Guild Wars - News

In this edition of Community News, you're invited to party with Forever Knights, and GuildMag has extensive War in Kryta coverage. Head over here to read more!

In July tournament news, Whats Going On [sup] defeated Good Tactics [Good] to become this month's GvG champions. Congratulations to all of our competing guilds! For the complete list of this month's rankings, head over here.

It's a new month, so the Zaishen Chest now offers a new tonic. Using keys will give you the chance to net yourself a Trapdoor Tonic, which will transform you into a spider! To see the full tonic schedule, check out our Zaishen Rewards Calendar.

Summer is heating up, so don't miss the chance to chill out at our Wintersday in July celebration! The festivities start today at noon PST and last until 11:59 PM PST on Sunday. Head over to our event page to find out the rest of the details.

Months of warfare and suffering have lead to this one final battle between the diabolical White Mantle and the rebel Shining Blade for the fate of Kryta! Take up arms against the oppressors and make history in this climactic clash, which is now available in-game. Learn more about the epic War in Kryta here!

In this month's tournament news, Inadequately Retired [GoLd] claimed victory Russisches Quellwasser Vod [ka] to become our June GvG champions. We'd like to extend our congratulations to all of our competitors! For the complete list of this month's GvG rankings, head over here.

Since it's a new month, the Zaishen Chest will offer a new tonic. Use those keys for a chance to find a Boreal Tonic, which will allow you to transform yourself into a norn! To see the full tonic schedule, check out our Zaishen Rewards Calendar.

Learn about GuildMag's latest issue and their podcast in this edition of Community News!

Gaming World Entertainment Network celebrates their website launch in Shing Jea Monastery, and Calaval Elwvyan has some cool videos to share in the latest edition of Guild Wars Community News!

It's almost time for the Dragon Festival, the annual celebration of the rebirth of the Empire of the Dragon from the devastation of the Jade Wind. Travel to distant Cantha and join the festivities in the Shing Jea Monastery from July 1^st to July 4^th, where you'll find games of chance, rollerbeetle races, holiday quests and treats, and a visit from the Emperor himself!

Explore the wonders of the Dragon Festival here!

The focus of today's live update is the ongoing conflict in Kryta, but we've also made several changes that address issues in GvG.

To read detailed notes about today's update, head over here. For more information about changes made to GvG and an update on where we're at with upcoming skill balance builds, check out this month's developer's update.

Our German and French communities have some great updates, including a World Cup themed contest from Wartower and a chronicle of the War in Kryta from the French site Univers Virtuels! Find out about these and more in Community News!

May's GvG tournament has concluded, and we have the results! This month, Get Good [GG] defeated The Marvel Superheroes [MSH] to claim the championship. For the complete list of this month's GvG rankings, head over here.

The start of a new month means that the Zaishen Chest will offer a new tonic. Make Zinn proud by using those Zaishen Keys for a chance to find June's Automatonic! To see the full tonic schedule, check out our Zaishen Rewards Calendar.

Today more than 3,700 Guild Wars accounts were banned. Those terminated were positively identified as botters or players engaged in PvP match manipulation. We also disbanded whole guilds that were involved in these activities.

We take this issue very seriously and have worked to improve our methods and tools for dealing with exploits like these. There are consequences if you engage in botting or match manipulation.

Our Design Director, James Phinney, has provided more information about the bans and about our plans for continuing to pursue those involved in exploiting in his most recent blog post. Head over here to check it out.

In the forefront for this month's balance update: the Mesmer! We've made a variety of changes to improve this profession in high-end PvE, tackling issues like Interruption, Control Hexes, Energy Denial, and more. This update also features key changes to the Underworld and Fissure of Woe as well as a number of PvP balance changes.

For an overview of the update, head here. For more detailed info about the skill changes, head on over to this month's developer's update.

Two fantastic player-run events are coming up, and you're invited! Find out more details in Community News!

In April GvG tournament news, Chipotle Mexican Bar And Grill [Inc] claimed victory over Seppuku Paradigm [AA] to become our champion guild of the month. For a complete list of this month's GvG rankings, head over here.

