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Platform Win Publisher NCsoft Developer ArenaNet Release Date 08/22/2012

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8.5

Guild Wars 2 review: second coming

By Philip Kollar on Sep 05, 2012 09.05.12

Guild Wars 2 is not the MMO messiah. For the last few years, long-time MMO players have looked to a growing list of titles to steal the crown from World of Warcraft and lead the genre into a promised land of growth and innovation. From Rift to Star Wars: The Old Republic, many have tried and failed while eager fans and hyperbolic press releases positioned them as game-changers. Guild Wars 2 is the latest makeshift leader of the desired MMO revolution. It's the biggest departure in fantasy MMOs since World of Warcraft in 2004, but it's not the genre-shifting earthquake that some are demanding. Instead, Guild Wars 2 is built on the MMO model introduced in EverQuest; it offers a deep understanding of and reverence for what made that early MMO special. Every one of Guild Wars 2's complex,...

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Guild Wars 2 teases third part of Flame and Frost storyline for March 26

By Alexa Ray Corriea on Mar 06, 2013 03.06.13

The next installment in the Guild Wars 2 four-part Flame and Frost storyline, The Razing, is set to begin on March 26, ArenaNet announced. The Razing will introduce players to new characters Braham and Rox, who are struggling to protect their homeland. Players will join the pair in battle against those would seek to destroy their home, following their philosophy of doing the right thing without calculating the risk. A new group called the Molten Alliance, which includes the dangerous Flame Legion and members of the mole-like dredge race, has cropped up in the Shiverpeaks region. The group is strong enough to mow down any who would oppose them, and as they close in on their targets, razing the grounds settlement by settlement, players will join the resistance and meet them on the...

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Guild Wars 2 replacing Paid Tournaments with Free Tournaments

By Jenna Pitcher on Feb 26, 2013 02.26.13

ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2 is replacing Paid Tournaments with Free Tournaments as part of the upcoming patch, according to the official blog. The blog stated that the new ratings and match-making system in place renders Paid Tournaments absolute and that the "ticket cost barrier-to-entry" is no longer necessary. The Paid Tournaments were reserved for "hyper competitive players" where the Free Tournaments were for casual players. Once the update hits, there will be 1-round Free Tournaments and 3-round Free Tournaments, both tournaments using a separate rating for matchmaking purposes. The blog reassures that Unused Tournament Tickets are exchangeable for Gold, Silver or Copper Tournament Reward Chests. It also notes that Qualifying Points will be removed as a tournament reward, but top...

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Guild Wars 2 discounted by 30 percent for a limited time

By Tracey Lien on Feb 22, 2013 02.22.13

ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2 is being discounted by 30 percent for a limited time, with the Digital Edition reduced from $59.99 to $39.99 and the Digital Deluxe Edition going from $79.99 to $54.99. The standard Digital Edition of Guild Wars 2 comes with a copy of the game and no extras. The Digital Deluxe Edition comes with the game as well as the following in-game items: the Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill, the Miniature Rytlock, the Golem Banker, the Chalice of Glory and the Tome of Influence. Guild Wars 2 is currently available on Windows PC and Mac. The deal runs until Feb. 25.

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Guild Wars 2 designer details five new guild mission types

By Dave Tach on Feb 21, 2013 02.21.13

Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet's fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game, will introduce five new guild mission types this month to support player versus enemy group-based combat, according to a post by content designer Leah Rivera on the game's official website. "Our team's primary goal was to create a solid foundation to support PvE guild play," Rivera writes. "We wanted to create a feature that provided guild members with fun things to do together now, and could be expanded to support new styles of content in the future. To do that, we've created a system with three key features: guild missions, guild merits and an expanded unlock system." Mission types to be incorporated in to the game this month include Guild Trek, in which players scour the landscape to find...

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Guild Wars 2 teaches you how to capture-the-orb in latest gameplay video

By Jenna Pitcher on Feb 14, 2013 02.14.13

The latest Guild Wars 2 gameplay video details the new PvP map included in the upcoming content update Flame and Frost: The Gathering Storm. The PvP map called "Spirit Watch" features a capture-the-flag mode. Two teams must capture the Orb of Ascension located in the center of the map and run it to one of three capture shrines: Wolf, Raven and Bear. Teams are allocated capture shrines at the start of the match. Running the Orb to a friendly shrine awards 30 points and running the orb to enemy shrine rewards 15 points; however, the shrine is neutralized by doing so. Players with Orb possession are reduced to 60 percent speed, yet have access to all of their powers, except stealth and swiftness. Guild Wars 2 was released Aug. 28, 2012 for Windows PC and Sep. 18 for Mac and will...

