Guild Wars 2 Articles

Columns

• Returning to Guild Wars 2 – Returning Player Priorities

  Over my past several articles I’ve spent time outlining the classes and delved into players handling their inventory. Now we will head into the meat and potatoes, outlining some of the massive changes ArenaNet has added over the years for end-game play, while helping players prioritize what may interest them most upon returning, and when they may need to employ new tactics on the battlefield. Warning returning players, there be tough decision ahead!

  Posted on 10/12/2018 by Steven Weber

• Who Wants to Play WvW in Guild Wars 2?

  Way back when Guild Wars 2 released I came into Tyria riding high off the waves of Atreia. NCSoft’s pigeon loving playground was a haven for many of us that loved large scale combat. Gigantic battles full of factional warmongers were regular as clockwork and Guild Wars 2’s World vs World seemed like the natural successor.

  Posted on 10/05/2018 by Ed Orr

• Returning to Guild Wars 2: That Pesky Itemization

  In keeping with my recurring theme for returning players, I’ll be looking into the sleeping giant known as Itemization. The way Guild Wars 2 seemingly inundates players with items, lootboxes, crafting materials, gathering tools, gear and collectibles is borderline sociopathic. We’re going to cover the basic three here in the broadest possible terms, Buy, Sell, Keep, to ease the itemization shock new and returning players may experience upon entering Tyria.

  Posted on 09/28/2018 by Steven Weber

• Guild Wars 2: It's Not All Perfect...

  I try to remind myself that no game is perfect. It sucks, I know it does. We try to find the perfect match; the perfect game and it all comes up short in the end. So, we try to find the game that has the least number of flaws and so far, Guild Wars 2 has the least number of flaws so far. I must throw that “so far” in there because I still feel that I haven’t even scratched the surface of the game.

  Posted on 09/08/2018 by Josh Hay

• Guild Wars 2 6th Anniversary Retrospective

  Guild Wars 2’s sixth anniversary was this week and it got me thinking about how this game has managed to hold my attention for so long, because this is a rarity for an MMO. So, I thought this was a good time to look back at my personal journey with Guild Wars 2 and how it has managed to hold on to me.

  Posted on 08/29/2018 by Robin Baird

• Going Face-to-Face with the Community

  ArenaNet’s latest expansion is not long out the door and with no sign of us jumping into a new expansion pack quite yet, they didn’t bring a floor presence to Gamescom 2018. What they did do, however, was continue a process they have been slowly chasing for the last year, of attending in a way that allows fans to come together. From the Griffon that landed outside SDCC to last night’s community party, these events are incredibly important.

  Posted on 08/25/2018 by Ed Orr

• Returning to Guild Wars 2 – Class Choice - Continued

  In my last article on Returning to Guild Wars 2 we spoke about the very first thing returning players need to contend with, and that is their class choice. In this article we will continue down the list of classes, detailing the remaining classes and how they fare for new players as they learn to approach the multitude of changes Arenanet may have imposed over the course of their time away from Tyria.

  Posted on 08/17/2018 by Steven Weber

• The Journey So Far

  Since returning to Guild Wars 2, I have had a lot of fun on the journey to end-game. I’ve really learned a lot about what I enjoy about MMORPGs and what I don’t enjoy while playing this game. I’ve been dabbling into more activities in this game than I have in any other game, period. I’ve enjoyed the majority of my journey so far and in this article, I would like to go over everything so far. Let’s begin, shall we?

  Posted on 08/10/2018 by Josh Hay

• ArenaNet! Bring It Back!

  After roughly 4 years of absence, it was incredible to get back into the Aspect Arena and call on the elements to assist me. With the return of this festival, it reminded me of a few things that only existed in Tyria for a fleeting moment. Who knows, maybe we will see them again. Maybe, for some, there is a good reason to let them fade into memory and we won’t ever see their like again

  Posted on 08/03/2018 by Ed Orr

• The Return of the Festival of Four Winds

  The Festival of the Four Winds has long been one of my favorite holiday events, only surpassed by Dragon Bash, so finally having this festival comeback is a real highlight for me. Since I like the story and characters of Guild Wars 2 I was curious to see how the Zephyrites have been fairing since the Master of Peace died and the egg was taken away from them.

  Posted on 07/27/2018 by Robin Baird

• Choose Your Path

  As a person who works a job with varying shifts and typically long hours, I love how I can just jump into Guild Wars 2 and not worry about playing catch up. Anyways, enough talk about that. I wanted to discuss a couple of things this time around. Let’s start out with a pretty big concept: Progression.

  Posted on 07/20/2018 by Josh Hay

• The Best MMOs of 2018 So Far

  It’s not been a good year for brand spanking new games in the MMORPG realm. Heck, when was the last time it was? But that doesn’t mean the games we already have haven’t been making a strong showing. In fact, some of the most popular games in the world right now are those that have been out for years already. Here is our list of the Best MMOs of 2018 So Far (in no particular order).

  Posted on 07/17/2018 by William Murphy

• Returning to GW2 - Class Choice

  Guild Wars 2 has been around for nearly 6 years, and if you’re a die-hard MMORPG player, chances are at some point you’ve tried it, and if you were initially taken with it, you may still be playing it today. For much of the rest of the MMORPG player base, they may have found their time in Tyria short-lived, banking on updates and changes to the game to entice them back.

  Posted on 07/13/2018 by Steven Weber

• Tyria Done Quick

  We’ve all been there. You only got a spare few moments left before you are unceremoniously yanked out of Tyria. Pizza is on the way, the raid group has dispersed, or worse you’ve got to go outside. So instead here are a few ideas for things that you can do in Tyria that can be crammed into the space between. Let’s all them adventures in ten minutes or less.

  Posted on 07/06/2018 by Ed Orr

• Social Media Warfare Takes Down Two Writers at ArenaNet

  We all know Social media is a quagmire of scum and villainy. The temptation to go full keyboard warrior, the white knights, and flaming. For all the good it can do, it can destroy just as easily. So, when the Guild Wars 2 subreddit started blowing up over some combative social media comments things weren't bound to end well for two of ArenaNet’s Guild Wars 2 writing team.

  Posted on 07/06/2018 by Ed Orr

• Lichdom, I Hardly Know Him

  Rather than going over everything which happened in Guild Wars 2 Episode 3 I’m going to focus on a few interesting questions this episode raises for me. Also, fair warning, there be spoilers ahead. If you haven’t played through the whole story and don’t want the ending spoiled stop reading now and come back after you are done.

  Posted on 06/29/2018 by Robin Baird

• It's a Completionist Thing

  It’s an odd feeling really. Even in single-player games I have never been a completionist. I have always done side quests here and there while mainly focusing on the core of the game. I complete maybe 50-70% of each zone before moving on either from boredom or due to simply wanting to complete the game or the part of the story I am on.

  Posted on 06/21/2018 by Josh Hay

• Is It Time to Say Goodbye to Black Lion Chests (Lootboxes)?

  It is the age of the Loot Box. In their simplest form they are miniature RNG loot containers, but in their most devious form they are Pay to Play slot machines with deceiving rewards. Guild Wars 2 has implemented these loot boxes in the form of Black Lion Chests for a very long time, and with loot boxes under the microscope both by gamers and governments alike, is it time that we say goodbye to Black Lion Chests for good?

  Posted on 06/15/2018 by Steven Weber

• Hitting the Right Note

  I’m going through a part of Guild Wars 2 that is often celebrated but rarely explored. While I had a chance to talk to ArenaNet about the tech behind their graphical updates during our hands on for A Bug in the System, it occurred to me that most of us rarely notice all the ways the development team build the world around us and never notice that this is probably one of the most diverse soundtracks you’ll hear.

  Posted on 06/08/2018 by Ed Orr

• A Case Against Water Combat (and in Favor of Anything Else)

  In Guild Wars 2 we have had opportunities to take to the skies, dive into the depths of volcanoes, explore dangerous jungles and even tarry in the after life to some degree. Throughout the starkly different landscapes and mediums of Gameplay players have experienced, there has always been an underlying consensus from the greater populous. Under water combat is bad. If you disagree, I refuse to apologize, and will vehemently fight you on this.

  Posted on 06/01/2018 by Steven Weber

• Community Counts

  I can safely say after spending more time in the land of Tyria, I found myself having more and more of an enjoyable experience with Guild Wars 2. Although it is for different reasons than I thought it would be and that’s not a bad thing at all. In my all time playing MMORPGs I mainly looking for a couple of things,: one of those things that play probably the most important part to me is : Community.

  Posted on 05/25/2018 by Josh Hay

• Is It Time to Kill the Commander?

  There’s a theme that, if you look for it, you’ll find threaded throughout Guild Wars 2. From the moment you push back centaurs at Shaemoor to the first steps on Orr and beyond. Guild Wars 2 takes player on epic adventures. Since August 2012, I’ve saved villagers, Slain Scarlet, put down Mordremoth, and faced off against Gods. I’ve survived magical uprisings, the destruction of Lion’s Arch, sinister plots, and I mentioned the time Lion’s Arch was destroyed, right?

  Posted on 05/18/2018 by Ed Orr

• Diving Into Underwater Combat Changes

  My feelings about underwater combat in Guild Wars 2 could always be summed up in a simple statement: It’s the best underwater combat I’ve ever experienced in any MMO, but it is still terrible. There’s a ton of variables which come into play underwater. After all you are literally surrounded by water and the developers must translate the feeling of moving, and fighting, through water well without making the experience feel unbearable. There’s really a narrow margin for success.

  Posted on 05/11/2018 by Robin Baird

• How Heart of Thorns Failed & Path of Fire Succeeded

  In Guild Wars 2, we have had two expansions released with accompanying living world content. While opinions may differ on whether Heart of Thorns satiated the player base that clamored for more content, I’m here to make the argument that the content in the jungles of Maguuma made some substantial missteps that were eventually made right by release of the Path of Fire expansion.

  Posted on 05/04/2018 by Steven Weber

• Big Fish, Little Fish, Gargantuan Dragon. What About Bubble?

  This week I’ve been unfortunate enough to face Kralkatorrik’s wrath when a lightening storm sent me back into an age of myth and magic. Ok, my broadband died. It did, however, leave me with some time to think about the future of those dragons.

  Posted on 04/27/2018 by Ed Orr

• GW2 Has Stolen My Heart

  Ever since Guild Wars 2 was released, I have tried countless times for the game just to click with me. I really couldn’t tell you how many times I have tried. Most of the time I admit, it would be my fault. Other games came around and the game just sort of started to collect dust. But then Heart of Thorns clicked with me.

  Posted on 04/20/2018 by Josh Hay

• Rox Rocks

  Rox is a deep and interesting character who should be completely relatable to anyone who has ever wanted to find a place where they belong and fit in. Unfortunately, anyone who missed Season One Living Story also missed all the backstory on her which is why she often fails to resonate. Come with me as we explore Rox’s backstory and why she makes the choice to be there for Braham multiple times.

  Posted on 04/13/2018 by Robin Baird

• Metabattle is Ruining PvP in GW2

  There’s an undercurrent of PvP fanatics in GW2 that believe there is only one correct way to play a class in structured PvP, and that’s the MetaBattle way. If you pray to the holy MetaBattle gods to tell you what to play, I have some startling news for you, you’re ruining PvP.

  Posted on 04/06/2018 by Steven Weber

• Know Your Enemy - Praise Joko, the Greatest Villain in Guild Wars 2

  Praise Joko! The Dragons are dead! Well, they might as well be. Guild Wars 2 launched in 2012 with the promise of an epic story, wild adventures, and giant world ending dragons. The six prehistoric dragons have always hung over Tyria. But with the close of the latest Living Worlds episode, I wonder if the dragons are really the biggest threat Tyria has to offer, or if the best villains in Guild Wars 2 are neither gods nor monsters.

  Posted on 03/23/2018 by Ed Orr

• Alliances Announced!

  Without a doubt, World versus World is one of the least updated aspects of Guild Wars 2. Which is why when Arenanet announced yesterday that they were working on a massive overhaul to the server and population balancing systems of WvW, players went into a hype frenzy! This system will take several months to develop, with no ETA as of yet, but is promising to be the biggest change that WvW has ever received.

  Posted on 02/02/2018 by Alexander Wilkie

• Preparing for the Year of the Dog

  The Lunar New Year is fast approaching, and as always, Divinity's Reach will enter a period of celebration and festivities to mark the upcoming Year of the Dog. These celebrations take place in the Crown Pavillion, and are focused around obtaining the Divine Lucky Envelopes.

  Posted on 01/29/2018 by Alexander Wilkie

• Playing the Price

  Guild Wars 2 has, since the release of Heart of Thorns, been slowly creeping deeper in to the micro-transaction pit. Customisation options for Gliders and Mounts, huge selling points for both expansion, are almost entirely gated behind the cash shop, and the RNG and gambling aspect of both the Black Lion Chests and Mount Adoption License have only added fuel to the fire.

  Posted on 01/12/2018 by Alexander Wilkie

• The 10 Best MMOs of 2017

  We recently awarded our MMO of the year to Final Fantasy XIV, and for good reason. It’s been another banner year for Final Fantasy fans and their MMORPG, but it’s not the only MMO that had a solid 2017. Sure enough, there weren’t many great new games to play in 2017. But we’re taking a look at the games we played, in beta and fully launched, and picking our favorites.

  Posted on 12/27/2017 by William Murphy

• Competitive Communication – What’s Next for PVP and WvW?

  Over time, developers have taken more and more steps backwards when it comes to communication -- backpedaling from Colin Johanson's hype train approach to allow players to experience the content as it arrives. And whilst the PvE releases are sticking to an open approach, the competitive game modes WvW and PvP are being left in the dark, leaving many of us wondering just what ArenaNet has in mind?

  Posted on 12/06/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• What Does Class Diversity Mean?

  At launch, Guild Wars 2 was an MMO that strove to break the boundaries set by the classics of the genre and sought to achieve this through a diverse set of skills and abilities that each class could bring to an encounter. Now more than ever, Guild Wars 2 and the community expect certain roles for any difficult encounter, with specific classes fulfilling these roles either exclusively or objectively better than any other.

  Posted on 11/20/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Gemstore Endgame

  Any online game with a buy to play or free to play business model needs a way to generate profit long in to the game’s life spam. For Guild Wars 2, the Gem Store is the way in which Arenanet gets most of its profit outside of initial sales and expansions. Players can also choose to purchase their items with in game gold, converting them to gems to buy the flashy cosmetics and convenience items that come exclusively from the cash shop.

  Posted on 11/14/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Imperfect Balance

  One of the biggest problems for Guild Wars 2 developers facing this stance in on balancing lately, however, has been the frequency that patches are being delivered to the community, with the meta shifts being too slow, too far between and too small for a great deal of the vocal community.

  Posted on 11/08/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Skill Visibility

  As Guild Wars 2 ages, skills have become flashier and larger, to make sure new elite specialisation skills look as good as they feel. This is leading to an ever-increasing issue of visual clutter, with PvP situations in particular becoming almost impossible to see some small but important animations, and enemy AoEs in all content becoming hidden amongst dozens of allied particle effects.

  Posted on 10/31/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• A Story Worth Dying For - Beware of SPOILERS!

  Warning! Countless spoilers ahead!!! To me, this story was highly successful and one of the best that Guild Wars 2 has delivered to date, both extremely enjoyable to play through and delivering intensity in spades. Here is my small reaction to Path of Fire.

