Guild Wars 2 due in 2011

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.

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.