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

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.

123 Comments

  • snoopy248

    Posted Nov 16, 2009 6:29 am PT

    @24k_Solid_Gold

    Yeah, GW2 was in development before Dragon Age Origins.

  • 24k_Solid_Gold

    Posted Nov 15, 2009 7:01 pm PT

    @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 PT

    @pedrovieira123, thanks for replying..

  • Freakin-Gamer

    Posted Nov 13, 2009 5:02 pm PT

    @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 PT

    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 PT

    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 PT

    @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 PT

    @666NightsInHell

    plz lrn2english

  • alexLmx6

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 4:50 pm PT

    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 PT

    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 PT

    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 PT

    Why? There isn't a story mode? It

  • ricardo-sene

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 7:19 am PT

    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 PT

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

  • fatpumba3

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 2:36 am PT

    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 PT

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

  • msw1234

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 3:34 pm PT

    @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 PT

    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 PT

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

  • solidsnakedude1

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 1:26 pm PT

    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 PT

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

  • cikame

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:50 am PT

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

  • Timoteus_X

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:29 am PT

    @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 PT

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

  • gamingking2

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:08 am PT

    come mon 2011

  • ascalon94

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 11:06 am PT

    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 PT

    2011 lol

  • Asuran_Oberoth

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 10:35 am PT

    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 PT

    Kotor.. lol

  • micro19

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:47 am PT

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

  • gormo4

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:46 am PT

    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 PT

    @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 PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    666NightsInHell

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 9:37 am PT (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 PT

    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 PT

    awesome

  • Meowmixxvi

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 8:42 am PT

    @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 PT

    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 PT

    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 PT

    Take your time. Make it good!

  • blazey09

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 7:25 am PT

    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 PT

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

  • XanderZane

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 6:54 am PT

    The first game was amazing. Only played it for about 6 months though and then WoW took up all my time. I'll probably never get to play it again as I'll never have the time to explore the game like I really want to. I barely have time to play console games.

  • grillepain_man

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 6:14 am PT

    I dont understand why everyone is BASHING on Wow!
    It has 11 millions or so players now...it's a very good MULTIPLAYER game!
    Play this game with friends (and by friends, I mean ''real world'' friends, the same one that you will go grab a beer after work), and you'll enjoy Wow has it was supposed to be played!
    But still...I played Guild Wars a lot too, and it's a different art style, so it's cool to get diversity! :-D can't wait to look at this ''Permanent online world - free ''

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 6:01 am PT

    Guild Wars is the more "serious" game as I would call it...WoW has the social aspects but the end game is tragically flawed along with the PvP.

    Plus the eye candy in GW is great even today so I'm really looking forward to GW2.

  • L337G4M3R666

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 5:35 am PT

    It's gonna be amazing.

  • airsoftmanic

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 4:53 am PT

    this is my perfect example of what MMOs should be like.
    buy the game disc for fixed price, no subscription fee, option for those that really want to, to buy in game items.
    unlike WoW where you have to pay through the nose every month just to have the privilage of playing with obese 12 year old2 and korean gold miners.

  • Faephoenix_Eyes

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 4:26 am PT

    Another reason is prolly cause they want to enlarge the Aion userbase first b4 they set out GW2s.

  • Zerabp

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 4:17 am PT

    @ Jackhole
    The expansion's with the exception of EoTN are basically stand alone games that take place in different areas of the world. They are only expansions in the sense that if you own any of the others you can travel their with your character from that region other then that each one is its own unique experience that doesn't require any of the others to play.

  • pudgexd

    Posted Nov 11, 2009 4:16 am PT

    Long wait = More polished and quality
    So looking forward to this , with no subscription fees , I can take my time to level up and have fun instead of rushing my levels.

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