  Posted on 10/24/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The 10 Greatest MMORPG Heroes of All Time

  For our next two lists, we’ll be diving into the NPCs of our favorite MMORPGs to find the best heroes and villains across the genre. This week, we’re starting with the good guys, picking our 10 favorite MMORPG heroes of all time.

  Posted on 10/13/2017 by William Murphy

• Review in Progress #2 – Shifting Sands

  Next week, we will put a score and summary on Path of Fire, the new Guild Wars 2 expansion. But this week, we’re still working through the deluge of new content and massive new zones. While many players have scooted through the story and started unlocking their Griffon mounts, we’re taking our time, seeing the sights, and getting lost in jumping puzzles and random encounters. In short, it’s like a return to form for Tyria. The game I fell in love with back in 2012 feels like it’s returned.

  Posted on 10/06/2017 by William Murphy

• The Joys of Exploring

  Path of Fire has been a big win of an expansion so far for the majority of the active player base and reviewers, with some of the best new content and gameplay of any major update the game has ever released. Compared to the poorly received Heart of Thorns, Path of Fire has been the ‘golden child’ of the game’s life, and a huge factor in delivering this great experience has been the beautiful exploration available within the Crystal Desert.

  Posted on 10/04/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The 10 Best Story-Driven MMOs of All Time

  This week we’re ranking the 10 best story-driven MMOs of all time. That means we’re going to try and put numbers on feelings we all have for the narratives we play through when we’re living in these virtual worlds. It’s a tall order, and one we’re sure you’ll have some mixed emotions over. Without further ado, here are our 10 Best Story Driven MMOs of All Time.

  Posted on 10/03/2017 by William Murphy

• The Six Big Wins for Path of Fire

  Path of Fire is officially here! Travel across the sandy plains of the Crystal Desert as you chase down the God of War, Balthazar, and do your best to save not only the people of the desert, but the entire world. Path of Fire has launched to a wonderful reception so far from the community, and it brings with it both some amazingly gameplay as well as brilliant quality of life and class improvements. Here are the six biggest wins from Path of Fire so far!

  Posted on 09/27/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Path of Fire Review in Progress

  Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire is almost a complete 180 from the game’s first expansion, Heart of Thorns. It’s still early, but from the sound of players’ enthusiasm and my own first impressions, Path of Fire is everything we wanted from the first expansion to Tyria and then some. We’ll need more time to make a final review, but as first impressions go Path of Fire is making a great one.

  Posted on 09/27/2017 by William Murphy

• 7 Things to Do Before Path of Fire

  In a few short days, Path of Fire will be hitting the homes of players around the world, with new content, new builds and amazing new features. Before that day comes, players will be frantically making sure they have everything ready for a trip into the desert. This checklist will help you decide how to best use your last days of Heart of Thorns.

  Posted on 09/19/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• What Class to Play?

  Path of Fire, the upcoming expansion, is just 10 days away! With its release players will be getting an influx of new content, maps, story, gear and more, including the release of the highly anticipated Elite Specialisations! These new specs will be much like the Heart of Thorns ones before them, new ways to play the existing classes that offer unique and divergent pathways for players. The biggest question now for many new and returning players is- what to play?

  Posted on 09/14/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The 10 Greatest MMORPGs of All Time - 2017 Edition

  It feels like this is a list we should revisit every so often, especially as games change, games launch, and games die in the world of MMORPGs. The following is a list we compiled using something we like to call “our hearts and minds and asses”. Our Top 10 Great MMOs of All Time list is merely our own thoughts, put to paper. We absolutely welcome your own insight, and soon we’ll begin a poll of our users to catalog the Players’ Choice for 2017 too. Now, let’s get on with it!

  Posted on 09/13/2017 by William Murphy

• Humanizing Tyria

  In the original game of the franchise, Guild Wars 1, players could only take on the role of the Humans. It’s sequel, however, flag shipped the ability to play as many of Tyria’s races, and came with a story that impacted not just humanity, but the world itself. In the last few story episodes- and indeed in the upcoming Path of Fire expansion- Guild Wars 2 has slowly been sliding back in to a human centric story, pushing the other races to the side.

  Posted on 08/30/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• What's Your Most Wanted Game in 2017?

  It's been an insane year for non-MMO releases. There have been more "Game of the Year" candidates in the first 8 months than any year I can remember. But it's been decidedly slower in the MMO and "almost" MMO world. We've had some bright spots, but the bulk of what I'm personally waiting for is coming in the next three months. So let's hear it... what games are on your must play list for the remainder of 2017?

  Posted on 08/25/2017 by William Murphy

• Hands on With Path of Fire

  This weekend, players got to experience the first taste of the Path of Fire expansion. The expansion takes us to the sunburnt wilds of the Crystal Desert, to combat the rising threat of Balthazar, Kralkatorrik and even the Lich, Palawa Joko. Astride their glorious raptor mounts, player got to experience a small chunk of the first map along with the first stage of the story episode that will launch us in to the expansion.

  Posted on 08/14/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• First Thoughts - Path of Fire

  Path of Fire, the second expansion, has just been revealed with a huge chunk of juicy details to get the hype train well and truly out of the station. For both veterans and new players alike, this is by far the juiciest announcement Arenanet have made, containing some huge reveals and details about the new content and new ways to play the game.

  Posted on 08/02/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Path that Ended - Thoughts on the End of Season 3

  The final installment of Living World Season 3 has come at last! One Path Ends, the highly-anticipated ending to the third season of the game’s lauded Living World, brings the Heart of Thorns cycle to an end and prepares the game for its second expansion, with a live announcement set for Tuesday the 1st of August. This episode attempts to conclude some of the stories opened at the launch of the season, as well as adding more depth to the tale.

  Posted on 07/28/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Returning to Orr

  After a shocking reveal that Balthazar, human god of war, has returned to Tyria and is absorbing the power of the Elder Dragons as well as a large portion of the Maguuma Bloodstone, speculation has been going wild about where the mysterious deity will take his campaign next. The final episode of Living World Season 3 will take players back to Orr to see what looks like a new, post-cleansing continent, and the aftermath of both Zhaitan’s defeat and Balthazar’s return.

  Posted on 07/18/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• New Zones & Replayability

  The biggest way for Arenanet to add new open world content comes in the form of new and engaging maps, which are accompanied by useful, game changing masteries. It's a tool for putting out exciting content that players can explore and enjoy, and makes the world feel like it is expanding. The issue is that the new maps are becoming deserted as people finish the content, making meta events and rewards harder to obtain for anyone still wanting to try it out.

  Posted on 07/11/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Down with Grandmaster Marks

  Guild Wars 2 Ascended level accessories and weapons are now more simple than ever to obtain, and are where a great deal of stat points come from. The recent additions of new methods to acquire ascended armour from PvP, WvW and the Fractals of the Mists vendor are meant to be new ways to slowly progress your character in your favourite game mode, but have lost a great deal of their appeal due to one simple reason.

  Posted on 07/03/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• AFK Farmers & You

  Guild Wars 2 has never been notorious for botting, hacking, or just generally exploiting the game. Sure, occasionally you might see a speed hacker, or evade spammer, or teleporter show up in your reddit feed, maybe a dozen a year if you’re lucky, but generally its kept very much in check and under control by the GMs and developers. Recently though, a problem has been growing in both severity and in number with the rise of AFK farming on the new living world maps.

  Posted on 06/19/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• WvW – The Hype Train Has Arrived!

  WvW has just seen the biggest and most well received update for years, perhaps in the game’s history. But as with any patch, last week’s reward update has brought with it both fantastic highlights and some pretty disappointing lows. This article is going to discuss both the pros and cons of the newest reward system for World versus World, and what it means for the game mode going forward.

  Posted on 06/13/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• All Aboard the WvW Hype Train!

  This Guild Wars 2 update has so far gotten a huge deal of attention in the game’s community, and is highly anticipated as both a population boost and quality of life change for the game mode that players have been begging after. Before the patch, I’m going to explain the best ways to get your rewards, what to do as a new player to WvW, as well as a small sneak peek at the tier 3 armor.

  Posted on 06/06/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Balance Patch Aftermath: May 16th

  We thought another article would be appropriate for the latest big balance patch to hit Guild Wars 2. This month’s patch saw some of the biggest shake ups to come from the more recent cycle of balancing, giving way to older, less utilized skills and traits and hitting some of the big players. Across the game modes new builds emerged for almost every class in at least one game mode as the condition damage meta continued its steady rise to power (pun intended).

  Posted on 05/30/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Festival Content and Giveaway Winners!

  Festival content in Guild Wars 2 has always been content that sees a great deal of play, with lots of players returning or upping their hours when some of their favorite content comes rolling in to town. Events like Halloween, with the Mad King’s Labyrinth, or Wintersday and the Winter Wonderland, and of course the Super Adventure Festival, have been huge and iconic parts of the game.

  Posted on 04/19/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Paying Homage to World vs World with a Gem Giveaway!

  World versus World is. For thousands of players, the crown jewel of Guild Wars 2, and is something that has drawn diehard fans from across the world together in a unique experience. Players gather in their thousands across their worlds to compete and celebrate game that glorifies strategy, combat and community. There is room for improvement, and nothing is perfect, but today is about taking a break from criticism and frustration.

  Posted on 04/10/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Super Adventure Box Returns for 2017

  It's that time of year again, everyone! The fan favourite classic Super Adventure Box has returned to Guild Wars 2, and is sure to have you jumping for joy! Or jumping in to a horrific and pixel explosion of a death. Super Adventure Box is an April Fools festival that has become an annual part of Guild Wars 2, and is without doubt the most popular festival in the game.

  Posted on 03/27/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Pros and Cons of a DPS Meter

  For a long time, third party programs in Guild Wars 2 have been taboo of sort, with anything that reads the game’s memory being a straight up ban for anyone who uses it. Overlays, and some helpful add ons have been around for a while to make life easier, but the biggest place this hit was in trying to measure DPS. Recently, ArenaNet have made an exception in this case, allowing DPS meters to be a part of the game.

  Posted on 03/21/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Digging Up the Past

  Guild Wars 2 gets praise for a lot things, but none strikes new players to the game more than the vastness in the open world of Tyria. As the game has aged, many of the bigger open stories that have been created within this world have been collecting dust. That is, until Living World Season 3. This season has seen a massive return to the unanswered plots of the game, and for a veteran player, has been both its biggest success and its biggest danger. THAR BE SPOILERS AHEAD – YE BE WARNED!

  Posted on 03/13/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Stagnant Competitive Scene

  Players in Guild Wars 2 are pretty trigger happy when it comes to the term ‘content drought’, every month or two the label gets thrown around the forums and reddit from bored players who have completed the latest release of content. But at the moment, despite updates to balance and seasons, the competitive scene for GW2 is in the biggest dry spell the game has ever witnessed since launching its eSports agenda.

  Posted on 03/06/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• A Struggle for Balance

  This week, Guild Wars 2 has seen one of the biggest balance changes in recent history. Although not quite on the same level as some predicted, the patch came with some pretty significant changes to many of the classes, with both meta and non meta build being shifted around. The implications of the patch are fairly far reaching, with a fairly shake up to the high end raiding meta composition and also some significant buffs that are having a devastating impact in the World versus World scene.

  Posted on 02/28/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Before The Patch - Head of the Snake

  The first story release of 2017 is right around the corner, with the next Living Story episode, Head of the Snake, and a new raid wing both expected with the upcoming patch. This will be the first time a raid wing will release side by side with a story episode, and- alongside other parts of the release- will be one of the biggest individual content updates to the game to happen in quite some time.

  Posted on 02/06/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Year of the Rooster

  The Lunar New Year has been a historically popular festival for Guild Wars 2, despite its comparatively small impact on the world and limited events. Tt is an extremely profitable time to be playing with some special rewards that benefit both old and new players. It also remains one of the few festivals now that is getting yearly love from development, as the theme of the festival changes according to the zodiac for the year.

  Posted on 01/30/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• An Economic Evolution

  Gold in Guild Wars 2 was, once upon a time, an incredible valuable and hard to come by currency. As with most MMORPGs, back at launch the influx of gold and rewards was a lot scarcer than what you see today. As a result of a higher income as players got to completing higher end content gold became more and more common for the everyday player, resulting in forced gold sinks and more expensive outlets for your gold.

  Posted on 01/16/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Decline of Build Diversity

  In the last year, since the release of Guild Wars 2 Heart of Thorns with its elite specialisations and raids, as well as the increasing difficulty of Fractals of the Mist at higher levels to earn maximum rewards, classes have been forced to take on specific builds and roles to meet the demands of the game. This has carried through to all forms of the game, not just in PvE but also in both the player versus player environments.

  Posted on 01/09/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• The Top 20 MMO News Stories of 2016

  2016 is in the bag folks, and after 52 weeks of MMO news, you’ll be surprised (or maybe) not to see what the most viewed stories on MMORPG.com were over the course of the year. Some of you will probably see why Black Desert gets a lot of reporting too, both here and across the web. Read on for our top 20 stories of 2016!

  Posted on 01/03/2017 by William Murphy

• A Furtive Look Ahead at Story

  Speculation, leaks, teasers and the ever present hype train have dominated Guild Wars 2 discussion for months now, with the so far successful Living World Season 3 leading players to new places each release, everyone wants to know where to next! Without too many #Spoilers, let’s take a look at some of the juicier speculation we've seen from 2016, and the implications of some of the leaks and teasers we have gotten in the lead up to the new year.

  Posted on 01/02/2017 by Alexander Wilkie

• Tixx is coming to Tyria!

  The holidays at Guild Wars 2 have historically been a period of a whole pile of fun and excitement for the community, with big updates, seasonal activities and changes to the world. In recent history, the holidays have seen even more than just holiday updates, with 2015's Halloween paired with the launch of Heart of Thorns, 2015 Wintersday seeing the Fractal update and addition of Encryptions and liquid rewards, 2016 Lunar New Year seeing the addition of Central Tyria Gliding.

  Posted on 12/26/2016 by Alexander Wilkie

• The European Guild Versus Guild Tournament

  Currently, the game is in the midst of one of the most highly anticipated PvP seasons to date, coupled with a rehashed Wintersday that still has not failed to bring joy and love to all the players (and orphans). Amongst all these big updates, it would be pretty easy to have missed the end of the European Guild versus Guild tournament that took place, especially considering that this project was 100% community run and funded.

  Posted on 12/19/2016 by Alexander Wilkie

• What to Expect from PvP Season 5

  With the next season right around the corner, many players are in gear for practice mode as they test, learn and master their favorite builds in preparation of the next season of competitive play. Whether you're a portal play making Mesmer or a bunker mid master of the elements, season 5 brings new challenge and chances for glory to all the GW2 PvP players.

  Posted on 12/12/2016 by Alexander Wilkie

• World Versus World - Polls and the Illusion of Choice

  Some of you might remember back to the start of this year, during a time where Guild Wars 2 was implementing a quarterly update approach to the game with big changes to all areas included in each patch.

  Posted on 11/28/2016 by Alexander Wilkie

• Before the Patch - Breaking the Ice

  As we head in to another exciting chapter of the Living World Season 3, it’s time to look at what we can expect from November 21st update, A Crack in the Ice. As most Guild Wars 2 players are already aware, this release will come with the next instalment of Tyria’s war against the Elder Dragons, and is expected to take us deep in to the frozen northlands where the icy breath of Jormag awaits us.

  Posted on 11/20/2016 by Alexander Wilkie

• How Players Have Enhanced Their Game Through Community Organised Events

  Guild Wars 2 has often been praised for having one the most supportive and friendly communities of any in the MMO genre. Sometimes, like in a Foefire 490-10, with three AFK thieves and a chat log full of ‘Nerf ranger-report team’, you can start to wonder how, in all of Tyria, anyone could believe that...

