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ArenaNet expands on microtransactions in Guild Wars 2
ArenaNet has put up a new blog post with information about Guild Wars 2's cash shop system as well as some of the philosophy behind the game's microtransaction design. Mike O'Brien, ArenaNet president and Guild Wars 2 executive producer, started off the post by saying that the microtransaction system will be part of this month's closed beta event, then went on to talk about the hows and whys of the system. ArenaNet's approach is this: Microtransactions are run on a currency of gems, which are purchased with physical-world money and traded in various quantities for the goods and account services available. Players also have the option of trading their purchased gems for in-game gold -- and purchase gems with in-game gold. "If you want something, whether it's an in-game item or a microtransaction, you ultimately have two ways to get it: you can play to earn gold or you can use money to buy gems. We think that's important, because it lets more players participate on a level playing field, whether they use their free time or their disposable income to do it." As to the micro-transaction items themselves, O'Brien steered away from specifics. He mentioned things like visual distinction and expression as well as account services (which we saw plenty of in the original Guild Wars) and "time-saving convenience items" while adding that ArenaNet is opposed to the idea of requiring players to spend cash in order to maintain an even playing field.
Flameseeker Chronicles: What lies ahead
To say last week was exciting for Guild Wars 2 fans is a bit of an understatement. Mike O'Brien gave the community the news it's been dying to hear, Ree Soesbee told us all about the Jotun (no, seriously, I hate those guys and their stupid KDs), and... well, some other things happened too. We've got lots to talk about, so hit the jump and let's dive right in.
Guild Wars 2 confirmed for 2012, public beta coming [Updated]
ArenaNet founder and president Mike O'Brien rocked the Guild Wars 2 community very early this morning with a blog post celebrating 2012 as the year of the dragon and the official launch year for Guild Wars 2. Guild Wars 2 recently finished up a very small closed beta test, and now ArenaNet is planning to start opening the testing doors wider very quickly: "In February we'll invite select press to participate in beta testing, and in March and April we'll aggressively ramp up the size of our beta test events so that many of you will have a chance to participate." This all leads up to the event fans have been eagerly awaiting on the edge of their seats: a 2012 launch for Guild Wars 2, according to O'Brien. He wrapped up the blog post with words guaranteed to put a big smile on the face of every fan: "So welcome to the Year of the Dragon – the year of Guild Wars 2." [Update: Martin Kerstein has further clarified ANet's plans on the GW2 Guru forums, reminding players that "public beta events" does not mean "unlimited open beta." He does say that at least some of these events will be in the form of weekend testing events.]
Mike O'Brien discusses the business of ArenaNet
It's hard to become invested in MMOs and video games without learning something about the industry at play -- an industry of repeated layoffs and mergers, acquisitions and shuffling ownership, and a whole lot of passion and drama over seemingly inconsequential subject matter. The acquisition of PopCap by Electronic Arts last week prompted The Seattle Times to conduct an interview with Mike O'Brien of ArenaNet, known for the highly anticipated Guild Wars 2 and the already quite successful Guild Wars, about acquisition, corporate oversight, and the life of a smaller studio moving into big waters. As O'Brien puts it, the decision to seek outside funding from the start was a direct result of the scale and scope of the Guild Wars project. Rather than trying to scramble for resources to create a big project that could compete, the studio went for a company that seemed like it would appreciate their way of doing business. And O'Brien has nothing but positive things to say about the working relationship between his studio and NCsoft -- although he's very aware of what can happen when a small studio gets bought by a larger organization. The full interview should be of interest to anyone who follows the industry... and like we said, that's a good part of the MMO crowd.
An ArenaNet retrospective: "We're not a video game company, we're a community building company"
"I don't think I've seen a studio more passionate about its work." Massively contributing editor Larry Everett made this comment regarding ArenaNet in our recent Staff Choice Awards, and his timing couldn't have been better. ArenaNet has begun 2011 in a big way with the ArenaNet retrospective. The 15-minute video is a trip back in time to the earliest days of ArenaNet and Guild Wars, but it doesn't stop there. Over 20 ArenaNet team members give their perspectives on where the company has been, where it's going, the company's take on Guild Wars 2, and what makes it great. If you loved the Manifesto video, you're likely going to find this one an even bigger treat. Follow along after the jump to see the ArenaNet retrospective video and Massively's take on it.
The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010
Even though MMOs are the products of great teams of talented workers -- from sound artists to writers -- it's inevitable that a few of the people behind the curtain step out into the limelight. It's a smart move, really; it provides a personal face for people to associate with the game, it keeps messages consistent, and it draws any potential hate onto one person instead of the team at large. It stands to reason that these public figures end up being some of the major movers and shakers in the industry because of their high-profile positions. From CEOs to community managers, these are the people with power to make decisions, the voice to change opinions, and the personalities to inspire millions. Oh, that last sentence is pure poetry. Let's re-read it again, shall we? So in our last Perfect Ten of the year, I've asked the Massively team to compile a list of the 10 biggest MMO movers and shakers of this year. All of these people now owe us cupcakes of gratitude. (Legal Disclaimer: This does not signify a binding cupcake-blogger contract.)
