Despite what some on the net would have you believe, no, Guild Wars 2 was not a complete disaster. While World of Warcraft can certainly sleep easy knowing that it has a few more years of being top dog, ArenaNet’s long-awaited competitor has managed to find a sizable niche for itself. Yes, there are a slew of kinks to be worked out over the coming months, but I feel safe in saying that this is a game that will endure for a long while yet.
Just in time to get in on the Halloween festivities, the first major update for Guild Wars 2, “Shadow of the Mad King”, is set to go live on October 23rd.
“Halloween has a long history in Tyria, and in times past was always marked by the spirit of Mad King Thorn cavorting among the people unleashing his own brand of insanity,”says the official announcement page. ”However, it’s been over 250 years since he was last seen, and for most people he is merely a figure of folklore.”
“Festivities are afoot, and Tyria will be transformed with decorations, new mini-games, new dynamic events, and more. Despite the celebrations there are those who dread the coming of Halloween and all that it may bring, for it is the time of year when barriers between the realms are weakest. Be prepared for an epic adventure in four acts starting October 23 and running until October 31.”
The original Guild Wars received plenty of praise for it’s well-developed holiday events, with Halloween in particular fondly remembered by many. Dealing out an entire multi-act storyline over the course of one week is ambitious to say the least. If ArenaNet manages to deliver on expectations, “Shadow of the Mad King” should make for a frightfully good time for the denizens of Tyria.
meanwhile the pvp game is still broken