  Posted on 11/14/2016 by Alexander Wilkie

• Top 5 Games To Forget About Politics With Today

  This week as we finish up a brutal election time in our country we thought it would be best on some games that do their damnedest to help you forget reality. What MMOs truly take you into a fully immersive experience? Do any of them have such in depth world building that you simply do not want to leave? Well, here we present to you the Top Five Games to Forget About Politics!

  Posted on 11/09/2016 by Garrett Fuller

• Life's Distractions - Journey to Tamriel

  I’ve felt a little lost this weekend. I don’t know whether it’s my age, the fact my children occupy most of my time or that my tastes are simply changing, but many games I have are failing to capture my attention. Several times on Saturday I attempted to play Guild Wars 2 only to login, stare at my character, and wonder what it is that I could actually do that would hold my attention for more than five minutes.

  Posted on 11/07/2016 by Lewis Burnell

• Will We See Smaller MMOs?

  Yesterday, Gamasutra ran a feature about how players can only process about 200 social connections drawing attention to Dunbar’s Number theory. It brought up a very interesting point in the MMO world and how important the true size of a game really need to be? The vast worlds of 2000 to 2010 have given way to highly instanced MMOs like Elder Scrolls Online and Guild Wars 2.

  Posted on 10/19/2016 by Garrett Fuller

• Zone In, Zone Out - The New Zone Brings Fire, But Can It Spark Your Interest?

  It's a new zone! And earlier than expected! ArenaNet originally promised Guild Wars 2 players a new Living Story update every three months, but Rising Flames and Ember Bay came ahead of schedule, just two months after we got Out of the Shadows and Bloodstone Fen. Was it worth the wait... er, non-wait? Well, kinda-sorta-wait?

  Posted on 10/03/2016 by Jason Winter

• Loot Boxes Are Never a Good Thing

  My good colleague, Billy Murphy, early last week wrote about five things we should stop complaining about. The fifth entry was random reward lootboxes and out of the entire list, I will never - as long as I draw breath - stop complaining about these. They are, as far as I’m concerned, a cancer across multiple genres, intended to do nothing more than extract money from unsuspecting players.

  Posted on 09/05/2016 by Lewis Burnell

• How Can MMOs Be Monetized Fairly?

  What’s the best way to monetize an MMO and have it be seen as fair by the players? This is a question that’s no doubt going to ruffle a few feathers and create a few competing comments, but our own Lewis Burnell is brave enough to tackle the topic in his column this week.

  Posted on 08/22/2016 by Lewis Burnell

• The Latest NCSoft Financial Report Paints a Sad Picture for GW2 Sales

  The Q2 2016 NCSoft financials were released a couple weeks ago, covering the period from April to June, and they weren't pretty for Guild Wars 2. In fact, as far as the game goes, they're pretty lousy – if you consider $4.75 million per month lousy.

  Posted on 08/22/2016 by Jason Winter

• The New Zone Has a Lot Going On, But Will It Be Enough?

  After a solid week-plus in Guild Wars 2's much-anticipated update, Out of the Shadows, I've got conflicted feelings. It's nice to (finally) have something new to do again that isn't raid-related, but I don't think the update is the kind of transcendental chunk of content that's going to radically transform people's views of the game.

  Posted on 08/08/2016 by Jason Winter

• Returning to Tyria - A Band of Merry Revenants

  I decided to try a new class entirely after not enjoying my current roster whatsoever, and what better place to look than the newest of the bunch, the Revenant?

  Posted on 08/01/2016 by Hannah Richardson-Lewis

• Is the Living World Harming Rather Than Helping?

  Guild Wars 2’s Living World Season 3 is right around the corner and in this week's column, it would be rude not to discuss such an arrival. With Season 2 having begun on July 1, 2014 and culminating in the launch of Heart of Thorns, it’s with relief that Season 3 is finally on the horizon. For all the things that I loved about Season 2 and Heart of Thorns, its climax was particularly weak and yet I enjoyed most things leading up to it.

  Posted on 07/24/2016 by Lewis Burnell

• Fan Creations - Spotlight on Tyria

  MMOs always tend to inspire a ton of fan creations which span a wide spectrum of possibilities, and Guild Wars 2 is no exception. With the Livin Story picking back up next week this seemed like a good point to take a look at some of the incredible creations out there. Really there are so many interesting things fans have been creating over last four years I’ll definitely be revisiting Guild Wars 2 again for this column.

  Posted on 07/21/2016 by Robin Baird

• Returning to Tyria - More Fun with Friends

  During my time back in Guild Wars 2 after more than a year away, I've come to find perhaps the biggest source of my disengagement with the game: I've been trying to play more-or-less solo, and Tyria simply isn't a world that I can explore on my own.

  Posted on 07/19/2016 by Hannah Richardson-Lewis

• Is The Genre Stronger With Fluid Classes?

  As is customary with this column, most of my topics come about from talking to friends. This week's is no exception and as a small group of us chatted about classes in MMO’s, most of us agreed that they were often restrictive and unnecessary. I suspect that such a view isn’t as popular amongst the majority as it is my group of friends, but it certainly started a lengthy debate.

  Posted on 07/11/2016 by Lewis Burnell

• Ready Up

  ArenaNet's communications policy is terrible and needs to change while there's still someone to communicate with.

  Posted on 07/11/2016 by Jason Winter

• Returning to Tyria

  I do not take a decision like returning to Guild Wars 2 lightly, especially when I have such a love/hate relationship with the game, but there is one overarching feature that may just overshadow all of my issues with the MMORPG, and some of these are pretty deep-rooted indeed.

  Posted on 07/06/2016 by Hannah Richardson-Lewis

• Apathy Sets In

  The only thing worse than players being angry about an MMO is for them to not care enough to be angry.

  Posted on 06/27/2016 by Jason Winter

• When Games Inspire: The Diverse Realm of Fan Creation

  Video Games are a wonderful form of media which can do more than just entertain; they can open whole new worlds and possibly up which we might not have ever found. Being a creative endeavor it isn’t really surprising when video games then inspire their fans to go off on their own and create things.

  Posted on 06/08/2016 by Robin Baird

• The Content Correlation

  Everyone knows that more content means more players and more revenue for an MMO, right? Or is that not the case with Guild Wars 2?

  Posted on 05/30/2016 by Jason Winter

• The MMO Leap to Console

  This week if the news taught us anything it is that the MMO leap to console systems has now been validated. Yesterday, Matt Firor made a few announcements in a feature on GameIndustry.biz about the success that Elder Scrolls Online has had in the console market. It opened a lot of eyes in the game world and perhaps this is the jump start we need to really begin seeing major companies invest in MMOs again.

  Posted on 05/20/2016 by Garrett Fuller

• A World Of Improvements

  The scoring system in World vs. World has always seemed imperfect to me. It was a worthwhile first attempt, but after three years it's well past due for a change. It may have taken a poll to get ArenaNet to finally take steps to address it, but at least something's being done, and I think the upcoming changes will do a lot to make WvW more enjoyable.

  Posted on 05/16/2016 by Jason Winter

• Patch Perfect?

  The Spring Update made Guild Wars 2 a lot more rewarding simply by – well, handing out lots more rewards. Was that enough?

  Posted on 05/02/2016 by Jason Winter

• Revisiting the Heart of Thorns Story

  The Heart of Thorns story was generally well-received, but was it the right focus for the expansion?

  Posted on 04/18/2016 by Jason Winter

• Legendary Fury

  The recent decision to ax new legendary weapons hasn't gone over well and speaks to wider issues with Guild Wars 2's development and communication.

  Posted on 04/04/2016 by Jason Winter

• It's the Economy, Stupid

  What can be done to address Guild Wars 2's economic problems? Maybe not letting them get so bad in the first place.

  Posted on 03/21/2016 by Jason Winter

• MMOs for Couples

  While the idea of “massive multiplayer” online RPG means that we’re in there with others by design, sometimes it’s nice to just adventure through with a partner-in-crime, just the two blazing a path to glory. With that in mind, we’ll take a look today at five games that that are great fun for two.

  Posted on 03/15/2016 by Suzie Ford

• Mastery and Commander

  After a long time with the Mastery system, here’s our opinion on how well it works and how it could be improved.

  Posted on 02/22/2016 by Jason Winter

• MMOs for Explorers

  In this new column we’re calling The Playlist, we seek to be your MMO Spotify. We want to curate lists of games for all kinds of player types or interests. To start off, we’re going to focus on the best games out there for all kinds of explorers. If you love getting lost in a world, seeing whatever is over the next mountain, we hope to give you quite a few games to check out.

  Posted on 02/17/2016 by William Murphy

• Precursor Crafting: Pre-tty Cool Or Curse-Worthy?

  Precursor crafting has long been Jason's #1 desire in Guild Wars 2. How does the implementation in Heart of Thorns stack up?

  Posted on 02/08/2016 by Jason Winter

• A 2016 Wish List

  Last month's Wintersday Wish List was my attempt at singling out a few of the easier-to-address issues with Guild Wars 2. Today, I'm rolling up my sleeves and getting a little more muck on my arms, looking forward to 2016 and the kinds of tasks that might take a wee bit longer, if not a good portion of the year. We'll know more about ArenaNet's plans on Tuesday, but in advance of that, here are a few things I'd like to see on the long-term checklist.

  Posted on 01/11/2016 by Jason Winter

• MMO Predictions for 2016

  The MMO genre can sometimes feel like a whimsical sea of shifting sands, but it’s not without its axioms. Open betas will almost always mean soft launches, game development benchmarks will take longer than expected, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will always be one of the best-conceived and poorly-executed MMORPGs ever made. Yet, sometimes the sands shift enough to reveal patterns for those who are good enough at predictions to get a glimpse of what awaits for MMOs, RPGS, and other games.

  Posted on 01/08/2016 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• The Year That Was: 2015's Most Clicked News Stories

  As we bring 2015 to a close, it's always entertaining to look back at the year that was and what news items resonated with our readers. These items are the most trafficked, not necessarily the biggest, stories of the year, but sometimes sheer numbers are telling as well.

  Posted on 12/29/2015 by Suzie Ford

• Reviewing and Ranking the Heart of Thorns Zones

  It's been two months since Heart of Thorns launched with four new zones, and, like many of you, I've spent countless hours exploring the jungle, taking down wyverns, running for my life, getting knocked on my ass, and plunging to my death.

  Posted on 12/28/2015 by Jason Winter

• Wintersday Wishes

  I think I've been a reasonably good boy this year. I mean, there was that one incident with the quaggan, the chocolate sauce, and the Volkswagen, but that was all the way back in March and I'm sure that Tixx has totally forgotten about it...

  Posted on 12/14/2015 by Jason Winter

• 5 MMO Incidents that Showed Solidarity Against the Real World

  With the recent terrorist attacks in mind, I send out my condolences to all of those who lost or even have an injured loved one. In real life, we tend to stick together in such tragedies, give each other a pat on the back and help each other out of these tough times. On the other side, in the world of video games, it’s not that different, since it’s the same people in real life who play them.

  Posted on 12/07/2015 by Mostafa Hossam

• Playing For The Long Game

  It can be slow going in Heart of Thorns, but you'll get there eventually, as Jason optimistically points out this week.

  Posted on 11/30/2015 by Jason Winter

• Dipping A Toe Into the Game's First Raid (And Having It Bit Off)

  What's in a name? Well, when your name is “Gorseval the Multifarious,” chances are that you're not a kind and cuddly teddy bear. Instead, you're something of a cross between a mutated tree and bloodthirsty zombie, which makes you the perfect candidate for a major boss fight in the first wing of Guild Wars 2's first raid. Other, less intimidating and gruesome candidates need not apply.

  Posted on 11/17/2015 by Jason Winter

• Five Not so Hot Things About Heart of Thorns

  Next week we’ll cast a final score on Guild Wars 2’s first expansion, Heart of Thorns, and in many regards the experience of playing through this content has been a positive episode in our grander Tyrian adventure. But that doesn’t mean that Heart of Thorns is without fault. Today, we’re pulling up five issues we have with the expansion…

  Posted on 11/10/2015 by William Murphy

• Enjoy Now, Stress Later

  Detailed analysis and pointed criticism can come later. For now, Jason's just enjoying the Heart of Thorns experience.

  Posted on 11/02/2015 by Jason Winter

• Five Things We Love About Heart of Thorns

  With Heart of Thorns now over a week old, and our review currently in progress, we wanted to spend this week pining over the things we really appreciate in ArenaNet’s first Guild Wars 2 expansion. Next week we’ll tally up a few aggravations, but for now let’s give credit where credit is due.

  Posted on 11/02/2015 by William Murphy

• Guild Wars 2 - Heart of Thorns is Here!

  A lot has happened in Guild Wars 2 since its launch over three years ago. We’ve seen two Seasons of Living World content, changes and additions to sPvP and WvW, and a recent transition to free-to-play. As substantive as these features may be, they none of them can match up to the hype and scope of a canonical expansion, which ArenaNet is poised to deliver with Heart of Thorns.

  Posted on 10/23/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• Heart of Thorns' Balancing Act

  Soon – and not even Soon(TM), but actual SOON – we'll be barreling through the Maguuma Jungle, battling Mordremoth's minions at every turn. We'll explore every nook and cranny of the elder dragon's domain, uncover great secrets, and, most likely, experience great triumph at the culmination of our campaign.

  Posted on 10/19/2015 by Jason Winter

• 18 Days And Counting!

  With Heart of Thorns just weeks away, Jason looks back on his thousands of hours playing Guild Wars 2 and wonders what else he could have done with his time...

  Posted on 10/05/2015 by Jason Winter

• The Five Best MMOs for New Players

  Jumping into a new MMO can be an intimidating experience for even the most seasoned players, especially those who have little familiarity with MMORPGs in general. Most of us on the site play MMOs like doing so is our job, and yet there are still some times when I start up a new game, or an existing one that I haven’t touched in a while, and feel the familiar sense of panic when I see how many skills or activities are available.

  Posted on 09/28/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• Guns and Amore

  Still, I love my engineer, who's my co-main along with my necromancer. And, true to my usual form, I eschew the typical DPS builds like grenades and flamethrower, and go all in with elixirs, playing her with a buffing/healing build in PvE that still can do reasonable damage and stay alive for extended periods of time. I like to think that, just as with any hybrid/support class, it's not about the big numbers I put up but how I help other players put up big numbers.

  Posted on 09/21/2015 by Jason Winter

• Five Ways to Get Ready for Guild Wars 2’s Heart of Thorns

  At PAX Prime 2015, ArenaNet finally let the release date for Heart of Thorns out of the bag, giving us about a month and a half to prepare for Guild Wars 2’s first official expansion. If you’re like me, you’ll be scrambling to finish the current Living World content and level your alts by October 23. Here are five ways that you can prepare for Heart of Thorns!

  Posted on 09/11/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• 3 Good and 3 Bad Things About Raids

  I'm definitely stoked to see raids coming to Guild Wars 2, but I'd be less than truthful if I said everything looked perfectly rosy. Still, I made a September's Resolution (which is like a New Year's Resolution but done any time I damn well feel like it) to try and see the bright side of things more. With that in mind, here are three things I like and three I'm apprehensive about regarding raids in Guild Wars 2.