Flameseeker Chronicles: PAX 2010 travel diary
It's Sunday night and PAX is over. My iPhone and laptop are screaming for mercy. It's been a wild ride, I have the Con Crud, my feet hurt so much I keep checking to make sure they're not stumps, and all I want is to turn the clock back to last Friday so I can do it again. I had appointments and interviews with so many different game studios, and I was excited about every single one of them, but you guys know I was making Guild Wars 2 a top priority. I squeezed in time to indulge at every opportunity and have a lot to say. When I was spending time with Guild Wars 2 this weekend, something struck me over and over. Every employee whom ArenaNet could possibly spare from the office was there in force. I asked at one point and was told that every person wearing that white shirt was an ArenaNet employee. They were out there doing everything they could to spend time with the fans, and more than one developer told me that it was a huge thrill to finally be able to share all of this with people who love it as much as they do. The inability to share all of this exciting news has been as frustrating for them as it was for us, but it was for a good cause, and I think every fan at PAX this weekend agreed it was worth the wait. With that in mind, it was an easy decision to share my weekend experiences and photos with you guys for today's Flameseeker Chronicles. Follow along after the jump while I go find more Nyquil.
This game will care that you're there: Our look at the Guild Wars 2 manifesto
Earlier this week, ArenaNet promised a new Guild Wars 2 video. That announcement came with a warning: no, it's not a new class reveal, and many fans were pretty disappointed. What could possibly serve as an adequate substitute for a class reveal? It's safe to say that the disappointment was blown out of the water yesterday with the unveiling of the MMO Manifesto and the Walking the Walk blog post. Merriam-Webster defines the word manifesto as a "a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer," but when the word is used in context, there are usually strong feelings behind those intentions. Revolutionary, groundbreaking, and change are words associated with such a thing, and it was a word well-chosen by ArenaNet with this newest reveal. Follow along after the jump as we take a closer look at what ArenaNet showed us yesterday.
Guild Wars 2 video features developers and new gameplay footage
You know all those quotes and images ArenaNet has been teasing us with the past few days? Well, we finally found out what that was all about -- the promised Guild Wars 2 video was finally released. We've known for a long time that the design goals for Guild Wars 2 were to make something bigger and better than what we've come to expect from an MMO. A truly immersive story in which the world around you isn't made up of blocks of quest text, oblivious NPCs, and enemies who loiter in a field waiting for you to come attack. In the new video from ArenaNet, we hear more on this plan straight from the developers: Mike O'Brien, Daniel Dociu, Colin Johanson, and Ree Soesbee. Follow along after the jump to hear what they have to say, and check out the beautiful new gameplay footage in the video.
Guild Wars 2 news coming this week?
It has been such a long time since we've heard anything on ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2. In fact, the game has been so quiet over the years (yes, it has been over 2 years) that we often find ourselves reporting on every single tidbit we find, and then some.Well, now we get official word from ArenaNet's president himself that solid news is coming. According to Mike O'Brien's wiki talk page, we should expect some information on Guild Wars 2 in what he's calling "an exciting week ahead". With PAX coming in two short weeks, could this be an announcement of GW2 being shown there? We're excited to find out ourselves, but in the mean time, check out the animated logo on the main Guild Wars 2 website, and follow along after the jump for Mike O'Brien's exact quote.
The Daily Grind: Your thoughts on Jeff Strain's NCsoft departure?
As we've reported on for the past two days, ArenaNet co-founder Jeff Strain has left his position at NCsoft and is moving on to new pastures. While his former co-founding partner, Mike O'Brien, has said pretty affirmatively that his departure won't affect the development of Guild Wars 2, we're still interested in what you think of all of this.It's certainly a very sudden and unexpected move, especially when you take into account the departure of David Reid as well, even if they both left for unrelated reasons. With Aion coming closer and closer to a launch in the United States, and NCsoft pushing to be #2 in the realm of subscription numbers, the timing for these departures seems to be odd.But, we're not going to waste this space with our thoughts, we want yours! Drop what you think of all of this into the comment box below, and let your voices ring across the internet!
ArenaNet's co-founder comments on Jeff Strain's departure from NCsoft
As we reported on yesterday, Jeff Strain, the co-founder of ArenaNet, has parted ways with NCsoft. Jeff's visions were certainly a driving factor behind ArenaNet's growth and Guild Wars production, but it's important to note that his leaving will not directly impact ArenaNet, as he has been away from the company and paired with NCsoft West since 2008.On the tails of his departure comes a comment from Mike O'Brien, ArenaNet's other founder and Jeff's long time friend. Mike not only sends well wishes to his former founding partner, but also reaffirms that Guild Wars 2 production will not be affected by Jeff's departure. Mike has even gone as far to say that we're getting close to finally getting tangible news on their new masterpiece.Mike's full statement can be found after the break.[Thanks Goonja!]
ArenaNet sets record straight on Guild Wars 2 'delay'
How can you delay a game that never had a set release date to begin with? This is the logic ArenaNet's Mike O'Brien pointed out in a recent open letter to Guild Wars 2 fans. Speculation about the 'delay' began late last week when ArenaNet's parent company, NCsoft, released their Q4 2008 financials that scheduled a 2010-2011 release for GW2.Guild Wars 2 was originally announced in March 2007 alongside Guild Wars' first expansion titled Eye of the North. At the time, PC Gamer magazine confirmed that ArenaNet was hoping for GW2 to go into beta in the second half of 2008. When June 2008 rolled around, the official GW2 FAQ was updated to say that a beta would not be commencing in 2008 as originally planned. During NCsoft's earning call, it was stated that while they originally intended to make GW2 a sequel, it really became a whole new game in development. Mike O'Brien stated in his letter that the game will be ready "when it's done" and not any sooner. "Guild Wars 2 is a large and ambitious game, and we're going to take the time to do it right."
