Guild Wars Factions Preview Event Announced

[bapenguin]

On March 24th there will be a massive preview event for Guild Wars Factions.

All current Guild Wars players can join the event, and will be able to invite up to three of their friends using an in-game invitation interface. Entry into the beta event will also be available through the Guild Wars Factions pre-order package, which will include the Guild Wars Factions (GWF) pre-order CD, a GWF beta access key, a “friend” key that allows access to the beta event, a 14-day, 10-hour trial key for the original Guild Wars game, a tactical guide, and a quick-reference card. The Guild Wars Factions pre-order key also adds one unique item for each of the game’s two new professions, the Ritualist and the Assassin, and authorizes the user to play Guild Wars Factions 24 hours before the game’s street date in spring 2006. The Guild Wars Factions pre-order package will be available in retail stores nationwide beginning February 28.
Full Press Release Inside (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showpost.php?p=197595&postcount=2)

Pretty cool you can bring 3 friends along.

[bapenguin]

GUILD WARS FACTIONS TO BE UNVEILED IN MASSIVE

BETA TESTING EVENT AVAILABLE TO MORE THAN 3 MILLION GAMERS



ArenaNet Opens Up Highly Anticipated Game to Global Beta Test and Announces Pre-Order Availability

BELLEVUE, WA (February 9, 2006) – ArenaNet®, creators of the #1 selling online roleplaying game Guild Wars®, and NCsoft® Corporation, the world’s leading developer and publisher of online computer games, announce today plans for a landmark event to preview Guild Wars Factions™, the highly anticipated follow up to 2005’s critically acclaimed game Guild Wars. On March 24, 2006, game players around the globe are invited to participate in the Guild Wars Factions Preview Event, an exclusive and one-time opportunity unlike any offered before.



All current Guild Wars players can join the event, and will be able to invite up to three of their friends using an in-game invitation interface. Entry into the beta event will also be available through the Guild Wars Factions pre-order package, which will include the Guild Wars Factions (GWF) pre-order CD, a GWF beta access key, a “friend” key that allows access to the beta event, a 14-day, 10-hour trial key for the original Guild Wars game, a tactical guide, and a quick-reference card. The Guild Wars Factions pre-order key also adds one unique item for each of the game’s two new professions, the Ritualist and the Assassin, and authorizes the user to play Guild Wars Factions 24 hours before the game’s street date in spring 2006. The Guild Wars Factions pre-order package will be available in retail stores nationwide beginning February 28.



A game beta test of this size and scope has never been offered before and is a unique event for both fans and the ArenaNet team alike. With current Guild Wars players, their invited friends, and players around the world who purchase the GWF pre-order converging on the game for the Guild Wars Factions Preview Event, ArenaNet is preparing capacity in all its data centers to handle record-breaking numbers of new players.



“To be able to open up Guild Wars Factions and share this one-time experience with so many people is truly a thrill,” said Mike O’Brien, ArenaNet co-founder. “Guild Wars players will get the opportunity to play Factions before the game’s release while sharing the game with up to three of their friends. We can’t wait for the feedback from the seasoned players, as well as those who join us for the first time on March 24.”

Guild Wars is an online roleplaying game where players explore a rich fantasy world, acquire skills, build personalized characters, and compete in head-to-head guild battles with players from around the world. In addition to the compelling game design and innovative technology that make playing Guild Wars a unique experience, Guild Wars’ success is due in part to a revolutionary business model in which no monthly subscription fee is charged to its users.

Please visit www.guildwars.com for more information, or contact Jenny Bendel at 206.979.2202 or jenny@arena.net.

About ArenaNet
ArenaNet, located in Bellevue, Washington, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NCsoft Corporation. ArenaNet has built a state-of-the-art, interactive game network and develops premier multiplayer online games for dedicated game players. ArenaNet’s first title, Guild Wars, is a global online roleplaying game that allows gamers to play with anyone, anytime and anywhere in the world. Its highly-anticipated follow up, Guild Wars Factions, will be released Spring 2006. More information about ArenaNet can be found at www.arena.net.