  Posted on 09/07/2015 by Jason Winter

• The Five Most Interesting Stories from PAX Prime 2015

  Conventions are always a great time for developers to spill the beans about what’s next for their most anticipated titles, and PAX is a Prime venue (you’re welcome) for big announcements. Our staff was on the ground for all things related to MMOs and RPGs at PAX Prime 2015. Here are five of the most interesting stories from last week’s conference!

  Posted on 09/07/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• Raising the Bars on Loot Acquisition

  The Mastery system coming in Heart of Thorns offers a new way to progress your characters. This week, Jason wonders if a similar system couldn't be applied to the entire MMO.

  Posted on 08/24/2015 by Jason Winter

• Feeling Elite

  I do love me some theorycrafting. I'm not necessarily the best player, but I love coming up with ways to build characters and then put them to the test in a game. So I'd say I'm looking forward to the elite specializations in Heart of Thorns as much as I am to the new zones and gameplay.

  Posted on 08/10/2015 by Jason Winter

• Me and My Hammer - A Heart of Thorns Engineer Wishlist

  I have a confession to make. My Engineer in Guild Wars 2 was the first character I leveled to 80. It was also the first character I stopped playing at the cap, because I realized I just didn’t like not having a melee focus in GW2. Silly right? It took me 80 levels and then some to figure that out. But Heart of Thorns could change all that, with one simple thing: a big ol’ two-handed hammer.

  Posted on 08/04/2015 by William Murphy

• NCSoft Quarter 2 Analysis - Lineage Still Going Strong

  The second quarter revenue reports for NCSoft have come in a few weeks early, and the results are pretty much positive across the board. I know this is the part where I'd normally add "unless you play Wildstar," but I'm not going to do that this month. Given the figures presented in this quarter's report, I'm going to guess there aren't a whole lot of people left that such a message would actually apply to. So instead, I'll say that it's positive across the board unless you work on Wildstar.

  Posted on 08/03/2015 by Connor Wack

• How Ready Is Ready?

  “When it's ready” is the ArenaNet mantra when it comes to showing off new features of Guild Wars 2. But how ready does something have to be for it to be viewable by the public?

  Posted on 07/27/2015 by Jason Winter

• The Infestation of Level 80s

  There’s a huge infestation problem in Guild Wars 2, and I’m not talking about the minions of Modremoth. I’m talking about all these level 80 characters running around stealing all the events, and breaking them! Low level characters use dynamic events to not only enjoy a good bit of story, but to also supplement their leveling experience. But we max level players have gotten greedy, and turn all the low level maps we infest into barren wastelands!

  Posted on 07/20/2015 by David North

• A Little of Everything - When Will Heart of Thorns Launch?

  There haven't been a whole lot of new content or reveals to talk about lately, so this week, Jason tackles a few smaller topics that have been gnawing on his brain like an underfed karka hatchling.

  Posted on 07/13/2015 by Jason Winter

• Is Adding More HP to World Bosses Enough?

  The balance of power between players and world bosses has shifted once again! We’ve become so good at killing these monsters that they needed an HP boost! But is it too much and does it actually make these encounters more of a challenge?

  Posted on 07/06/2015 by David North

• The Heart of the Heart of Thorns Debate

  This week, Jason examines what we know about Heart of Thorns and whether it will be enough to satisfy content-hungry Guild Wars 2 players.

  Posted on 06/29/2015 by Jason Winter

• 5 MMOs That Would Be Perfect for Consoles

  Today’s MMO market isn’t what it used to be. A little less than a decade ago everyone was playing the same handful of games and there wasn’t much MMO-hopping going on. Free-to-play was all but nonexistent and unless you paid a subscription for a PC MMORPG, you weren’t playing much in the way of persistent online games. Nowadays, you can boot up an MMO on everything from your smartphone and PC to consoles and tablets. They’re everywhere.

  Posted on 06/29/2015 by David Jagneaux

• Pre-Order Mayhem

  It seemed like an eternity as we all sat and waited for the announcement of an expansion to Guild Wars 2, and when it came it was like a breath of fresh air. That is until the next day when we began our wait to pre-order the expansion. That has come, and rather than cheers, you will mostly hear an outrage from players all over the forum. Are players feeling too entitled, or has ArenaNet marred what should have been a good day?

  Posted on 06/22/2015 by David North

• The 5 Best Games and Announcements from E3 2015

  E3 2015 was a historic event for the gaming industry. Whether you’re an old-school gamer that was dying to finally see Final Fantasy VII’s remake announced, one of the few people that held out hope The Last Guardian was still a thing, or just a fan of gaming looking forward to the biggest and best new games the industry has to offer, there was something for everyone. Hell, we even got the first ever PC Gaming Show this year! That has literally never happened.

  Posted on 06/22/2015 by David Jagneaux

• Heart of Thorns Might Take a While, and That's OK

  This week, Jason examines why Heart of Thorns taking a long time to come out isn't such a bad thing, in the long-term.

  Posted on 06/15/2015 by Jason Winter

• Heart of Thorns Gives Us Back Our Voice

  Some of the greatest heroes in video games have been silent, letting their actions speak for them. Those days are mostly gone now, as a player's character can now chime in on a conversation. Guild Wars 2's Living World stepped away from the cut scene conversations, and placed them in game, but our characters stopped talking due to technical limitations. That's changing with the expansion, as Heart of Thorns will give us our voices back!

  Posted on 06/08/2015 by David North

• The Future of Dungeons in Tyria

  This week, Jason puts forth the question of whether we'll ever see new dungeons in Guild Wars 2, or even if there's a point to ArenaNet making more of them. Read on for Jason's full thoughts on the touchy subject.

  Posted on 06/01/2015 by Jason Winter

• Lion's Arch, The NEW City of Hope

  It’s been awhile since we last saw an installment to the living story, and the HoT expansion is still a good bit further down the road, we expect. Still, we can see how our past actions continue change, and evolve the world of Tyria. Scarlet left Lion’s Arch in a mess, but now is the time to repair, rebuild, and look towards the future.

  Posted on 05/25/2015 by David North

• Numbers!

  79.12! 28.04! 0.45! Jason breaks down some of the facts and figures from the NCSoft financial report, recent earnings expectation report, and the Guild Wars 2 leaderboards to provide some interesting insights.

  Posted on 05/18/2015 by Jason Winter

• What We Can Learn from the Latest NCsoft Earnings

  NCSoft has released their financial results for the first quarter of 2015, and the results are a mixed bag of the good and predictably bad. Blade & Soul has seen continued growth, the company is in an overall better position, and second half releases are set to bring in an infusion of cash. There is nothing to worry about.

  Posted on 05/13/2015 by Connor Wack

• Making Events More Dynamic

  Dynamic Events are a large and important concept in Guild Wars 2. They’ve helped bring players together, and showed us that a game world could feel alive. But like any other young concept, there is definitely room for growth. And what better way to see dynamic events taken to the next level than through an expansion?

  Posted on 05/11/2015 by David North

• Cosmetic Conundrum - How Much Should We Care About Drop Rates?

  Jason asks the question: Should we be concerned about how hard it is to get “non-essential” items like skins or those elusive beta portals?

  Posted on 05/04/2015 by Jason Winter

• Specializations - A New Way to Play

  Some more news has spilled all over the internet yesterday detailing specializations. It seems the real goal for the developers is to completely change not only how players progress their characters, but how they play them as well.

  Posted on 04/27/2015 by David North

• When to Embrace Themepark MMOs

  There are hundreds of MMOs out there, and many of us have played dozens or more of them. Along the way, we've picked up a few favorites, maybe even made a mostly permanent home. But there's always that nagging thought... maybe it's time to go back and try that other game again?

  Posted on 04/20/2015 by William Murphy

• Slow And Steady Wins The Enjoyment Race

  This week, Jason enlists the help of the Jedi Order to explain his approach to making MMOs feel more like fun and not work.

  Posted on 04/20/2015 by Jason Winter

• 4 Things You Still Won’t Have in Heart of Thorns

  Every game, no matter how successful, will always be missing something players want. Whether it be a feature from a previous game in the franchise, or a highly demanded map on the forums. That’s what’s so special about expansions and sequels. They can expand the games experience by adding in these missing features. But we don’t always get what we want, and this seems to hold true in HoT, as 4 very popular wishes among players will once again be absent.

  Posted on 04/13/2015 by David North

• 5 Awesome Buy-to-Play MMOs

  Buy-to-play MMOs are becoming more and more popular around the industry. It’s clear that free-to-play games are expanding and they're becoming more and more popular, but they’re not the only alternative to subscription based games. Even for MMOs, options exist for you to buy the game itself (or a registration code, in most instances) then never have to pay another dime again, unless you want to.

  Posted on 04/13/2015 by David Jagneaux

• Developer Appreciation Week

  Do players mistreat developers? Are we too negative about the games we don’t like? It’s Developer Appreciation Week in the blogosphere and Tales from the Neighborhood is looking at a few great posts in support those folks who work tirelessly to keep us entertained.

  Posted on 04/08/2015 by Jessica Cook

• If At First You Unsucceed - The Evolution of Guild Wars 2's Zones

  I've certainly not hidden the fact that I love the new age zone design for Guild Wars 2. It looks as if what we've seen in Dry Top and the Silverwastes will continue in Heart of Thorns, and I couldn't be happier. Well, I could be happier, strictly speaking, but it's not ArenaNet's fault that I haven't won the lottery yet (#&*@$ real-life RNG...).

  Posted on 04/06/2015 by Jason Winter

• The Multiplayer RPG Experience

  180+ hours into Guild Wars 2, I’ve only recently begun digging into its assortment of dungeons. Sure, I’ve dabbled in my fair share of pre-level cap PvP and open world small parties, but I’ve been waiting to hit 80 to sink my teeth into the game’s group content. As I mentioned in last week’s column, I’m no stranger to dungeons and raids in MMOs, and have historically sought out group content commensurate to my level.

  Posted on 04/03/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• ArenaNet Wants You to be Legendary

  The weapon is considered to be one of the most important aspects of a character. Sure your armor makes you look great, while also keeping those arrows from piercing your lungs, but the weapon you wield is what really strikes fear into the heart of your enemies. The legendary weapons in Guild Wars 2 are seen as a sign of great prowess, marking one as a member of the elite. But soon that status may extend to more players.

  Posted on 03/30/2015 by David North

• Traitors In Our Midst

  This week, Jason ponders the social repercussions of Mordremoth's rise and how the other races of Tyria could or should react to the “threat” of rogue sylvari.

  Posted on 03/23/2015 by Jason Winter

• Sylvari: A People Torn

  Back before Guild Wars 2 was released the Sylvari were already captivating the minds of future players. We had the chance to see the Sylvari undergo dramatic changes as more news poured out of the gates of ArenaNet into the internet. When we finally got the chance to be one of these unique people, we found that they weren’t only visually stunning, but had an incredible story that will only get more complex with HoT.

  Posted on 03/16/2015 by David North

• Top 10 Most Anticipated MMO Releases of 2015

  Right now we are in a bit of a lull in the MMO release schedule. Crowdfunding campaigns like Crowfall keep on trucking and the astronomically high level of hype around Star Citizen continues to escalate, but both of those games are pretty far off from a real release. This list isn’t going to mention any current crowdfunding games, nor will it mention stuff that will go into a closed alpha of any kind – only open betas and full releases.

  Posted on 03/16/2015 by David Jagneaux

• The Ostrich Strategy

  This week, Jason explains how he's coping with the Heart of Thorns information overload – hint: it's not “read all the things!”

  Posted on 03/09/2015 by Jason Winter

• The Boss is Boss

  Boss fights are supposed to bring a challenge to players, putting their skill and patience to the ultimate test! Without them, there would never be a truly worthy foe to stand between the players, and their goals. Guild Wars 2 has featured some amazing bosses thanks to their design, but some mechanics prevent these types of encounters from feeling as epic as a boss fight should be.

  Posted on 03/02/2015 by David North

• It's (Mostly) About The Money

  This week, we take a look at Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2's financial numbers and how they relate to what ArenaNet does to please fans of both games.

  Posted on 02/23/2015 by Jason Winter

• Heals Please

  The Heart of Thorns announcement answered some questions we had about the future of Guild Wars 2, but it also created a whole lot of new ones, for example, these new specializations make one wonder, will we see new build choices allowing players to play as healers?

  Posted on 02/16/2015 by David North

• 9 of The Cutest NPCs in MMORPGs

  Ah, NPCs. They are such a staple in our MMOs that we not only take them for granted, but we can also ignore them. I always make an attempt to appreciate an MMO’s details, and NPCs are often some of most well-designed aspects of many of our favorite titles.

  Posted on 02/10/2015 by Beau Hindman

• Tackling The Little Things (No, Not Asura)

  Heart of Thorns promises to change how you play Guild Wars 2 in a big way, but here are some of our picks for smaller improvements that would make the game experience a lot better.

  Posted on 02/09/2015 by Jason Winter

• Heart of Thorns and Character Progression

  Players have been waiting for this moment, but that wait is finally over. The first expansion to Guild Wars 2 is finally announced! Even though not everyone could make it to PAX, Twitch allowed tens of thousands of players to tune and and soak up the excitement, and boy did we soak it all up. ArenaNet not only announced the long awaited expansion, but also gave some info regarding the features of Heart of Thorns, which seem to focus around character progression.

  Posted on 02/02/2015 by David North

• Unpacking the Heart of Thorns Announcement

  We’ve been waiting a good long while for any peep about a full-fledged expansion for Guild Wars 2. ArenaNet’s flagship has seen a host of Living World updates, gameplay and feature additions, and balance tweaks, but the promise of a canonical expansion has been elusive. Just last month, I wrote about some alternatives to GW2’s Living World, with an expansion being the obvious choice to drive the post-launch game forward and create a new revenue stream.

  Posted on 01/30/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• An Expansion, Finally!

  Is this real? Has the moment I, and countless other Guild Wars 2 players, have been waiting for finally come? I mean, why else would ArenaNet register another name? What other reason would they possibly have to book an entire room to themselves at Pax? If this doesn’t all lead to the official announcement of an expansion, then I have no idea what ArenaNet has around the corner. I guess they could producing a series of Amiibo like figures to act as adventuring buddies.

  Posted on 01/19/2015 by David North

• The Daily Grouse

  I'm still not totally on board with the new dailies. Judging by this massive thread on the official forums, it seems I'm not alone. I still stand by my original article last month that it's not a big enough change to make me rip my hair out and quit the game or anything quite so drastic, but I'm also not sure the revamp is having the desired effect.

  Posted on 01/12/2015 by Jason Winter

• Polish or New Content?

  Smooth animations, fantastic audio quality, and a good UI are essential for making a good game no matter what genre you’re talking about. When it comes to MMO’s it’s hard to find a game that has a true polished feel. A lot of these games try to fill that gap by just reskinning old content, and slapping it on top of everything to make their game seem larger. Then there’s Guild Wars 2. An MMO so polished, it’s actually hard to believe. In fact, it’s still being polished!

  Posted on 01/05/2015 by David North

• The Best of Tyria in 2014

  Last week, MMORPG.com looked forward to 2015 and what Guild Wars 2 would bring. This week, I'm going to go in the opposite direction and talk about my favorite pieces of content from 2014. How do they match up with yours?

  Posted on 12/29/2014 by Jason Winter

• 5 Things We Want from GW2 in 2015

  2014 saw quite a few changes to Guild Wars 2, both good and bad. Now 2015 is right around the corner, and we’re all wondering what ArenaNet has in store. While they have their own plan for the game, there will always be what we, the players, are hoping for. Here’s the 5 things players hope to see in 2015.

