Keiran-Thackeray
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Leaderboard: GW's Gwen vs. EQ's Firiona Vie
Like breakfast cereals and discount tire retailers, MMO companies have a long tradition of cultivating mascots to promote their games. Typically, said mascot is on the cover, shows as much cleavage as the ESRB allows, and is shooting rainbow magic from her navel. Or something. Today, Leaderboard is pitting two of the more well-known MMO mascots against one another, sort of like Top Model if Top Model contained three-dimensional characters. In the left corner is Guild Wars' Gwen, an orphan, refugee, warrior, and storybook princess all rolled into one. In the right corner is Firiona Vie, the Vanna White of EverQuest box art. Firiona may be flaunting a bit more skin than battle protocol requires, but it's certainly served the purpose of getting players to pick up the box and wonder whether true Elfy love lies within. Gwen's recent marriage to Keiran Thackeray unfortunately takes her off the market to those hoping that a sentient computer would digitize and throw them into a video game in the hopes of (ahem) mesmerizing her with charm. It's Elfish mage vs. human mystic, blonde bombshell vs. goth cutie in today's knockout poll! Hit the jump to cast your vote.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Holidays, Hearts of the North, and happy endings
It's been a busy week! We haven't gotten any new Guild Wars 2 news, but things are hopping at ArenaNet and in Guild Wars. We've gotten new content, new items in the NCsoft store, and a new ArenaNet blog entry. The new ArenaNet blog post centered around this year's (unbelievably cute) holiday card. I want to thank reader and MVOP member MediaMaster9000, who received a card, scanned it, and sent it to me for a close-up look. He commented that it was one of the best Christmas presents he could have received, a statement that highlights yet again the effort that ArenaNet puts into personal communication with its fans. If you've not read this blog entry yet, you need to. Concept artist Jamie Jang bypassed digital creation for the card's front image entirely, choosing instead to create and hang real stockings then photograph them. The story behind it is a fun must-read! Holiday cards aren't the only things making Guild Wars fans happy -- we got a dose of new content last week, so follow along after the jump to see what's happening in Tyria! (Be warned, there are spoilers galore.)
Flameseeker Chronicles: Love is in the air
Last week was pretty busy for me, but I rewarded myself this weekend by jumping into Hearts of the North with both feet. Once I finally made time to indulge and play through the line, I enjoyed it for the most part. I had mixed feelings about a few parts, and I'll address those in a bit, but the reactions of a portion of the Guild Wars community as a whole were much stronger. I think that Hearts of the North and everything surrounding it is a "love it or hate it" situation for many people. I've heard from many players who are ecstatic about all of this, and many who want nothing to do with it. So follow along after the jump and let's take a look at the ups and downs of all the new goodies in Guild Wars!
Exclusive interview: Guild Wars unveils Hearts of the North
When we last left our heroes, a distraught Gwen was crying in the Hall of Monuments, and Keiran Thackeray had disappeared. Thankfully, knowledgeable Guild Wars fans weren't too worried over the fate of the most prominent couple in the game. Logan Thackeray and Ebonhawke in Guild Wars 2 carry our assurance that the original couple reunited and married at some point. That point has arrived with Hearts of the North, the newest content addition to Guild Wars. Hearts of the North brings new quests and missions to the game as you progress from the search for Keiran to the wedding festivities. There is plenty of variety, including a Bonus Mission Pack-style event in which you play as Keiran and a more lighthearted chance to help a Norn wedding planner arrange the ceremony. The highlight of all the new content, of course, is the wedding. There are five new costumes for you to choose from for the ceremony, so get ready to choose your favorite formal wear and help bring our lovebirds back together! Hold on though, because we have so much more for you! We are as excited to see new Guild Wars content as the rest of the community, and we inundated ArenaNet with questions. John Stumme had plenty to say to all of them, even tossing in a few extra surprises for us. Follow along after the jump for the full scoop on Hearts of the North!
Flameseeker Chronicles: The aftermath of the War in Kryta
The War in Kryta ended with a bang, but was unfortunately overshadowed a bit by the information avalanche coming from Guild Wars 2 last week. It was an extremely exciting week for Guild Wars 2 fans, but I want to backtrack a bit and look at the current state of the War in Kryta. It's been an interesting story from the beginning, and I don't think it's over by a long shot. No war ends with a single final battle that leaves everyone happy and ready to resume daily life, and the same is true of the War in Kryta. Follow along after the jump and we'll take a look at the land of Kryta today.