Since it's a new month, the Zaishen Chest will offer a new tonic. Use those Zaishen Keys for a chance to find May's sensational Phantasmal Tonic! To see the full tonic schedule, check out our Zaishen Rewards Calendar.

In this edition of Community News, our players once again show off their creativity and wit. Read on for details!

To wrap up today's fifth year anniversary, ArenaNet's own Design Director, James Phinney, has a few words of appreciation to share with all of you. Head over to the new ArenaNet Blog to read what he has to say!

We're kicking off the brand-new ArenaNet Blog with the Guild Wars 2 Design Manifesto, a message to MMO players from ArenaNet Studio Head Mike O'Brien which outlines the bold new direction GW2 will take. That's just the beginning - we've got a lot of cool stuff planned! Check out the new blog here!

Guild Wars is turning five! We're throwing a big party to thank you all for five fantastic year—we couldn't have made it this far without you. Come join the festivities starting at Noon PST on April 22^nd. Head over here to learn more!

Live Team Lead Designer Linsey Murdock recently chatted about the War in Kryta with GameSpot. Learn more about the war and the effect it will have on Guild Wars 2—read the interview here!

To commemorate the historic War in Kryta, we're offering two brand-new costumes! Show your support for the rebellion with a stealthy Shining Blade uniform or impersonate the enemy with an authoritarian White Mantle disguise.

Pick up your War in Kryta costumes in the Guild Wars In-Game Store and the NCsoft Store and join the battle!

Our incredible player community has some great events planned in the coming weeks—find out more in Community News!

Today we've added all-new content that sets the stage for major upcoming events in the beleaguered nation of Kryta. Desperate to keep their grip on power, the White Mantle have cracked down on their populace by bringing in ruthless Peacekeepers. Elsewhere, the asura Arcane Council places the golemancer Zinn on trial. Read the update notes for more details!

We're extremely excited to announce two new members to the Guild Wars Community Team—Stéphane Lo Presti and Emily Diehl! Stéphane will join ArenaNet as our French Community Manager, reforging a valuable link between the studio and our French-speaking fans. Many of you may already know ArenaNet veteran Emily Diehl for her work as producer on our websites and wiki. Now she's joining Community, where she'll help Martin, Regina, and Stéphane cook up lots of interesting plans for the upcoming year. Be sure to stop by Stéphane and Emily's wiki pages to say hello!

Today's live update focuses on creature skill bars impacted by the February 25^th update. Check out the update notes for full details!

Come meet three fantastic ArenaNet artists at Seattle's Emerald City ComiCon on March 13^th and 14^th! Katy Hargrove, Kristen Perry, and Matt Barrett will be hanging out all weekend in Artist's Alley. For more details about each of them (and what they'll have to offer at the show), head over here.

If you're in town Saturday night and want to hang out with some ArenaNet devs, here's your chance! Check out our Facebook event page for more information.

This weekend, the [KISS] Alliance will host an epic riddle-based marathon through Guild Wars! Find out more in Community News!

It's one of the biggest skill updates we've ever done! We've addressed a wide range of game balance issues such as Shadow Form, Hammer Mastery in PvE, the role of the Ritualist in PvE, and much more. For an overview of the update, head here. For more detailed info about the skill changes, head on over to this month's developer's update.

It's almost here! Ghosts of Ascalon, the first original Guild Wars novel, hits bookshelves this summer! An epic tale written by Matt Forbeck and Jeff Grubb, Ghosts of Ascalon helps to set the stage for the release of Guild Wars 2. Head over here to learn more!

Massively interviewed twelve of the most influential women in MMO game development, including our very own Linsey Murdock and Katy Hargrove! Read the first of the fascinating multi-part interview here.

World-builder extraordinaire Jeff Grubb sat down with Ten Ton Hammer to discuss the lore of Guild Wars 2. Jeff talks about Elder Dragons, gods, dwarves, and more—read the interview here!

Shing Jea Monastery has completed preparations for the annual Canthan New Year festival! Starting at Noon Pacific (-8 GMT), it's time to put on your party mask and join in all of the holiday festivities, games, and quests. For complete details, head over to our special event page.