  Posted on 12/22/2014 by David North

• Alternatives to Guild Wars 2’s Living World

  When Guild Wars 2 launched, ArenaNet informed its player base that it would be pursuing a fairly aggressive update schedule, especially pertaining to its Living World. Rather than implementing simple content updates or full-blown expansions, the developers would focus on building out the world and lore of the game while taking players along for the ride.

  Posted on 12/19/2014 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• The Daily Show

  OK, so maybe dailies aren't exactly the first thing on anyone's wish list to be revamped. Still, despite their relatively small impact, they're something you encounter every, uh, day, so they're still important – important enough for ArenaNet to tinker with them for a third time since the game's launch.

  Posted on 12/15/2014 by Jason Winter

• Let’s Get Evil!

  Being a hero in real life is a lot tougher than you might think, mainly because there aren’t any Ogres or Orcs running around trying to burn villages. That leaves only 1 other option, I’m not counting charities because you should be doing that anyways! I’m talking about video games. They let us don some flashy armor, equip over the top weaponry, and open up quest after quest.

  Posted on 12/08/2014 by David North

• Giving Thanks

  I'm sure that when the Pilgrims first celebrated their bountiful autumn harvest, nearly four centuries ago, they didn't just give thanks for surviving in the New World. I'm pretty sure they were equally thankful for their high-speed Internet connections and for their Native American buddies with whom they could play the latest online video games, like Madden Lacrosse '22 and Grand Theft Carriage Online. That all totally happened, right?

  Posted on 12/01/2014 by Jason Winter

• Give Me Dungeons!

  There are many parts of the MMO experience, but perhaps one of the most important is the dungeon. Guild Wars 2 launched with some dungeons that not only helped tell a story, but also offered another reason for players to unite for a single cause. Dungeons were also exciting parts of the Living World story, taking dungeon design to a whole new level.

  Posted on 11/24/2014 by David North

• Getting A Handle On The Grind

  When I first got wind of how gear acquisition in Guild Wars 2 would work, I loved it. As it was described to me in an interview, the best statistical gear could be obtained relatively quickly and easily, and anything beyond that would just be cosmetic. I thought this sounded great and I totally bought into the “no grind” philosophy espoused in interviews and the Manifesto.

  Posted on 11/17/2014 by Jason Winter

• Why Echoes of the Past is Important

  Players have had a long wait for a content update for Guild Wars 2, but the wait is finally over. This long wait is just one of several reasons players feel unsure about the games future. While season 2 of the Living World has made serious improvements, it’s also plagued with it’s own faults. Still, it has helped to keep your hopes up, at least a little bit. Echoes of the Past has been live now for nearly a week, and it seems that hope can grow a bit more.

  Posted on 11/10/2014 by David North

• A Call For Greater Transparency

  MMO players come in all levels of ability. We all have our own take on what parts of a game are “too hard” or “too easy.” I like to think that I'm reasonably tolerant of new players and am willing to help them along, but even I have my limits as to how much I'm willing to put up with folks who don't seem to have the capacity to learn some of the most basic aspects of a game.

  Posted on 11/03/2014 by Jason Winter

• Living World Expectations are Insanely High

  It’s been about 6 weeks or so since Guild Wars 2 has had a major update. During those 6 weeks, there has been a WvW tournament, followed by a 2 week pause. Now for the next couple of weeks there’s the Halloween event, which is the same as last years. That’s a long time for nothing to be happening in the world of Tyria. The next installment of the Living World, Tyria’s Point of No Return, better be flawless.

  Posted on 10/27/2014 by David North

• Selling Convenience vs. Content

  As far as free-to-play monetization models go, there are a couple of different overarching strategies that dominate today’s market. You have games like ArcheAge, which offers convenience bonuses like elevated experience gain, increased labor points, and more. You can see titles like The Lord of the Rings Online steadily offering some convenience and cosmetic items in their cash shops but doing a great deal of business selling content through quests and expansions.

  Posted on 10/24/2014 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• (Dry) Top of the Heap

  In ArenaNet's last Points of Interest, the crew talked a lot about Dry Top and how its general design is the direction Guild Wars 2 zones might go in the future. “If you like the stuff in Dry Top, you're in luck,” said Living World Principal Content Designer Teddy Nguyen. “We always look at previous releases to see what worked and what didn't work. It's always a process of zeroing in on what you guys really want. It's one of our more successful maps in terms of, well, everything.”

  Posted on 10/20/2014 by Jason Winter

• Can MMOs Really Do Monthly Updates?

  It's a simple fact that content creators can't produce content at a rate comparable to how quickly people consume it. This isn't just the case with video games: a two-hour movie took a lot longer than two hours to make, a book that takes you a week to read took a lot longer than a week to write, and so on.

  Posted on 10/15/2014 by Jason Winter

• The 5 MMOs with the Best Quests

  It’s no secret that most MMO quests are incredibly boring. If it weren’t for the engaging gameplay, multiplayer camaraderie, or epic scenarios that players find themselves, chances are this genre wouldn’t exist any longer. If you compare the questing found in most recent MMO releases to that of early pioneers, the types of quests are almost identical.

  Posted on 10/13/2014 by David Jagneaux

• I Miss Halloween

  Holidays have become very important for MMOs. It allows the developers and players to breathe a bit and just have some good old fashioned fun. My favorite has always been Halloween, and it’s just right around the corner. Sadly, there isn’t a lot of attention being thrown towards it. The first Halloween for Guild Wars 2 was an amazing event that really set the standard for what to expect from the developers, which is why it may have been too good, as the following year was a serious let down.

  Posted on 10/13/2014 by David North

• Surviving the Doldrums

  Alternate title: “Does Anyone Still Play This Game?” Yeah, that's a bit of a troll title, usually invoked any time an MMO is going through a slow time, whether real or perceived by a cretin who believes that any time past a game's first week, when the servers are jammed and everyone drops everything else to play. After that, though? “lol, that game's dead.”

  Posted on 10/06/2014 by Jason Winter

• Why Looking Good Matters

  Some players worry about how good combat is in a game. Others look for a compelling storyline. Yet one of the strongest concerns players can have, is how good can they make their character look. Forget using PvP skills to brag, some players dominate, and cause pure envy with just their looks. Watch out, because, these players exist in every MMO, including Guild Wars 2.

  Posted on 09/29/2014 by David North

• On The Bright Side...

  It's still two months until Thanksgiving, but as rough as things have been in Guild Wars 2-land recently, I thought now was as good a time as any to “give thanks” for what the game does offer – specifically, some of the major changes ArenaNet has implemented since the game's launch, even if you don't take the most recent Feature Pack into account. Today, I'd like to look back on some of those changes and reflect upon how they've made our lives in Tyria a little bit better.

  Posted on 09/22/2014 by Jason Winter

• The September Patch Did Some Good

  I know some will rage a bit because of my title for this piece, and I know things seem really rough right now for the Guild Wars 2 community. Trust me I’m right there with you. A few weeks ago I went over the idea of level gating. I’m not a fan of it, but still, the September Feature pack is live, and now that I’ve played it I see that it isn’t all bad.

  Posted on 09/15/2014 by David North

• Creating the Un-Raid

  When I said last time that ArenaNet should consider altering their plans for content, that struck a few people as saying I wanted raids. Or gear grind. Or whatever else World of Warcraft does, because I'm an uber-elite gamer who likes to teabag noobs and doesn't want the filthy casuals even scooping up the poo from my flaming cash-shop mount.

  Posted on 09/08/2014 by Jason Winter

• New Players Will Have It Rough

  September is here, which means Guild Wars 2 is going to go through some big changes. Lately PvP has been the center of attention, with new features announced, and the launch of some exciting tournaments. However, we saw a huge shift this past week, showing more attention towards making the game more appealing to new players, but will these changes actually work?

  Posted on 09/01/2014 by David North

• The Gathering Storm

  Quiet week, huh? So, yeah, there was a tiny bit of shouting this week after an interview with some members of the Guild Wars 2 team from Gamescom went up on teh Intrawebz. Before I get into analyzing what was discussed, let's talk a little bit about the interview itself.

  Posted on 08/25/2014 by Jason Winter

• Changes Ahead for WvW

  Like many MMOs out there, Guild Wars 2 focuses on the PvE experience because most players want to explore new worlds and accomplish amazing feats that they normally couldn’t in real life. That’s why most games still offer a PvP experience. Often these players can feel left out, because the PvP related updates are few and far between. But in a way, that’s what makes it so exciting! September is going to be huge for the PvP community!

  Posted on 08/18/2014 by David North

• How Can ArenaNet Get Ex-Players Back Into The Game?

  There are two types of MMO fans that companies make significant efforts to satisfy. Obviously, players who are currently active in the game get attention, while people who have never tried the game are the main targets of advertising and promotional campaigns.

  Posted on 08/11/2014 by Jason Winter

• The Game Beyond the Game – Fans Take Charge

  Last week, Rob Lashley wrote a terrific column called “Connecting Players to Virtual Worlds” that got me thinking about all the other ways that players stay connected to their favorite games. Often, these very connections go beyond the developers and, in a way, become entities unto themselves. Players create opportunities to show off their devotion in many different and divergent ways.

  Posted on 08/04/2014 by Suzie Ford

• Season 2 is Worth Returning to Tyria

  MMOs typically offer a huge amount of content compared to games in other genres. But eventually players experience everything a game world has to offer, which leads to expansions. ArenaNet has tried a new method to add some content to expand the story of the game, known as the Living World. Season 2 has now gone through 3 episodes, and it seems the future of Guild Wars 2 looks pretty promising, but not without a few hiccups.

  Posted on 08/04/2014 by David North

• 5 of the Best Crafting Systems in MMOs

  For a lot of people, logging on to their favorite MMO isn’t about raiding, or PvP, or dungeon runs – it’s about creating great items and contributing to the backbone of an MMOs economy. I’ve never personally been a huge proponent of crafting in MMOs, but there is undoubtedly a certain type of players that loves the art of creation and trading.

  Posted on 08/04/2014 by David Jagneaux

• Questing to Monotony

  I’m not a partisan MMO gamer. I’ll play a sandbox, a themepark, an Action MMORPG, or anything that offers me fun when I boot up the title. But if there’s something made clear by recent MMO offerings, it’s this: traditional questing as a means of progression is really getting tired.

  Posted on 07/30/2014 by William Murphy

• Can GW2 Serve As the Template For The Future of MMOs?

  Bill Murphy's recent article on ArcheAge's major flaw – that it focuses too much on themepark questing when there's so much more to the game – echoes sentiments I had about the game during my time in alpha. The first comment, from DMKano, raises the perfectly valid point that MMO players have grown so accustomed to seeing “!” over NPCs' heads that there's no other way to “steer” players, especially new players through the early – and some would say “all” – parts of the game.

  Posted on 07/28/2014 by Jason Winter

• The Importance of the Guild Hall

  Most players in an MMO band together to form guilds. Members of a guild can call upon one another for help, or to join in on a tough dungeon. I’ve made a lot of friends playing in guilds over the years, in several different MMOs. There’s one game that really made the guild experience feel important, and that was the original Guild Wars, which had a nice feature called the guild hall... a feature that Guild Wars 2 is sadly missing.

  Posted on 07/21/2014 by David North

• 5 MMOs to Play with Non-MMO Players

  By design, MMOs are more fun to play with your friends. Most of them encourage or even require grouping for a lot of the best and most rewarding content, which necessitates either being social in the game world, or coming into the experience with a pre-determined group of friends to play with. Sometimes though, it can be hard to find people. Whatever the case may be, every MMO player wishes X friend would play in their favorite virtual worlds with them.

  Posted on 07/21/2014 by David Jagneaux

• The Neverending Story (Journal)

  I'll admit to not being entirely on board with the new-fangled story Journal as it was posted on the Guild Wars 2 site a month ago. “Repeatable” was the keyword that most of us latched onto, and there was stuff about “no pounding-signpost-grinding” and “challenge” in there, but I figured I'd wait until it all went live before getting too pumped up about anything.

  Posted on 07/14/2014 by Jason Winter

• Ten Most Voted Female Characters in MMOs and RPGs

  A few months ago, we had an exciting MMO Super Women discussion about what essential elements create memorable female protagonists. We asked you to name the women characters from MMOs that made an impression on you. As a result, we compiled your votes into the following ten MMOs and RPGs. Enjoy, and be sure to add any additional female favorite heroes in the comments below!

  Posted on 07/08/2014 by Genese Davis

• Is This the Game We Were Promised?

  I remember the day a when a friend showed me the original Guild Wars. From that point on, I was hooked! Cut to a few years later, and I’m still playing with my friends, and the second game is announced. Obviously, since I was a fan of the original, news for a sequel was pretty exciting. But once ArenaNet started to talk about what they were doing with Guild Wars 2, it sounded like they were making the perfect game.

  Posted on 07/07/2014 by David North

• A Death in the Family

  As I mentioned in my last piece, ArenaNet almost killed off Marjory Delaqua in season one of the Living Story, but apparently had a change of heart before things went live. As a result, the only significant death occurred was that of the primary villain, Scarlet Briar (and, to be honest, I think there's the teeniest, tiniest chance even that won't stick).

  Posted on 06/30/2014 by Jason Winter

• The Top 5 MMOs That Could Be Singleplayer Games

  So many MMOs nowadays have evolved into an amalgamation of game modes and content – some stuff you can play alone, some of it requires strangers, some of it is best with friends, some is friendly, some is just for fun. Even though these experiences seem to be getting farther and farther away from what made the genre so exciting to begin with – adventuring in epic online worlds – it has led to creation of a term with both good and bad connotations: solo friendly.

  Posted on 06/30/2014 by David Jagneaux

• Ready to mount up?

  Guild Wars 2 isn’t always serious. There are plenty of ways for players to goof off with large collections of minis, or throwing food at others while wearing a costume! Players have even spent a lot of time mastering the instruments, playing songs for the digital world to hear! Players have done all of these things, even while wearing Charr plush backpacks! Ya, the game has some pretty silly things, but why do so many people get mad when you mention adding mounts to the gem store?

  Posted on 06/23/2014 by David North

• The Biconic Women (and Man)

  They may not be the heroes Tyria wanted, but they're the heroes Tyria deserved. Or maybe they're also the heroes Tyria wanted. I'm always a little confused by that adage...

  Posted on 06/16/2014 by Jason Winter

• Why Season 2 is Going to Rock!

  ArenaNet has put a lot of time and effort into making Guild Wars 2 the most unique MMO possible. Even after its launch, they continue to try new things. Their biggest attempt being the Living Story. It certainly added to the experience, but like anything new, it had it’s faults. And like any group of gamers, we let the developers know about those faults on the forums, social media, and in game.

  Posted on 06/09/2014 by David North

• Feel the Rush!

  So I finally beat Liadri, the Concealing Dark last week. I needed a specialized build and had to remap my keybinds for efficiency. It took me somewhere around 20 tries – 10-ish each on my necromancer and engineer – which isn't that many to hear some people talk about it, but it was still a thrill when I finally got her down. My hands were literally shaking at the end, and it took me nearly a minute to calm down to the point where I could type again.

  Posted on 06/02/2014 by Jason Winter

• The Top 5 Casual MMORPGs

  With so many options out there for an MMO to play, there is something for everybody. Whether you’re looking for an epic fantasy adventure, alternate history, sci-fi conquests, or maybe even a real-life simulator, you can surely find and MMO to satiate your unique hunger. Not everyone is a seasoned MMO veteran however. This is our list of the top 5 best casual MMOs on the market right now and each of these would be great choices for anyone looking for a more casual MMO gaming experience.

