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Guild Wars 2 due in 2011

NCsoft West CEO says follow-up to ArenaNet's online RPG may enter beta testing sometime in 2010, with a full launch the following year.

Guild Wars 2 development isn't progressing at the rate NCsoft had expected when the game was first announced in 2007. At the time, the Korean massively multiplayer online gaming company had ArenaNet's latest on track to begin its beta-testing phase during the latter part of 2008, with a presumed launch in 2009. Of course, with not even two months left in 2009, the prospects of an imminent arrival of Guild Wars 2 can be pegged at null.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

However, following its impressive earnings report last week, NCsoft has provided an update on when gamers can expect the fantasy online role-playing game. As part of a post-earnings conference call, NCsoft West CEO Jaeho Lee said that Guild Wars 2 may enter a testing phase in 2010, with the game's full launch scheduled for the following year.

"I believe there will be a certain public event in the year 2010, so at this point it could be at least a closed beta test for [Guild Wars 2 and Korea-oriented martial-arms MMOG Blade & Soul]," he said. "The commercialization will be expected at this point probably sometime in the year 2011."

The original Guild Wars scored glowing critical praise upon its launch for the PC in 2005. In the intervening years, NCsoft has released new campaigns, such as Factions and Nightfall, as well as the expansion pack Eye of the North. The publisher said in April that the online-only multiplayer game, which does not have a monthly fee, had sold 6 million units worldwide.

For more information, check out GameSpot's first look at Guild Wars 2 from GamesCom 2009.

130 Comments

  • regix416_basic

    Posted Mar 19, 2011 10:02 pm GMT

    Hmmm... I'm strongly considering coming back to Guild Wars... although I never did get the first two chapters. I started with Nightfall. Maybe it was a bad move... but it was on sale and I just had to try it. I'm not entirely sure if I should've started with the first installment or not Is there ANY connection between the games at all or all they all just other chapters in the world?

  • MelCalan

    Posted Oct 4, 2010 4:40 am GMT

    It seems that the publisher don't share the developers principle: It is done when it's done. That is a shame because too few publishers are willing to give developers enough time to really make a great and polished games. ArenaNet is one of that kind of developer which respects its customers enough to use the nesessary time to make and finalize this game. It is silly, even stupid really that then comes the publisher saying that this game will come then, oh or it will come then, and creating an conflict. NCsoft should shut the piip up and give ArenaNet time to make and finish this product so we players can get amazing game, something which Aion wasn't.

    Regards: Na..Am...

  • robin1232

    Posted Aug 14, 2010 2:51 pm GMT

    @wwlettsome
    so, you would say they should release either a much smaller game or a buggy one rather than them taking more time and making an epic game?

    good games will always sell, regardless of the timing.

  • wwlettsome

    Posted Mar 15, 2010 8:29 am GMT

    Taking at least a year too long to get this game released. If they had been faster I think a lot of people would have gone right from GW to GW2.

  • peanut-ass

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 7:16 pm GMT

    is there any news on blade and soul?

  • Twilight-Ghost

    Posted Jan 13, 2010 8:10 am GMT

    jeeze they keep pushing this back, 3rd time its been pushed back a year? lol it better be freakin' awesome then.

  • vortex_gw

    Posted Dec 9, 2009 3:33 am GMT

    By the time Guild Wars 2 comes out, The Old Republic will be kicking ass all over the place! Bioware ftw!

  • danthegamer32

    Posted Dec 6, 2009 3:12 am GMT

    I only just recently got into GW1 and haven't finished the first campaign yet, so I'm going to have loads of stuff to play through before the second one comes out the new one does look really good though so I really look forward to it

  • Moogle11293

    Posted Nov 29, 2009 12:48 pm GMT

    Ah Crap....Thats all I can say..really.

  • snoopy248

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 6:29 am GMT

    @24k_Solid_Gold

    Yeah, GW2 was in development before Dragon Age Origins.

  • 24k_Solid_Gold

    Posted Nov 15, 2009 7:01 pm GMT

    @Aaryk
    "LOL, the logo looks so similar to Dragon Age's."

    When I saw the Dragon Age logo, I was like "hey! that looks just like the GW2 logo!"

    I think Guild Wars 2 was in development before Dragon Age: Origins was, but I don't actually know. :S

  • ricardo-sene

    Posted Nov 14, 2009 10:27 am GMT

    @pedrovieira123, thanks for replying..

  • Freakin-Gamer

    Posted Nov 13, 2009 5:02 pm GMT

    @Aaryk
    "LOL, the logo looks so similar to Dragon Age's."
    @ bassplayer275
    Haha, yeah. I thought that too.

    Yeah. Dragons seem to be the theme nowadays. XD

  • bogartcool

    Posted Nov 13, 2009 1:15 am GMT

    I know they're trying to make a great game and all, but I hate how they get your hopes up just to pull the rug from underneath you!

  • Thrawn118

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 8:35 pm GMT

    a lot of the creatures and art in this remind me of Magic cards, especially the druid and machine creatures. looks really interesting

  • bassplayer275

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 5:50 pm GMT

    @Aaryk
    "LOL, the logo looks so similar to Dragon Age's."

    Haha, yeah. I thought that too.

  • bassplayer275

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 5:48 pm GMT

    @666NightsInHell

    plz lrn2english

  • alexLmx6

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 4:50 pm GMT

    whenever it arrives it'll be good, i lost some 500ish hours to the original, not holding my breath for this one tho

  • N0tYrBeezin

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 12:02 pm GMT

    After two minutes of slideshow, finally there is some in game footage. Dragon Age also has a dragon leading hordes of monsters to destroy the "non-ugly" races. So now all RPGs are about the struggle between beautiful people against ugly people? There is this thing that looked like a Borg cube. Is that a construction or city of the short race?

