23, 2015, and who upgrade their account by pre-purchasing and registering any Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns edition before Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns' launch, we will add one additional character slot to your Guild Wars 2 account."
The studio has also stated that players who bought Guild Wars 2 between January 23 and June 16 - under the impression that they'd need the base game to play the expansion thanks to an unclear statement made in the game's FAQ - would be able to get a full refund. They'll be able to either pre-purchase the expansion and keep their progress, or close down their account completely and get their money back. Purchases will need to have been direct from the studio, and claims need to be in before July 31.