  Posted on 06/02/2014 by David Jagneaux

• Awesome Design

  The epic battles, amazing visuals, and compelling story all make Guild Wars 2 so much fun. ArenaNet did such a great job designing this MMO, but the real beauty of it didn't hit me till earlier last week. Guild Wars 2 is the only game that's designed in a way that I can not only get some of my friends to play, but also some of my family as well. I finally have a game that I can play with everyone that I care about at the same time!

  Posted on 05/26/2014 by David North

• How to Get a Legendary Without Driving Yourself (Too) Crazy

  Getting a legendary weapon is a long, and often tedious process. It involves a ton of grind over hundreds of hours of gameplay, from farming champion bags to endlessly repeating easy dungeon paths to bookmarking Ancient Wood and Orichalcum maps on the Internet so you can sweep through a zone and get the best mats in the least amount of time process. It's a mind-numbing bore that will leave you burned out on Guild Wars 2 and hating life more than a centaur hates humans.

  Posted on 05/19/2014 by Jason Winter

• The Future of WvW

  One of the reasons I was drawn to WvW was the fact that I could become stronger by gaining ranks. Now this feature wasn’t in the game at launch, but was of one of the biggest changes made in WvW. Just like the rest of Guild Wars 2, WvW receives updates and changes to make the experience more enjoyable. The last update introduce a whole new battleground for armies to conquer. I love the changes that have been made to the play type, but there are still some things missing.

  Posted on 05/12/2014 by David North

• Are You Being Megaserved?

  So maybe I was a little too optimistic about the Megaserver... At least from a technical standpoint, everything seems to be going smoothly. I haven't heard of any uptick in crashes or anything like that, and any performance issues appear to be resulting from known, pre-existing issues (which I'll get into shortly).

  Posted on 05/05/2014 by Jason Winter

• WvW: Should I Follow the Zerg or Go Havoc?

  When I first started playing Guild Wars 2, all I played was PvE. It was fun to be part of the lore, and do dungeons runs, but after I explored the world it was time for something else. That's when I tried WvW, and I've been hooked ever since! There's just something special about doing battle with enemy armies, or sneaking behind enemy territory to stop their supply flow! The only bad thing is deciding if I should become a part of the zerg, or go havoc!

  Posted on 04/28/2014 by David North

• Some Intriguing Info On F2P ARPUs

  Research house SuperData recently released some findings on the average revenue per user for 10 prominent free to play online games. This is an area in which there has never been much readily available data. So, while limited, the bits that were revealed about the likes of World of Tanks, Guild Wars 2, DOTA 2 and League of Legends grabbed my attention and got me wondering.

  Posted on 04/22/2014 by Richard Aihoshi

• Once You Go Charr, You'll Never Stray Far

  “Guild Wars 2 will change the way we play MMOs forever!” That was a common claim we heard, both from ArenaNet and from idyllic fans, while the game was in development. While much of what the game did wasn't brand new in the MMO space, the way it was all implemented and brought together made it so that I now have trouble playing a game that doesn't implement those systems.

  Posted on 04/21/2014 by Jason Winter

• Experience Tyria All Over Again

  I remember playing the Guild Wars 2 Beta, and entering my first event. Eight other players were in the area, and without needing to say a single word to each other, we grouped up and brought some justice in a small part of Tyria. I recently started a new character, and was in that same area, and the very same event popped up. I couldn't find a single other player near me. I wish things were like the early days, where exploring a new area was exciting. My wish may be granted!

  Posted on 04/14/2014 by David North

• Megaservers and You

  ArenaNet saved the best – or at least the biggest – announcement for last. Megaservers will fundamentally change how Guild Wars 2 operates, altering the dynamics of its social structure and its biggest events. Change of this magnitude is rarely universally accepted, and a quick browse through the forums and social media will tell you that's the same in this case. So what's the good and what's the bad of this new, Tyria-shattering tech?

  Posted on 04/07/2014 by Jason Winter

• Change is a Good Thing, Right?

  For an MMO to be successful, it needs to constantly evolve in order to keep the interest of the players. ArenaNet has been changing Guild Wars 2 since its launch, but none of that will compare to the changes we’re about to witness! April seems to focus on players having an easier time playing the game, which I'm always for, but I still have a few concerns.

  Posted on 03/31/2014 by David North

• The Feature Pack is Almost Upon Us!

  Over the next few weeks, we'll hear about a bunch of gameplay tweaks and quality-of-life improvements in Guild Wars 2, set to be implemented in the April 15 update. My personal favorite-most-wanted-please-can-I-have-this-soon-I'm-begging-you feature, precursor crafting, has been confirmed as not being a part of the pack, so I've outlined three other things I'd like to see implemented – if not in the Feature Pack, then somewhere shortly down the road.

  Posted on 03/24/2014 by Jason Winter

• Scarlet’s Dead, But Are We Safe?

  For many players in Guild Wars 2, it all started with what seemed like random acts of chaos. It wasn’t long before we were given a face to associate these acts with, yet would still be a wait before we saw any hint of a motive. We sought after the truth, but ended up with one we didn't want to accept. We, the heroes of Tyria, couldn't understand Scarlet Briar, and killed her. But did we kill her because it was the right thing to do, or was it because of fear - fear of what we don't understand?

  Posted on 03/17/2014 by David North

• An Expansion in 2015?

  There's going to be a Guild Wars 2 expansion in 2015. How do I know? I read it on the Internet! OK, you need a little more than that to go on. What if I told you (Morpheus voice) the place I read it wasn't some random forum but on the investment brief for NCSoft from a Korean securities firm?

  Posted on 03/10/2014 by Jason Winter

• Is the Gem Store Ruining Guild Wars 2?

  Over the years the MMO genre has gone through some changes, but has mostly stuck to well established norms. ArenaNet wanted to go in a separate direction with Guild Wars 2, going against what we see in MMO game design. One little feature that has become very common in MMOs, did make its way into Guild Wars 2. I'm talking about micro-transaction, which happen in the gem store. Does this mean ArenaNet kicked the need of skill to the curb, and embraced pay to win?!

  Posted on 02/24/2014 by David North

• Is the Destruction of Lion’s Arch Imminent?

  Tyria has gone through some changes during the Guild Wars 2 Living Story. The players in Guild Wars 2 have been waiting for the Living Story to have a major impact on Tyria. They've fought off new armies, elected political officials, and hunted Scarlet. Now all the pieces are about to come together, and the end result may be more than we bargained for!

  Posted on 02/17/2014 by David North

• The Edge of the Mists is Living Story Done Right

  The Guild Wars 2 Living Story started out strong offering nice bits of narrative, and introducing us to a whole new cast of characters. Over time updates began to showcase less story, and focused more on combat. It seemed the “story” part was missing. Then came the newest additions to Guild Wars 2: The Origins of Madness, and The Edge of the Mists. The tale ArenaNet wants to weave is now once again becoming the main focus, which is something players have been wanting.

  Posted on 02/10/2014 by David North

• Edge of the Mists Hopes to Bring in New WvW-ers

  Like other MMOs in the past, Guild Wars 2 offers multiple styles of gameplay to reach a wider variety of players. ArenaNet offers typical cooperative rpg elements for PvE players, and competitive fast paced action for those that prefer PvP. WvW has always been in the center, trying to grab attention from both groups. That’s why we are seeing Living Story content in in WvW, through the addition of the Edge of the Mist.

  Posted on 02/03/2014 by David North

• Need More Heals?

  For years now, though not the original “trinity”, MMOs have used a formula based around three play types called the tank, DPS, and healer. ArenaNet saw the terrible plague of LFG spam, and tried to remedy it with a new formula in Guild Wars 2. While you will never be looking for a certain profession in order to make a dungeon group, some still feel the lack of a true healing profession is hurting the game. But was attempt to rid us of the trinity a flop?

  Posted on 01/27/2014 by David North

• Changing What It Means to Create & Play an MMO

  This week, Guild Wars 2 embarks on an ambitious four-part finale to a story that's been fifteen months in the making. Beginning with The Origins of Madness, players will begin to understand the strange signs and world-wide wonders they've witnessed and see what those mean for the future of Tyria. They'll also see just how serious developer ArenaNet is about changing what it means to create and play an MMO.

  Posted on 01/21/2014 by Neilie Johnson

• Let’s go to Cantha!

  Back during the Original Guild Wars, players would travel to different regions of the world. That's right, Tyria was only the stepping stone into a wonderful and enchanting world. The first of the new lands we explored was called Cantha, which had a variety of rich environments that hid deadly new enemies around every corner! This is why players are asking ArenaNet, when can we go back to Cantha?

  Posted on 01/20/2014 by David North

• Living Story VS. Expansion, Fight!

  When Guild Wars 2 first launched, players flocked to the game in swarms at an insane pace, which of course had to have made ArenaNet very happy. ArenaNet came up with the Living Story to not only add more content, but to constantly evolve the game world. While the Living Story may help keep players occupied, is it enough to quench our thirst for new content, or is it time for an expansion?

  Posted on 01/13/2014 by David North

• The Best MMOs of 2013

  As we embark on an exciting new year of MMO releases, we reflect back on the year that was. Though 2013 was light on new MMOs, it was filled to the brim with games fighting for our attention. Patch after patch hit our newsreels. Games such as EVE Online and Lord of the Rings Online spun heads with their expansions. Two of the bigger new games, Final Fantasy XIV and Neverwinter, both impressed and addicted us. Today we reflect on the best. Join us as we countdown the top ten Best MMOs of 2013.

  Posted on 01/10/2014 by Christopher Coke

• What If Professions Received New Weapon Proficiencies?

  The professions of Guild Wars 2 utilize powerful weapons to bring down their enemies. ArenaNet has armed each profession with a wide selection of these weapons to choose from, giving players a handful of strategic possibilities. But what if each profession was given some new choices? That is, after all, what Colin Johanson said was coming down the pipe in an interview with our own Bill Murphy. Which profession should gain access to which weapon?

  Posted on 01/06/2014 by David North

• On Improving Aquatic Adventuring

  One of the best features in Guild Wars 2 is the underwater combat system. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at aquatic adventuring. See what we think before heading to the comments to chat.

  Posted on 12/30/2013 by David North

• Holidays & Events – A Welcome Way to Close the Year

  As the end of 2013 rolls around, MMOs crack out winter / holiday events for players. In our newest Social Hub, we take a look at why we believe those events and celebrations are important for the community. Check out our thoughts and then add your own in the comments.

  Posted on 12/23/2013 by Christina Gonzalez

• WvWvW Rewards

  ArenaNet has been hard at work to bring significant alterations to the Guild Wars 2 World vs World system. Recently, they announced some rewards changes that caught our eye. Check out our thoughts before heading to the comments to add your own.

  Posted on 12/23/2013 by David North

• Things the Nightmare Did Right

  Now that The Nightmare Ends story arc is drawing to a close, we want to take a look back at the things that went right in the Guild Wars 2 adventure that ran for the past four months. See what we think and then leave your own thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 12/16/2013 by David North

• Ascending!

  Guild Wars 2 players have a chance to earn ascended gear in both weapons and armor varieties. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at how fun it is and whether it's worth it in the end. Read on!

  Posted on 12/09/2013 by David North

• The World's Most-Updated MMO

  In our latest MMO chronicle, we take a look at ArenaNet and Guild Wars 2 as the "most updated MMO in the world". Check it out before heading to the comments to talk it up.

  Posted on 12/05/2013 by Neilie Johnson

• Wintersday Wish List

  Wintersday will soon be on its way back into Guild Wars 2. In our latest column, we offer a few thoughts about new features we'd like to see incorporated in this year's celebration. Keep reading and then leave your suggestions in the comments.

  Posted on 12/02/2013 by David North

• Future Additions, Maybe

  It is always fun to opine about what the future might hold for some of our favorite games. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we do exactly that. See what we think the future may hold for Guild Wars 2 before telling us what you'd like to see in the comments.

  Posted on 11/25/2013 by David North

• Who is Scarlet Briar Really?

  Anybody spending any amount of time in Tyria is hyper aware of the Guild Wars 2 world arch-enemy, Scarlet Briar. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look back at who she was before evil wormed its way into her heart. Read on and then leave us your comments.

  Posted on 11/18/2013 by David North

• The Tower of Metal!

  Guild Wars 2 players have a new gauntlet thrown in front of them with the Tower of Metal. We take a look at the contest and take a speculative look forward at what's next for the game. Check it out before heading to the comments.

  Posted on 11/11/2013 by David North

• A New Threat Grows

  With the arrival of the latest Guild Wars 2 update, Tower of Nightmares, players began to engage a terrifying new arc in the overall story line. In today's column, we take a look at the new content and offer a few thoughts. Read on before leaving us your impressions in the comments.

  Posted on 11/04/2013 by David North

• Five of the Best MMOs for Soloers

  MMORPGs, just by virtue of the name, seem to require other players to enjoy the game. Yet that's not always the case. In The List today, we take a look at five MMOs that are eminently solo-able. See what you think before heading to the comments to include your favorite game.

  Posted on 11/01/2013 by Suzie Ford

• The Trouble With Instances

  Most MMOs today contain a certain level of instanced game play. But there is a cost to instancing players away from one another. In our latest Social Hub, we take a look at this and much more. Read on before heading to the comments to chat.

  Posted on 10/28/2013 by Christina Gonzalez

• Tower of Nightmares - Waiting to Catch Us Napping?

  Last week, ArenaNet announced the title of the next Guild Wars 2 update: Tower of Nightmares. Seemingly just in time for Halloween, we have a few speculative thoughts to share about what we might see in Tower of Nightmares. See if you agree before leaving your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 10/28/2013 by David North

• The Top Five MMOs for Mac Gamers

  There's no question that Mac users get the short end of the stick when it comes to MMOs. In The List today, we take a look at five terrific MMOs that Mac players can shine in. Read more before leaving your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 10/25/2013 by Pete Schwab

• A Grindy Halloween

  The latest holiday event in Guild Wars 2, Blood and Madness, arrived in game last week. There are some new features and content, but how do they measure up to last year's inaugural event? We examine Blood & Madness and offer up our thoughts. Let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 10/21/2013 by David North

• A Tyrian Halloween Wish List

  Now that we know that the next Guild Wars 2 event is incoming, it's time to start thinking about what we'd like to see during "Blood and Madness". In our latest GW2 column, we offer up our wish list. See how it compares to yours and then chat it up in the comments.

  Posted on 10/14/2013 by David North

• Mysterious Creatures of Tyria

  As the spooky Halloween season nears, it is incumbent upon us to revisit some of the scariest monsters in Guild Wars 2. That's exactly what we do in our latest column. See if your #1 creep made the list. If not, tell us about it in the comments.

  Posted on 10/07/2013 by David North

• Exploring the Twilight Assault Update

  ArenaNet's next Guild Wars 2 content update is called "Twilight Assault" and marks the return of iconic character, Caithe. We have a great preview to give you a slight leg up when you enter the fray later today. Check it out and then let us know what you think!

  Posted on 10/01/2013 by David North

• Tequatl’s Revenge!

  The latest bad boy to enter Guild Wars 2 is a souped up dragon in the form of Tequatl who presents a series of new challenges for players. We have some thoughts to share about our experiences with Tequatl's revenge. See what we think of the new content before heading to the comments to relate your own.