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Guild Wars 2 content update Flame and Frost: The Gathering Storm arriving Feb. 26

By Jenna Pitcher on Feb 07, 2013 02.07.13

Guild Wars 2 will add its second content update Flame and Frost: The Gathering Storm on Feb. 26, according to the game's official website. As the second installment in the four-part series, it will have a new PvP map called Spirit, a "peaceful green vale, nestled between cliffside shrines," where players can also score bonus points by capturing the Orb of Ascension and running it to shrines. New guild missions include bounties, group puzzles and cross country challenges. Two teams of equal rating can now fight it out in the new two team PvP mode and the new selectable achievement system allows players to set their own daily goals and rewards. Guild Wars 2 was released Aug. 28, 2012 for Windows PC and Sep. 18 for Mac.

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Guild Wars 2 players required to change password starting Feb. 7

By Emily Gera on Feb 01, 2013 02.01.13

As part of a security precaution, Guild Wars 2 players will be required to change their password starting Feb. 7 to be compatible with ArenaNet's recently introduced blacklist of passwords known to be used by hackers to scan for accounts. ArenaNet previously introduced a red banner display in the game's launcher, encouraging players to change their passwords without making it a requirement; however, those who are using a password chosen prior to the introduction of password blacklisting on Sept. 12 of last year will need to choose a new one starting next week. In this new system of password security, players will not be allowed to pick a password previously used on their account or tested against any other user account. ArenaNet encourages users to choose a password not previously...

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Living Story will add new characters, plot twists and drama to Guild Wars 2

By Tracey Lien on Feb 01, 2013 02.01.13

Guild Wars 2 is introducing The Living Story this month, a new series of content that will add story threads, characters, plot twists and dramatic moments that affect the world, the game's narrative designer Angel McCoy announced today. Posting to the Guild Wars 2 website, McCoy said that the job of The Living Story team is to "bring the world to life." As part of the initiative, the team will create content that is both temporary and permanent that will bring diversity to what players experience in the game world. McCoy wrote: The Living Story is simultaneously transitory and permanent. As the story arcs play out, the tale evolves. Each portion of the Living Story narrative will only be available for a certain period of time, yet it will have repercussions in the world and upon...

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Guild Wars 2 update to tweak dungeon spawn points, focus on teamwork

By Dave Tach on Jan 29, 2013 01.29.13

An upcoming update for Guild Wars 2 will bring changes to dungeon spawning mechanics that are designed to foster teamwork, according to a recent post on the game's website by Robert Hrouda, a content designer for ArenaNet's massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The update will roll out in two phases, though the developer hasn't revealed the release dates. The first update will revamp the game's "res-rushing" feature, which currently lets players use a waypoint to respawn instantly and charge back to battle. In an attempt to foster cooperation, that behavior will end after the update. "Dungeons were designed to be highly focused on teamwork," Hrouda wrote. "The current res-rushing mechanic discourages the type of behavior we intended when a fellow player goes down. We hope...

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Guild Wars 2 kicks off 'Flame and Frost' multi-narrative storyline and new features on Jan. 28

By Alexa Ray Corriea on Jan 22, 2013 01.22.13

ArenaNet will kick off a new multi-narrative storyline and introduce several new features to Guild Wars 2 on Jan. 28 with Flame and Frost: Prelude, a prologue setting up the content to come, according to an update on the game's official page. The update hints briefly at the story, describing a mass exodus of natural disaster refugees into the world's south, and the need for volunteers to help the struggling survivors. For the week of Jan. 28 through Feb. 4, regular paid tournaments in the Temple of the Silent Storm map will change from three-round tournaments of eight teams to single-round tournaments of two teams each. After the week is over, the Temple will revert back to its regular paid and free tournament schedules. Flame and Frost will also bring the new achievement system and...

Guild Wars 2 Releases
North America
  • Windows
    • Released 08/22/2012
    • Publisher NCsoft
    • Developer ArenaNet
    • Score 8.5