In this edition of Community News, you're invited to The Brotherhood of Shadows Alliance Tiger Feast! Plus, we've got a great new Guild Wars blog for you to check out. Read more in Community News!

Massively.com has posted "Making it as an MMO Blogger", a fascinating interview with nine community managers - including our very own Regina Buenaobra - about what it takes to build a successful MMO blog. Check out the first of the two-part series right here!

In this week's Community News, we provide details about Gaming World Events, who will host an in-game event to help raise money for the Canadian Red Cross and their relief efforts in Haiti. Head over here to find out more about this event and other cool stuff happening in the community.

The Year of the Tiger is upon us! We've posted an overview of all the fantastic stuff we have planned for the Canthan New Year's Festival, which begins on Friday, February 12^th. For a detailed look at the festival, check out Massively's comprehensive guide right here!

In this update, we've got some exciting news to share from several of our fan sites. Read more in Community News!

In today's live update, we've focused on resolving several pressing PvP skill balance issues, making refinements to the Codex Arena, and making GvG participation a little easier. Head on over to our newest Developer Update to learn more!

Wintersday comes twice this year! Due to Grentchy technical issues with the Festival Hat distribution during the Wintersday finale earlier this month, we're hosting a special encore festival, complete with all the Wintersday activities you love!Wintersday Redux begins at noon Pacific time (-8 GMT) on Friday, January 29^th and runs until 11:59 PM Pacific time on Sunday, February 7^th. During the big finale, everyone will get another chance to pick up a Wintersday Festival Hat. If you can't make it to the finale, look for special holiday collectors who will exchange Festival Hats for Candy Cane Shards!

Check out our Wintersday page for more info.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 Wintersday Art Contest and a warm thank you to everyone who entered! Find out who won right here!

Witness the creation of a gallery's worth of art—in real time! FuturePoly's Digital Arts Workshop is a fascinating 5-hour live art demonstration featuring some of the gaming industry's top talent. In this interactive workshop, ArenaNet artists Daniel Dociu, Kekai Kotaki, Matthew Barrett, and more will discuss their technique and create beautiful pieces of digital art, from sketch to completion. A portion of every ticket sale goes to the amazing charity Child's Play.

The Digital Arts Workshop takes place on Saturday, January 23^rd at Bellevue College's Paccar Auditorium in Bellevue, WA. To register or learn more, visit the FuturePoly website.

We saved the best for last—this impressive papercraft model of the Avatar of Dwayna is ready to grace your tree or desk with her serene presence. It's the biggest model we've ever done! Click here to get started.

Our fantastic player community has a bunch of great events in store for the Wintersday season! Read the latest Community News for details!

The preparations for our annual Wintersday celebration begin today! Starting tomorrow and running until January 4^th, Wintersday festivities will sweep across Tyria like a chill wind from the Shiverpeaks. Here's what revelers can expect this year:

• Brand-new for 2009—a unique set of Wintersday costumes are now available in the In-Game Store and the NCsoft Store! Head over to our new costumes page to read all of the details.


• You've spoken, and we've listened! Costume slots have been added to the character portrait. Now, you can wear costumes over your armor, meaning you can look fabulous in your Dwayna costume or festival hat without sacrificing protection! Learn the details here.


• Starting tomorrow, our annual Wintersday festival will bring loads of seasonal treats, festive decorations, holiday quests, snowball tournaments, and more! Check out our Wintersday 2009 page for more information.

Do you follow us on Facebook or Twitter? If not, you should! Over the next few days, we'll be spreading extra Wintersday cheer with early presents for some of our lucky friends and followers. Simply friend us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter (if you don't already, of course), and then watch our updates on these sites for further details. Good luck and happy Wintersday from all of us!

We've posted a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the voice acting behind Guild Wars 2, featuring top-tier talents like Felicia Day and Steve Blum! Check it out on our Facebook page or YouTube channel.

Wintersday is almost here! Soon, cities and towns all across Tyria will be decked out in splendid holiday decor, enchanted snowman henchmen will serve your adventuring needs, and vendors will be selling all manner of Wintersday consumables.