  Posted on 09/23/2013 by David North

• Lore Novels

  Last week, Genese Davis profiled books that are about gamers and MMOs. In this week's column, she sheds the light on companion novels to some of our favorite MMOs. See what made her list and see how many you've read. Did she miss your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

  Posted on 09/19/2013 by Genese Davis

• Tequatl Will Rise

  ArenaNet has announced that the next update will feature none other than Tequatl in a repeat performance in the game. We have a few thoughts to share about that and moe in our latest Guild Wars 2 column. Check it out and then tell us what you're most anticipating with the next update in the comments.

  Posted on 09/16/2013 by David North

• Never Perfect at Launch

  It's hard to believe that it's already been a year since the launch of Guild Wars 2. In our latest column devoted to ArenaNet's magnum opus (to date!), we take a look at all of the vast improvements in the game since launch. Check it out and then tell us if we missed any in the comments.

  Posted on 09/09/2013 by David North

• The Future of Online Games

  During PAX Prime, we held our annual Future of Online Games panel. The panelists were from all over the industry, and our own Managing Editor took a few key points home from the discussion. Read on to see what those were.

  Posted on 09/05/2013 by William Murphy

• Back to School

  ArenaNet recently announced that the "Back to School" version of the Super Adventure Box would be rejoining Guild Wars 2 in September. We managed to get some hands on time with SAB and have lots to share. Read on before heading to the comments.

  Posted on 09/03/2013 by David North

• Clockwork Chaos

  The Guild Wars 2 team has released the latest game update, Clockwork Chaos, easily, according to many, the best update yet. In our latest GW2 column, we offer a few thoughts about the new content and much more. Read on and then leave us your impressions in the comments.

  Posted on 08/26/2013 by David North

• Nearly a Year Later

  As Guild Wars 2 nears its first anniversary, we take a moment to look back at the year that was. Check out our reflections on ArenaNet's game and then add a few of your own in the comments.

  Posted on 08/19/2013 by David North

• Player Decision

  Players are always clamoring for the ability to effect change in the games they play. ArenaNet gave it to Guild Wars 2 players recently with the election season that saw player bringing the Cutthroat Politics content to an end. In today's column, we take a look at what that may potentially mean. Read on before heading to the comments to duke it out!

  Posted on 08/12/2013 by David North

• Taking on Tyria and GW2

  In this week's Tourist, Chris Coke visits the hallowed grounds of Tyria as he pokes around Guild Wars 2 to see if the game can re-capture him after an early departure post-launch.

  Posted on 08/02/2013 by Christopher Coke

• Being More Powerful

  One of the persistent problems for MMO players is what to do once the level cap has been reached. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at recent and upcoming changes to the game designed to keep players interested. Read on and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 07/29/2013 by David North

• Cutthroat Politics

  In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at the just-announced "Cutthroat Politics" update that is coming shortly. We offer some analysis of the announcement and some thoughts about it as well. Be sure to share your ideas in the comments after reading.

  Posted on 07/22/2013 by David North

• Evolution

  The games that seems to last the longest are those that embrace evolution and moving the story forward. In our latest column devoted to Guild Wars 2, we look at what ArenaNet has accomplished in this regard. Check it out and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 07/15/2013 by David North

• The Future of Holidays

  Now that ArenaNet has had several opportunities to show of Guild Wars 2 holidays, players have begun to wonder what will come next and how what has come before will be topped. We take a look at that in this week's column. Check it out and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 07/01/2013 by David North

• The Aetherblade Retreat Dungeon

  ArenaNet is getting ready to unleash the next Guild Wars 2 content expansion in the form of Sky Pirates of Tyria. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we offer readers an exclusive preview of what they can expect to find. See what we learned and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 06/24/2013 by David North

• Changing WvW

  ArenaNet has big changes in store for the Guild Wars 2 World versus World system in the coming weeks and months. In today's column, we take a look at a few of the already-announced changes and offer our analysis. Let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 06/17/2013 by David North

• The Last Stand at Southsun

  ArenaNet recently deployed the latest chapter in the Guild Wars 2 Living Story, The Last Stand at Southsun. We take a look at it today and what team players and soloists can expect. Check it out and then tell us about your experiences in the comments.

  Posted on 06/03/2013 by David North

• Trying to Make a Living World

  ArenaNet is determined to make Guild Wars 2 a dynamic, ever-changing space thanks to the Living Story. In our latest column, we take a look at the dynamic that the Living Story brings to the game and much more. Read on before leaving your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 05/27/2013 by David North

• Uncovering the Secret of Southsun

  Now that the Guild Wars 2 Live Story is moving on with the arrival of The Secret of Southsun, we wanted to give the new content an in depth look. See what we think before leaving your impressions of Southsun in the comments.

  Posted on 05/20/2013 by David North

• An Island of Mystery

  ArenaNet began its patented tease for the next Guild Wars 2 game update with last week's revelation of the Secret of Southsun. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we speculate about what players might expect to find out. See if you agree before heading to the comments to post your ideas.

  Posted on 05/13/2013 by David North

• Growing Up

  Guild Wars 2 is a game that has made some big changes in a short while and has plans to make many more as the player base adapts and requests new features. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at what has changed already and offer a few thoughts about things we'd like to see in the future. Read on before heading to the comments.

  Posted on 05/06/2013 by David North

• What Stirs Beneath?

  The Guild Wars 2 event, Flame & Frost, is getting ready to come to its epic conclusion. We have a few speculative thoughts to share about how we believe things might go down. Check it out before heading to the comments to add your ideas.

  Posted on 04/22/2013 by David North

• Keeping Busy

  In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at how players can keep themselves busy as they reach the level cap. It's a one-of-a-kind read that you won't want to miss. Check it out before letting us know how you keep yourself busy in Guild Wars 2 in the comments.

  Posted on 04/15/2013 by David North

• MMO Power

  The newly added Super Adventure Box has been a big hit with Guild Wars 2 players. In this week's column, we've got a few thoughts to share about our experiences in the SAB. See what we've got to say before telling us what you think of the Super Adventure Box in the comments.

  Posted on 04/08/2013 by David North

• Ideas for the Future of Tyria

  In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at some of the ways the game could move forward over the coming months and years. See what our ideas are and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 03/26/2013 by David North

• GW2 and Rift - More Social or Just Different?

  Back in the old days, being social in an MMO wasn't merely for fun but was a necessity. Then things changed. But the pendulum swings yet again and MMOs are becoming increasingly social out of need. In today's Social Hub, we take a look at Guild Wars 2 and Rift, two games that are bringing back old school social gaming. Check it out and then head to the comments.

  Posted on 03/23/2013 by Christina Gonzalez

• 'LOL'

  While Guild Wars 2 has a desperate 'save the world' plot line, there are also plenty of laugh out loud moments in the game. In our latest GW2 column, we take a look at the LOLs. Read on and then add your LOLs to the comments.

  Posted on 03/18/2013 by David North

• March Madness

  ArenaNet has been spending a lot of time revealing the "living story" to Guild Wars 2 players and March is shaping up nicely as well. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at what March promises. Check it out before heading to the comments.

  Posted on 03/11/2013 by David North

• There’s a Storm Brewing

  ArenaNet is committed to giving its players a living, breathing story to enjoy. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at Flame & Frost from inception to the most current update. Be warned: Spoilers live within! Read on if you dare before heading to the comments.

  Posted on 03/04/2013 by David North

• A New Warrior Approaches

  In this week's Guild Wars 2 Column, David North muses on a topic many of us probably think about... what would the next race added to the playable races be in Tyria? Read on for David's thoughts and see if you agree.

  Posted on 02/18/2013 by David North

• The Never Ending Story

  The lifeblood of any MMO is the ability of the developers to give players game play experiences that keep them coming back, chief among them, a living, breathing storyline. We take a look at how ArenaNet can and should do this in Guild Wars 2. Read on!

  Posted on 02/11/2013 by David North

• Through the Flame and Frost!

  ArenaNet is committed to keeping its players engaged and entertained with new updates that are not only fun but also game changing in many ways. We take a look at that notion in our latest Guild Wars 2 column. Check it out before heading to the comments!

  Posted on 02/04/2013 by David North

• Making Guilds Better

  In this week's Guild Wars 2 column, while we're all waiting for the January patch to go live, David North is musing on Guilds in Tyria, and how ArenaNet can make them mean more in the game.

  Posted on 01/28/2013 by David North

• Fixin’ Things

  In our latest weekly column devoted to Guild Wars 2, we take a look at the way that ArenaNet works to fix the things that are of concern to players and why they make the choices they do. Check out our thoughts before leaving your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 01/21/2013 by David North

• Future Events

  ArenaNet is very cagey about events right up until the time they happen. In 2012, the events took different paths at times and we wonder in today's Guild Wars 2 column, how 2013's events will play out. See what we think before adding your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 01/14/2013 by David North

• The Quest for Power

  Now that Guild Wars 2 has been out for several months, players are hitting level 80 with their first, and often second, third and fourth, characters and are wondering "What now?" In today's column, we take a look at that phenomenon. Check it out before lending your voice to the discussion in the comments.

  Posted on 01/07/2013 by David North

• Hoping for Something More Esoteric

  In our latest Independency column, we take a look into the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup to try to ascertain what 2013 might bring to the MMO space. See what we think and hope might happen before leaving your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 01/02/2013 by Cassandra Khaw

• A New Year, A New Character

  As 2013 looms on the horizon, many Guild Wars 2 players are starting to think of rolling a new character. In today's GW2 column, we take a look at that and what type of characters might be a great fit. Check it out and then let us know what type of character you're planning to start in the comments.

  Posted on 12/31/2012 by David North

• The Players and Their Choice

  It's no secret that the winner of the MMORPG.com Players' Choice Award Game of the Year 2012 was a huge surpise and a big upset. Pirate101 scored a narrow victory over Guild Wars 2 and a huge discussion erupted in the official announcement thread. In today's Devil's Advocate, we take a look at why some folks just don't get it. Read on!

  Posted on 12/28/2012 by Victor Barreiro Jr.

• Wrapping up Christmas

  One of the MMO industry's favorite things to do is to treat its community to great holiday activities that stretch well beyond Christmas Day. We take a look at some of our favorites. Check it out and then tell us which holiday happenings you prefer in the comments.

  Posted on 12/26/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• Wintersday Keeps On Wintering

  Wintersday is in full swing in Guild Wars 2 and players are having a great time participating in all the activities that ArenaNet has provided for players. In today's column, we ruminate a bit more on Wintersday and what we think. Read on and then leave your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 12/24/2012 by David North

• Wintersday is Here!

  Over the past few days, we've been taking part in the Wintersday festivities in Guild Wars 2. We've got a few thoughts to share about all the holiday cheer that you won't want to miss. Read on!

  Posted on 12/17/2012 by David North

• What I Want for Wintersday

  As ArenaNet gets ready to kick off the first-ever Guild Wars 2 Wintersday event, we pause to check out what we do know and consider the things we hope to see. Check out what we have to say before adding what YOU want for Wintersday in the comments.

  Posted on 12/10/2012 by David North

• Level 80, Now What?

  One of the age-old questions in MMO-ville is what are we supposed to do when we hit the level cap? In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we offer a few suggestions that might keep people interested and coming back for more. Read on and then add your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 12/03/2012 by David North

• Not So Big and Bad

  One of the most exciting parts of any MMO is taking on some gigantic behemoth in a battle to the death, hopefully the big guys. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at epic battles with some of the massive beasts inhabiting Tyria and offer our impressions. Check it out and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 11/26/2012 by David North

• Do Graphics Matter?

  In an increasingly crowded market, game makers are looking for the way to hook the most players. Graphics have become a standard of sorts in that effort. But, in the end, do they really matter? Find out in our latest Pokket Says and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 11/20/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• The Lost Shores

  After this past weekend's Lost Shores event in Guild Wars 2, we have a lot to say about how it went and what we thought. See if you agree and then leave us your thoughts about ArenaNet's latest in-game event in the comments.

  Posted on 11/19/2012 by David North

• Gear or Character Progression?

  A recent blog post on the Guild Wars 2 site has generated quite a storm of activity in the community as it focuses on gear progression and the worrisome thought that PvE players will be forced onto the gear treadmill. We have a few thoughts to share on the subject and then we'd like to hear what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 11/14/2012 by William Murphy

• A Threat Approaches

  As we move through November, the approach of the latest Guild Wars 2 seasonal event, The Lost Shores, nears. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take examine what's already known and add a few thoughts of our own. Check it out!

  Posted on 11/11/2012 by David North

• The Halloween Wrap Up

  Now that the Halloween festivities have wrapped up in Guild Wars 2, we have our post mortem on the event based on our own experiences. See what we thought of the first major holiday event in the game's history and then leave us your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 11/05/2012 by David North

• The Problem No One’s Talking About

  The MMO market is arguable the most crowded it has ever been with each game clamoring for players' attention. But with the notion that the field is a crowded one, comes the revelation that there are two serious issues with MMOs today. In Bill's latest column, he examines those problems. See what he has to say and then leave your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 11/02/2012 by William Murphy

• The Halloween Bash

  Now that Halloween has finally arrived, and the Guild Wars 2 holiday event is nearly through, we wanted to take a few minutes to look back at the event and offer a few of our thoughts about the first annual bash. Read on and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 10/31/2012 by David North

• A Treat, or a Trick?

  Now that Halloween is near upon us, ArenaNet has pulled out all the tricks and treats for players in Guild Wars 2. We've got a nifty preview and a few thoughts to share about the Mad King. See what you think and then leave your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 10/25/2012 by David North

• Try Something New

  As much as many of us clamor for something new and innovative in the MMO genre, we are similarly repelled by the 'newness' of it all. In our latest Pokket Says column, we take a look at that and opine that trying something new isn't always a bad thing. Keep reading and then add your voice to the conversation in the comments.

  Posted on 10/23/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• That Rascally Diorama Contest

  ArenaNet has always expended a lot of effort on holiday celebrations, Halloween being no exception. This year, Guild Wars 2 fans will be able to take on the diorama contest for the first time. In today's GW2 column, we take a look at that and offer a few suggestions. Read on!

  Posted on 10/16/2012 by David North

• The Future of Tyria

  Last week, ArenaNet laid its cards on the table about the various live teams and how each will leave its own mark on Guild Wars 2. In our latest column, we take a look at the future in Tyria. See what we think before leaving your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 10/08/2012 by David North

• No Game is Perfect

  Often times when someone really loves a game, they are negatively accused of being a "fanboi". This isn't always a fair assessment as most fans of a game can also see its flaws. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at some of the things that raise our eyebrows. See what you think and then add your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 10/02/2012 by David North

• Everyday I’m Levelin’

  In most MMOs, questing is the main way to level. It is also part of Guild Wars 2 but there are other ways to gain experience in the game that are equally satisfying. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at some of the great ways to keep on levelin'! Read on!

  Posted on 09/25/2012 by David North

• Cutscenes, Story, and Questing, Oh My!

  Story and how it is told is an integral part of any MMO. In her latest column, Pokket gives her unique take on, as the title says, cutscenes, story and questing. Read on before lending your voice to the conversation in the comments.

  Posted on 09/24/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• The Age of Boredom

  A lot of hyped MMOs have been released in the past year with a few more yet to come. Yet some, if not all, of them have been huge disappointments to some of their fans. In an increasingly crowded market, what is there to be excited about asks our own Scary Booster. See what Scary's got to say and then shine a ray of hope in the comments.

  Posted on 09/21/2012 by Aaron Couture

• Noobs Happen

  Guild Wars 2 has created a big splash in the MMO pond since it arrived a few weeks ago. Not only are fans of the original having a blast, but many new folks are joining in the fun. We've got a few things to say about n00bs that you won't want to miss. Read on!