  • pedrovieira123

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 10:29 am GMT

    I hope its like GW. GW was the best pvp game I have ever played and still play. Anyone who dosen't like it is due to the fact that they don't appreciate balanced pvp and prefer pve. Answering some questions posted, GW 1 is about pvp and not pve, the pve is there but not very extensive or immersive.

  • ricardo-sene

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 8:27 am GMT

    Why? There isn't a story mode? It

  • ricardo-sene

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 7:19 am GMT

    Could anyone tell me in the single player of guilt wars is extensive? I rarely play online, and I really like a involving and interesting story.

  • shadowfan4life

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 6:06 am GMT

    @666NightsInHell: Get me a dictionary, I need to try and comprehend what ever you're saying.

  • fatpumba3 posted Nov 12, 2009 2:36 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    fatpumba3

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 2:36 am GMT (hide)

    Lol epic fail. Guild Wars always sucked why bother waiting or a year to buy that crap.

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 6:16 pm GMT

    Seems like every person with a 666, or caps lock screen name, is unbearable.

  • msw1234

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 3:34 pm GMT

    @666NightsInHell: "NOT WAITING 2nd i wish this ciompani will bankrot, very bad games ,every"

    Don't they teach basic literacy in Satanic Sunday school these days? Back in my day, we read our black mass straight from the printed satanic bible, none of this new-fangled satan intertubevids on the telecomputer that you kids are so into.

  • Cooltechie

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 3:23 pm GMT

    Shame its pushed back, but aslong as it's released in a good finished state I'm happy to wait.

  • joeborg14

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 1:44 pm GMT

    Looks fun, but it'll get pushed back...

  • solidsnakedude1

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 1:26 pm GMT

    hope its a little more interesting than the first one. the first one was good but not good enough to keep your interest for long

  • scorpion_great

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 12:21 pm GMT

    no1 has love for mac because mac wasn't meant for gaming, just editing

  • cikame

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:50 am GMT

    Prophecies wasn't a released campaign, it was Guild Wars.

  • Timoteus_X

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:29 am GMT

    @666NightsInHell: "i wish this ciompani will bankrot, very bad games ,every"
    Pure genius. Best bit of reading i've done in a while.

  • paulopmx

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:11 am GMT

    I want this game. But NCSoft has no love for the Mac :-(.

  • gamingking2

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:08 am GMT

    come mon 2011

  • ascalon94

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:06 am GMT

    I've played guild wars a lot until my account got hacked. I mean look where I got my name and image from

  • kytomasi

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 10:55 am GMT

    2011 lol

  • Asuran_Oberoth

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 10:35 am GMT

    cool trailer, makes me want to play GW again so might dig it out and install it later.

  • jay_rock_

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 10:02 am GMT

    Kotor.. lol

  • micro19

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:47 am GMT

    have to check this out to get a good look into it

  • gormo4

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:46 am GMT

    I will have lost interest by then- despite loving the first game- they anounced it way to earrlyy.. built up loads of excitment.. and then just let us all down here..

  • jazilla

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:45 am GMT

    @666NightsInHell: I would agree or disagree with you if I could understand a single word you wrote. Literacy should come before game controllers/keyboards/mice my friend.

  • 666NightsInHell posted Nov 11, 2009 9:37 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    666NightsInHell

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:37 am GMT (hide)

    Very bad company and poor games, dont like any. guild wars was ok just for 1 week play, its not mmorpg.. single player game in very small world, sm all level gap and almost without stuff to equip, i done game in 5 daydz got max lvl and best ingame stuff , and done all quests also.. in first part.. and i quit, therse nothing to do anymore, im not gay to play wth costumes or like with barbie puppets, in game there is no more to do.. NOT WAITING 2nd i wish this ciompani will bankrot, very bad games ,every

  • Plaidboy1

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:33 am GMT

    If you want a completely free to play MMO, try Dungeons and Dragons On-line until GW2 releases. Not only is there no monthly fee but the download of the game itself is free too. So it costs litterally nothing to start out. You really can't complain about free! For people used to Guild Wars heavy use of instances, the game should be easy to get into. WoW players may find it harder to adapt but I made the transition with a little patience.

  • PuppetMaster786

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:13 am GMT

    awesome

  • Meowmixxvi

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 8:42 am GMT

    @JackHoleFace00 have you played the original guild wars? the contents in the expansion packs are as big if not bigger than the original game itself.

  • Aaryk

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 8:23 am GMT

    LOL, the logo looks so similar to Dragon Age's.

    Besides that, I am excited to see how this turns out, I didn't care much for the first GW because of it being all instanced...but if this does truly turn out to be a fully persistant world AND free to play, it should create some major competition for, umm, that game that shall not be named.

    Also, for the naive commenters saying all MMOs should be free to play online because FPSs are, you cannot compare the scale of an MMO to a FPS. You are basically comparing an apple (FPS) to a forest full of orange trees (MMO)...and @ airsoftmanic, $15/month is not "paying through the nose" unless you are one of those 12 year olds you referred to in your comment.

  • kargion

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 8:05 am GMT

    Id rather it be delayed then it be bad. Lets see a good game! Can't wait to see the final product.

  • AdamWriter

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 7:30 am GMT

    Take your time. Make it good!

  • blazey09

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 7:25 am GMT

    man i dont think i can wait till 2011 because i am tired of playing wow it gets old playing with 10 years and crappy pvp.

  • divine

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 7:14 am GMT

    Only played the first one once and didn't care for it.

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