ArenaNet has announced the first major update of the year for both Guild Wars 2 and Heart of Thorns and promises to roll out major seasonal updates every three months or so. Today, the company has detailed what players can expect in the Winter 2016 update.

The upcoming update will several new features, one of which is adding expanded functionality to the Gliding Mastery line, allowing players to glide a bit further than it did before. Gliding will also be allowed in any open-world map or city in Central Tyria once a character earns the Mastery ability.

The Shatterer boss fight will offer more of a challenge, and as a result, will offer greater rewards. Guild Wars 2 will now have a new Shatterer achievement category, an upgraded reward chest, increased experience earned, and the addition of a unique back-slot item for completeing the new Shatterer meta-achievement.

A new PvP mist champion will join the Stronghold game mode: Tybalt Leftpaw. There will also be another Lunar New Year event as well as a number of balance updates to skills and traits and an improvement to Fractals of the Mists.

Additional updates coming this year includes a Living World Season 3, a new raid wing, and a PvP League session next month.