The festivities begin on December 18^th and run until January 4^th, so be sure to clear your calendars! Head over to our Wintersday 2009 event page for all of the details.

Check out this week's holiday papercraft: rollerbeetles! These speedy little bugs are waiting to be printed out and assembled. Make a whole pack of them! Click right here and we'll show you how.

Following the release of the new Guild Wars 2 video, we sat down with MMORPG.com to discuss the races of Tyria, GW2's massive game world, and more! Read the whole thing right here.

This week's holiday papercraft model is the ubiquitous, flightless moa bird! Normally these birds are the size of ponies and fond of pecking, but these paper moas are small and harmless! Make yours today—we'll show you how right here!

In this edition of Community News, we've got a new fan-made video for you to check out, and the glorious return of the Guild Wars Advent Calendar from Wartower.de! For details, click through to Community News.

Just in time for the holidays—a collection of charming papercraft Guild Wars models! We've got paper moa birds, rollerbeetles, a tiny Gwen doll, and a brand-new surprise model that you'll just have to see! They'd all make great tree ornaments.

Print out and make your own paper models—we'll show you how! Click here to get started!

Spread some holiday spirit and share your creativity with the Guild Wars community! Enter our annual Wintersday Art Contest, which starts today! Head over to this year's contest page for more details.

The holidays are fast approaching, so we'll help you celebrate a little early! Starting today, when you buy any Guild Wars campaign from the In-Game Store or the NCsoft store, you'll receive Eye of the North for FREE! This special holiday offer ends January 5, 2010—get yours today!

Until January 4^th, whenever you buy The Art of Guild Wars 2 from the Penny Arcade store, you'll receive a free limited edition Guild Wars art print. Choose from three awesome pieces of signed concept art from award-winning ArenaNet artists. Hurry over to the Penny Arcade store today!

Something stirs in the Underworld. Something ancient, powerful, and utterly evil: Dhuum. Banished eons ago by Grenth, this dark avatar of death has bided his time and grown in power. Now, Dhuum is free! We've added this terrifying new end boss to the Underworld—face him if you dare.

To find out what other updates we've made today, be sure to check out the rest of the update notes.

The Order of the Phoenix Alliance invites you to attend their autumn celebration, the Soiree at the Sanctum on November 14^th in the Imperial Sanctum! To learn more about this special event, check out this week's Community News.

The fourth annual MMO Calendar is now available, featuring original artwork from the hottest current and upcoming MMOs—including an awesome piece of Guild Wars 2 artwork from our very own Kekai Kotaki! 100% of the proceeds go directly to the good people at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. You get a fantastic calendar and get to support a great cause at the same time—it's a win/win!

Plus, everyone who purchases a calendar will be entered in a drawing to win cool MMO prizes, including a boxed copy of the Guild Wars Trilogy. Head over to http://www.mmocalendar.com and order yours today!

It was a tough decision, but we have selected the Halloween Art Contest winners from a field of fantastic entries. Thank you to all who participated! Check out the winning art right here.

Are you an outstanding web developer with a passion for MMOGs? Why not join our team? Qualified candidates will be passionate, creative team players who produce high quality JavaScript code and love agile development. ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC experience is a huge plus. Check out our job listing for more details!

This edition of Community News spotlights some awesome player events: the monthly Ascension Show on Sanitarium.fm, a Halloween update to Healbot Blues, and a video contest by InfestedHydralisk! See our Community News for more!

Halloween is nearly here, and we have some frightfully fantastic player-organized events coming up. But that's not all! For you bloggers out there, one of our fan sites has created a Guild Wars theme for WordPress. Plus: Guild Wars fan fiction for the iPhone! Come check it out!

Today's update is now live! Here's a sample of what you'll find in the new build:

• We've got tricks and treats galore and new quests to explore during the 2009 Halloween Event, which starts tomorrow! Head over to our event page for more details.


• A new PvP format is now available! Learn more about the brand-new Codex Arena here!

