Thanks to the eagle eyes of MMORPG.com user, Dinams, a new piece of information has been uncovered on the official Guild Wars 2 FAQ page. The post indicates that a small alpha test and beta testing will likely occur in 2011. Whether this is indicative of a 2012 release or not is unknown but it is good news for fans clamoring for beta testing.

When will there be a beta?

We will be conducting small closed alpha and beta tests in 2011. The feedback from these tests will determine when we will do public beta tests and ship the game. Guild Wars 2 is a very large and ambitious game, and Guild Wars players rightfully have very high expectations. We want players to be absolutely blown away by the game the first time they experience it.

Read more here.

Participate in Dinams's forum thread here.

hope we see the realease in 2011 too :/

Yeah hopefully.

Considering how many games are coming out this year it is not a good idea to make people choose. It will just cannibalize the players of games .It is better to wait when the players are hungry for a new game to release so 2012 seems to be better. I know for me this year there is way too many and to be honest March itself is killing me.

wonder if they'll stick to their first weekend of the month beta test weekends?  man those really messed with my addictive personality

When it's ready? yes. Wait for a year with fewer titles? Heck no!

Honestly, GW2 is the anticipated title to beat, not some second tier runner up, hoping to capitalize on a weak market and fickle player base.

So, when it's ready, but I'm hoping it's ready a lot sooner than later!!!

Originally posted by kitarad

Considering how many games are coming out this year it is not a good idea to make people choose. It will just cannibalize the players of games .It is better to wait when the players are hungry for a new game to release so 2012 seems to be better. I know for me this year there is way too many and to be honest March itself is killing me.

 

I think that making people choose will ultimatly end in GW2 eliminating the competition and thus being a more successful game.

Originally posted by qweasd170

Originally posted by kitarad

Considering how many games are coming out this year it is not a good idea to make people choose. It will just cannibalize the players of games .It is better to wait when the players are hungry for a new game to release so 2012 seems to be better. I know for me this year there is way too many and to be honest March itself is killing me.

 

I think that making people choose will ultimatly end in GW2 eliminating the competition and thus being a more successful game.

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

GW2 doesn't have to worry about competetion because of one reason: No Subscription Fee. Someone who enjoys mainly F2P MMOs usually has many installed at once, whereas a P2P lover might have two MMOs going at the same time. The idea that people can play GW2 (which offers a P2P experience) whenever they want to as opposed to making sure they get their "$15 worth" will alone set it apart from the norm.

And there's also the small fact that it's shaping up to be a kickass game. 

Interesting stuff. Still looking like the 2012 release predictions will win out.

At this rate it will never be out,

The anticipation of GW2 makes me not want to waste time with current mmo's

gawd, i had a list of a few of you, that said i was a fool for betting 5% of my yearly income, that guild wars 2 wouldn't be released by first week of dec 2011.

but i lost it.

then there was a few who said it would be released by summer of this year.

I ll gladly welcome gw2 to the mmo jungle we live.heheh

Originally posted by kitarad

Considering how many games are coming out this year it is not a good idea to make people choose. It will just cannibalize the players of games .It is better to wait when the players are hungry for a new game to release so 2012 seems to be better. I know for me this year there is way too many and to be honest March itself is killing me.

 

What games would those be?  If this site is any proof, then THEY'RE the ones who have to worry about Guild Wars 2, not the other way around.

Being that I participate in just about any beta I can get my hands on and have seen some timelines of games from when I helped in alpha beta on through to release , I would bet if they started alpha within the next few weeks that we may get to see a release by 3rd or 4th quarter 2011. Thats considering there isnt to many possible game breaking mechanics they would have to fix. .  From the demos they have shown so far it looks polished, but watching them play and playing it oneself is two different things.  *crosses fingers for 2011 release*

Originally posted by thedarkess

hope we see the realease in 2011 too :/

 

NO!!!

i rather wait another year than have an unfinished piece of crap game released sooner

Well to be truthful the game could be finished for all we know and alpha testing is happening now. But know one knows all we do know is that there releasing info about there game not how far along it is. With most company's they dont release any game play videos unless they have somethings working in the game and from what I have seen so far the game looks good by the videos I have seen. But they as in Anet are not going to say if there close to being finished or if there far from it. I still think in my opinion its not to far off because they havent really released alot of info we dont already know the only thing they havent told us is the rest of the classes and how crafting will work. 

Heck they could release all the race info by Pax East and have in the new demo the option to play all classes and races because know one knows whats ready and what isnt. But my guess is when Pax East gets here the demo will offer other races and classes to play sense they already had human and char in the last demo plus 5 classes I think. So till I hear them say how much they have to finish and give me a release date I will be bouncing around from game to game. 

Originally posted by nolic1

Well to be truthful the game could be finished for all we know and alpha testing is happening now. But know one knows all we do know is that there releasing info about there game not how far along it is. With most company's they dont release any game play videos unless they have somethings working in the game and from what I have seen so far the game looks good by the videos I have seen. But they as in Anet are not going to say if there close to being finished or if there far from it. I still think in my opinion its not to far off because they havent really released alot of info we dont already know the only thing they havent told us is the rest of the classes and how crafting will work. 

Heck they could release all the race info by Pax East and have in the new demo the option to play all classes and races because know one knows whats ready and what isnt. But my guess is when Pax East gets here the demo will offer other races and classes to play sense they already had human and char in the last demo plus 5 classes I think. So till I hear them say how much they have to finish and give me a release date I will be bouncing around from game to game. 

I believe one of the CM's said on gw2guru that the demo was really just the most stable version of the game they had at the time and they just tweaked it a little and put in a timer, so it is entirely possible for them to show off races that weren't in the last demo and other parts of the world or even just the whole completed game if it is done.

3 games worth buying this year...torchlight 2, Star Wars: ToR and GW2. nuff said!