About NCsoft Corporation
Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, NCsoft Corporation is the world’s leading developer and publisher of online games. Founded in 1997, NCsoft is home to Lineage®, the world’s most successful online roleplaying game. NCsoft has joint venture offices located in Japan, Taiwan, and China, as well as branches in North America and the United Kingdom. In fiscal year 2004, NCsoft posted revenues of KRW (Korean Won) 246 billion or approximately US$246 million. More information about NCsoft can be found at www.plaync.com.

NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, PlayNC, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Factions, ArenaNet and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

[Lord Dongkey]

In the news post title: Even should be Event. Just a heads up. Other than that, excellent news, and I'm going to go play Guild Wars now. ;)

[Echani]

Pff.. when I posted this 2 days ago it was too far off to be news :rolleyes:

[Mozgus]

A friend recently loaned me an account to GW. I spent a good 70 hours on it, across three characters. I normally hate MMORPG's with a vengeance, but this and and PSO were the only ones that I could find any fun in, if they are technically included in that genre anyway. Fantastic graphics engine, and it's one of the most stable PC games I have experienced in the past 5 years. Beautiful soundtrack. Plenty of depth.

The problem was the community. 90% of them were lazy selfish bitches. They would never stick with your team til the mission was over. Instead they would abandon you midway, thus wasting an hour of your time. If you try joining a guild, to get in with a dedicated mature group of gamers, you're wasting more of your time. I tried three guilds, and I couldn't get one single fucking person to actually join me on a mission. They seem to have only joined a guild for the free cape.

But you can also hire CPU players to be in your party. Great idea, horrible execution. They're always extremely low level and worthless. And the AI is shit. My healer would always have a warrior mentality. I'd be on the ground dead, and she'd charge in head first at a Charr.

Anyways, I played til the maguuma jungle or whatever, and just couldn't procede past any more missions. Maybe this is why MMO's usually charge a fee. Aside from the maintanence costs, it motivates people to get their money's worth, and finish quests and whatnot.

[agentgray]

The problem was the community. 90% of them were lazy selfish bitches. They would never stick with your team til the mission was over. Instead they would abandon you midway, thus wasting an hour of your time. If you try joining a guild, to get in with a dedicated mature group of gamers, you're wasting more of your time. I tried three guilds, and I couldn't get one single fucking person to actually join me on a mission. They seem to have only joined a guild for the free cape.
You need to join the EA guild. :)

[Mozgus]

You need to join the EA guild. :)
Too late now. I gave the account back. The game just gets too hard close to the end.

[El-Rodente]

the maguuma jungle isn't that close to the end

[Mozgus]

the maguuma jungle isn't that close to the end
Well I hit the level 20 cap, so that was the end of it for me anyways. I just prefer PSO. That game is much more balanced.

[DarkEternal]

If I'm being dumb, just ignore me, because I've never played GW, but if all current GW players can join, and you have to have the game to get an invite, and there is no subscription to run out, why would you need to invite friends? Can't they just sign up separately?

[Bushido]

If I'm being dumb, just ignore me, because I've never played GW, but if all current GW players can join, and you have to have the game to get an invite, and there is no subscription to run out, why would you need to invite friends? Can't they just sign up separately?


You can download the client anywhere, which is awesome. But you need a valid "KEY" to play. So they would hafta buy the game to participate in the event. If your friends are like mine they dont shell out for nothing.

[DarkEternal]

You can download the client anywhere, which is awesome. But you need a valid "KEY" to play. So they would hafta buy the game to participate in the event. If your friends are like mine they dont shell out for nothing.

Oh, I get it. Hmm, maybe I'll have to make one of my friends get in and invite me. Oh, and yeah, I AM one of those friends...