To read all of the details, be sure to check out the rest of the update notes.

Halloween is coming, so prepare for ten days of mayhem, mirth, and the Mad King! Festivities kick off on Friday, October 23^rd at Noon Pacific (-7 GMT). Keep your eyes open for spooky special event collectors and monsters dropping trick-or-treat bags. Crash our annual PvP Costume Brawl! Venture into the Underworld on a series of all-new quests—if you dare! And, on Halloween, October 31^st, Mad King Thorn will make a series of appearances!

Head over to our Halloween 2009 event page for all of the gory details!

There's never been a better time to expand your storage! Xunlai Storage Panes are 25% off from October 7th through November 1st.

Visit the Guild Wars In-Game Store or the NCsoft Store to take advantage of this limited time offer!

In September, Inadequately Equipped [GeAr] claimed victory over I Disposable Heroes I [DirT] to become the champion guild of the month. On the 1v1 front, Cleanup Time defeated Julie Loves Cindy to become our September 1v1 champion. For a complete list of the monthly rankings, check out the full GvG and 1v1 results.

Since it's a new month, the Zaishen Chest will offer a new tonic. Use those Zaishen Keys for a chance to find October's sensational Skeletonic! To see the full tonic schedule, check out the Zaishen Rewards Calendar.

The player community is celebrating October with a lot of creativity, starting with two great publications from Photics and ending with a massive Halloween event: The King and Queen's Horrorween! Read on for community news!

Congratulations to the winners of the Henchman Skill Bar Contest! Who won? Find out right here.

Help us celebrate the season by entering your Guild Wars themed Halloween art in our fifth annual contest. Design a costume, bake a cake, carve a pumpkin—go nuts! Check out the details here.

We'd like to announce an exciting opportunity for Guild Wars players who speak Traditional Chinese! We've created a way for you to submit localized content for skill names and descriptions. If you would like to help, check out this page on the Official Guild Wars Wiki. Please note that we are currently focusing on Traditional Chinese skill names and descriptions only.

We received a huge number of entries to the Henchman Skill Bar Contest—more than 30,000! We're still reviewing all of the submissions, so we've moved the announcement of the contest winners to October 1^st. We're sorry for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience!

This incredible hardbound collection of Guild Wars 2 concept art is now available for sale! Head over here to pick up your copy today.

Interested in Guild Wars discussion? Love music? Tune in to the Ascension Show this month on Sanitarium.fm! For more details, check out Community News!

Guild Wars Live Team Lead Designer Linsey Murdock and Guild Wars 2 Game Designer Isaiah "Izzy" Cartwright recently sat down with the folks from Kill Ten Rats to discuss Guild Wars combat and the metrics used for skill balance. Head over to see what they have to say!

Couldn't make it to PAX this year? To make sure you didn't miss anything, we've posted videos of our panel interviews from the Penny Arcade Expo on our YouTube channel. Head over to watch discussions about the art of Guild Wars 2, a panel interview with the Guild Wars Live Team, and a lore-filled talk about the upcoming Fall of Ascalon novel!

Check out our latest game update and read what the developers have to say about it here.

Due to popular demand, we've made some changes to the Aion wings emote promo. Players who purchase Aion digitally will now be able to get the wings emote for their Guild Wars accounts. Pop over to our revised Aion wings FAQ for more info!

PAX is upon us! We'll be posting updates all weekend from the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle. To stay up-to-date on the latest breaking news:

• Follow us on Twitter
• Friend us on Facebook

If you're heading to the show, be sure to swing by booth #842 in the Exhibit Hall and say hi!

As a reminder for those interested in becoming a member of the Guild Wars Live Test Krewe, the deadline for submitting applications is this upcoming Tuesday, September 8^th. If you haven't submitted your Test Krewe application, be sure to do so before then.

Thanks to everyone who has applied! Going through all the applications will take some time, but we'll announce the Test Krewe members as soon as we can. Stay tuned!

Check out the August issue of ImagineFX, which features two beautiful pieces of Guild Wars 2 concept art by our very own Art Director Daniel Dociu. Look for this special issue on shelves now!