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Short answer: Guild Wars 3 (GW3) has four playable species confirmed for launch: humans, asura, kodan, and a fourth connected to Orr's history that ArenaNet has yet to name. Announced in ArenaNet's species blog of August 5, 2026.
ArenaNet's post identifies humans, asura, and kodan, bringing playable kodan to the series for the first time. It leaves the fourth species unnamed but connects it to Orr's history. ArenaNet also changed the term playable races to playable species and says their stats and mechanics will be identical, making appearance and story the basis for your choice.
More species may follow. ArenaNet says the game is designed to allow additional playable species after launch. The Forgotten are already excluded: their four arms and serpentine bodies would require substantial custom support.
ArenaNet set Guild Wars 3 in Orr, over a thousand years before the events of the original Guild Wars. Some Guild Wars 2 races did not exist that far back.
The youngest playable race in Guild Wars 2 is the sylvari. They first emerged from the Pale Tree in 1302 AE, more than a thousand years after this game's setting.
Race and timeline background from the Guild Wars 2 wiki: Sylvari and Guild Wars 2 wiki: Playable races, used under CC-BY-NC-SA.
Whatever species you choose, your role is a Vaelwarden, a guardian protecting Orr's people and spirits.
In his July 2 video, Jay Oddity argued that a fourth playable race was hidden in the Guild Wars 3 reveal. ArenaNet confirmed the fourth playable species in its August 5 species blog. Its name remains secret, but the count was correct, and the video below records the argument with its original timestamp.
The fourth species remains unnamed, and the roster after launch is open. To see all confirmed details so far, visit what we know, or explore the setting on the world of Orr page.