  Posted on 09/18/2012 by David North

• Taking Down the Giant

  One of the things that inevitably happens when any new MMO is released is an endless round of comparisons to "that game", you know, The Giant (which shall remain nameless). Our own Pokket has a few thoughts to share about that particular subject so keep reading! Add your thoughts to the mix in the comments.

  Posted on 09/17/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• Quest Hubs Are Dead, Finally!

  MMORPG.com is proud to introduce our newest regular columnist, Red 5's Mark Kern. Yep, -that- Mark Kern! In his inaugural column, Mark opines on the idea that a game has finally arrived that deals the death knell to 'quest hubs'. Find out what he's got to say and then weigh in with your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 09/11/2012 by Mark Kern

• Getting Rid of the Grind

  Players often complain about the grind in most MMOs today. It's not totally without reason either. Guild Wars 2 seemed to be ready to remove the grind. How has ArenaNet succeeded in this department? Read our latest Guild Wars 2 column to see what we think before adding your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 09/11/2012 by David North

• The Missing Component

  Many MMOs in the past several years have tanked, tanked hard and tanked early. While most players could name several reasons why, Pokket thinks there is just one. The one she's thinking of just might surprise you. Keep reading to see if you agree!

  Posted on 09/10/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• Top 5 Reasons to Cut Class

  We're not advocating skipping class, but if we were to do so... Garrett's got his list of five MMOs that are worth cutting for. Or in some cases, games that will help you ignore the lecture on Psych 101 quite well. Read on for this week's List.

  Posted on 09/04/2012 by Garrett Fuller

• Go and Explore

  One of the larger themes for Guild Wars 2 is the idea of exploration. In our latest GW2 column, we take a look at exploration in all its various forms. Check it out before leaving your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 09/04/2012 by David North

• Review in Progress Part 1

  Now that Guild Wars 2 has finally arrived, we are ready to get down to work and get started on our Review in Progress. During the next few weeks, we'll take you with us on our journey through the game and give you our impressions as we go along before finally presenting our final review. Check out Part 1 and see what you think!

  Posted on 08/30/2012 by William Murphy

• Through The Eyes of a Newbie

  It's hard to believe that anyone who is an MMO-phile hasn't been following Guild Wars 2 with wild abandon but...it's true! We've got a wet-behind-the-ears n00b on our hands whose written about his first steps in the game. Read on and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 08/30/2012 by Adam Tingle

• Is Guild Wars 2 The MMO Savior?

  Arguably, Guild Wars 2 is one of the most highly anticipated MMOs coming this year. But can it, will it, live up to its promise? Time will tell. In the Devil's Advocate today, we take a look at that. Read on and leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 08/29/2012 by Victor Barreiro Jr.

• Garrett's First Impressions

  With the three day head start behind us and the official release day finally arriving, we've got some impressions of Guild Wars 2 to share. See what you think and then add your comments to the discussion of the most keenly anticipated game of 2012.

  Posted on 08/28/2012 by Garrett Fuller

• Global F2P Gleanings

  One of the things we love to do around here is put our collective ear to the ground for all the news that might interest our readers and then give some thoughts about those stories. In our latest Free Zone column, we take a look at some of the most interesting tidbits we've picked up lately. Read on!

  Posted on 08/28/2012 by Richard Aihoshi

• Worth the Wait

  Guild Wars 2 has finally launched. In our latest column devoted to ArenaNet's newest game, we take a look at whether or not it has all been worth it. See what we've got to say before weighing in on the conversation in the comments.

  Posted on 08/28/2012 by David North

• Guild Wars 2 Launch Edition

  The day has finally come when the gaming world gets to get into Guild Wars 2 to see if it can and will live up to the promise it seems to embody. We've been hanging out during the head start and have The List today that details some of what we've seen, both good and bad. See what you think!

  Posted on 08/28/2012 by William Murphy

• Head Start - Day One

  As most everyone on the gaming planet knows, the head start for those who pre-purchased Guild Wars 2 started this past weekend. Pokket was one of the lucky ones who jumped in when she could. She's got her first day impressions to share. Check it out!

  Posted on 08/27/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• August 28th = Everything

  If you've been checking on big releases for some of your favorite MMOs, you've already noticed that August 28th is a banner day. Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft and The Secret World, to name a few, all have big plans for the 28th. In the latest Very Scary column, we take a look at that day and what it all means. Read on!

  Posted on 08/24/2012 by Aaron Couture

• Underwater PvP and the Downed State

  We spent some time with the new "underwater" sPvP map, Raid on the Capricorn, during yesterday's Guild Wars 2 stress test. Find out what we thought about underwater combat in PvP and how Guild Wars 2's controversial downed state mechanic plays into it.

  Posted on 08/22/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Picking a Profession

  Last week we spent some time talking about which race people might choose when Guild Wars 2 arrives later this week. Today we want to spend some time chatting up what profession folks are likely to choose and why. See what you think, then let us know what profession you'll pick first!

  Posted on 08/21/2012 by David North

• Picking a Race

  With Guild Wars 2 almost literally just around the corner, people are planning their first steps in the world. In today's latest column, we take a look at all of the races and why each one might be the one for you. Check it out!

  Posted on 08/14/2012 by David North

• Too Many Games

  Too many games. Yes, it's the bane of many of today's gamers. In her latest column, Pokket takes a look at the games she plays and laments that, just maybe, there are too many good ones to attend to. See what you think and then leave a comment or two.

  Posted on 08/13/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• Getting Ready

  Last week, ArenaNet threw a small stress test party for those who could make it. It's the devs' way of saying, "Yeah, we're ready. Let's DO this thing!" In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we share our thoughts about the stress test and the exciting notion that our obsession is just around the corner! Read on!

  Posted on 08/07/2012 by David North

• Pandaria vs. Tyria

  As the summer comes to a close we will see the release of Guild Wars 2 followed by World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. In our latest column, we take a look at the match up of the season. See what we think and then weigh in with your own comments.

  Posted on 08/02/2012 by Garrett Fuller

• I Have Questions!

  Now that the beta weekends are behind us and with the release of Guild Wars 2 on the horizon, we take a moment to consider all that we do know. Even knowing a lot about the game, there are still questions which we present today. Check it out and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 07/31/2012 by David North

• Asura and Sylvari Review

  We spent some time with the asura and sylvari during this past weekend's final Guild Wars 2 beta event before launch and today we're offering our thoughts on both!

  Posted on 07/24/2012 by David North

• The Legendary Endgame

  The folks at ArenaNet recently revealed some details on Guild Wars 2's endgame and we've got all the details as well as some of our own thoughts for you this week.

  Posted on 07/18/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Final Beta

  As the final Guild Wars 2 beta approaches, a lot of hope and expectation for a great game comes along with it. In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at what we're hopeful to find. See what you think and then leave us a couple of comments!

  Posted on 07/17/2012 by David North

• Mixing PvP with the PvE

  During the recent Guild Wars 2 stress test, players were treated to an awesome PvP event that took place in PvE zones. If that doesn't just smack of awesome, not much else does! Check out our thoughts on the event and then let us know what you think.

  Posted on 07/10/2012 by David North

• FINALLY!

  We suspect that the single word "finally" in conjunction with "Guild Wars 2" is pretty self-explanatory. But just in case it isn't, this week's Guild Wars 2 column ought to set you straight. Keep reading!

  Posted on 07/03/2012 by David North

• Pleasing the Veterans

  In our latest column devoted to Guild Wars 2, we take a look at what Arena.Net is doing or must do to please the many veterans that will carry over from Guild Wars 1 to the newer game. See what we think needs to happen and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 06/26/2012 by David North

• I Want More

  One of the more curious aspects of the Guild Wars 2 beta events is that it leaves players wanting more and we are no exception. Find out what it is that has us itching for the next event and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 06/19/2012 by David North

• Progress Shown this Beta Weekend

  During this past weekend's second beta event, we took some time to check out the improvements and changes to the Guild Wars 2 client. We've go the full report of our impressions in our latest column. Read on!

  Posted on 06/12/2012 by David North

• F2P at E3 2012

  E3 is one of the premier events during the summer season for game developers and their fans. At this year's event, we fully expect to hear a lot more about the "free to play" movement in MMOs. In The Free Zone, we make a few predictions about what we may see. Check it out!

  Posted on 06/05/2012 by Richard Aihoshi

• Beta Time!

  This weekend marks the second major beta event for Guild Wars 2. In our latest column, we take a look at some of the things that we are most excited about. See if you agree and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 06/05/2012 by David North

• My Beta Wish

  The next Guild Wars 2 beta event has been announced for June 8th. We've got a few ideas of some things we'd like to see during that event. See if you agree and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 05/29/2012 by David North

• Stress Test!

  Last week, Arena.net conducted a stress test for Guild Wars 2. The object was, as with all stress tests, to try to break the servers. See what we think about what we saw during this event and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 05/22/2012 by David North

• Human Weaklings

  Even though it sounds rather strange to hear, Humans in Guild Wars 2 are...annoying. Find out why we think so in our latest Guild Wars 2 column and then let us know what you think of Humans in the comments.

  Posted on 05/15/2012 by David North

• It Just Keeps Getting Better

  The last beta event presented an even better portrait of Guild Wars 2 than in the previous ones. Find out why we think so in our latest Guild Wars 2 column before leaving us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 05/08/2012 by David North

• Beta Rage!

  Over the course of this past weekend's first major Guild Wars 2 closed beta event, players were often faced with inexplicable error messages that, of necessity, resulted in BETA RAGE! Read more about what we think of this phenomenon and then weigh in with your own thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 05/01/2012 by David North

• 5 Things People Are B*tching About

  This past weekend's first major closed beta event for Guild Wars 2 was a very exciting time for players looking forward to the game from Arena.Net. There is so much to love about GW2 and most of the weekend went without a hitch. Still there -are- things that people are kvetching about. See what we discovered people are talking about in The List today and then add your own thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 04/30/2012 by Suzie Ford

• Progress You Can See

  During recent beta events, a troubling lag issue cropped up for testers worried that their systems just might not be up to Guild Wars 2. That has been largely laid to rest. Check out what we discovered in our latest Guild Wars 2 column. Leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 04/24/2012 by David North

• Post-PAX East Thoughts

  Now that we are almost two weeks past PAX East, it's time to wrap up our coverage with some thoughts about the things we both saw and heard during the annual convention. Keep reading and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 04/17/2012 by William Murphy

• It Is a Sequel

  When something is the second in a series, a sequel, there are certain things that players will look for as improvements over the first. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we look at some of the bigger improvements that have been made since the original came out. Read on!

  Posted on 04/17/2012 by David North

• Death to the Old Ways!

  Arena.Net has plans to set the MMO genre on its ear by doing away with the necessity for player groups to mirror the so-called "Holy Trinity" style of game play, to the "old way" as it were. We take a look at that in today's Guild Wars 2 column. Read on and then post your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 04/10/2012 by David North

• Opinions from a Long Time Fan

  In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at the game from the viewpoint of a long time fan. Our thoughts are based on the recent beta weekend. See what you think before adding your comments.

  Posted on 04/03/2012 by David North

• Guild Wars 2 - Why World vs. World Will Rule

  In The List today, we take a look back at the recent Guild Wars 2 beta weekend and the whole concept that Arena.Net is bringing to the genre with its World vs World system. We've got two full lists of what we think are the best features in WvW and what we perceive might cause some issues. Read on and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 04/02/2012 by Garrett Fuller

• The Best Silly Moments

  Saving the world is serious business but even that fact doesn't preclude moments of laughter and amusement. In last weekend's beta event, we ferreted out some humorous moments in Guild Wars 2. Read on!

  Posted on 03/28/2012 by David North

• 5 Great Little Things in Guild Wars 2

  During this past weekend's beta event, we had a team with boots on the ground to bring our readers great coverage of Guild Wars 2. In The List today, we take a look at five things about Guild Wars 2 that people might overlook or take for granted. Keep reading!

  Posted on 03/26/2012 by Suzie Ford

• The Collector’s Edition

  Last week, Arena.Net announced the details for the collector's edition for Guild Wars 2. The CE contains some really impressive stuff that we take a look at in our latest Guild Wars 2 column. Read on!

  Posted on 03/20/2012 by David North

• Everything to Everyone

  One of the most ambitious things that Arena.Net is aiming to do with the Guild Wars 2 release is to bring all features to all players and do it in such a way that the player base is happy. Can they pull it off? In our latest Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at just that. Keep reading!

  Posted on 03/13/2012 by David North

• Exploring the Ascalon Catacombs Dungeon

  While the first beta weekend is now long behind us, we can't stop thinking about ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2. This week, David North gives us some more thoughts on the "explorable" mode of the Ascalon Catacombs dungeon.

  Posted on 03/06/2012 by David North

• 5 Gaming Concepts for the Future

  In a genre that seems to have hit a stagnation point lately, there is a lot of potential for new ideas and innovations. Devs are always looking! In The List today, we take a look at five concepts we think will breathe new life into the MMO space over the next decade. Check it out!

  Posted on 03/05/2012 by Garrett Fuller

• NCsoft's Intriguing Casual Purchase

  In The Free Zone this week, we take a look at the recent purchase of casual games maker Ntreev Soft by powerhouse MMO publisher NCSoft. What are the implications for its current stable of games? Read on to find out!

  Posted on 02/28/2012 by Richard Aihoshi

• Beta Reflections

  The first big Guild Wars 2 beta preview weekend has come and gone. We, however, have been thinking about it almost non-stop. We've got some thoughts to share about what we experienced. Keep reading!

  Posted on 02/28/2012 by David North

• Five Truly Innovative Game Features

  In The List today, we take a look at what we believe are five truly innovative game features from five of the most popular MMOs of today, both released and unreleased. See what you think and then leave us your comments.

  Posted on 02/27/2012 by Suzie Ford

• FREEdom!

  A lot of talk swirls around MMOs and F2P, an endless debate of the merits or demerits of adopting such a system. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at Guild Wars 2 and its adopted revenue model and why it is just right. Read on!

  Posted on 02/21/2012 by David North

• The Good & Bad of Guild Wars 2

  ArenaNet and the Guild Wars 2 team are ready to let loose the hounds as coverage of this past weekend's limited closed beta event goes live! In The List today, we take a look at both the awesome and the not-so-awesome things we discovered about Guild Wars 2. See what you think and then weigh in with your thoughts.

  Posted on 02/20/2012 by William Murphy

• World vs. World – A Dream Come True?

  The MMO world has been rocked with Arena.Net's latest blog post detailing the Guild Wars 2 World vs. World mechanic. We've got some thoughts to share about this epic system and what it means to the game and to the genre as a whole. Read on and then offer your thoughts!

  Posted on 02/16/2012 by William Murphy

• Micro-Awesomeness

  One of the most controversial words these days in MMOs is "microtransaction". The idea of microtransactions always stirs a lot of emotion. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we explore the thought of microtransactions in GW2. Read on and let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 02/14/2012 by David North

• Community Support

  For many players, community is essential when looking for an MMO home. In our latest column devoted to Guild Wars 2, we look at ways the community will be involved in Arena.Net's latest. Check it out and then weigh in with what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 02/07/2012 by David North

• The Beta Wait is Almost Over

  Last week, Arena.Net announced that the beta for Guild Wars 2 would be coming in the near future. That's got us excited and we've got lots to say about it...if we can calm down long enough to write! Read on and then tell us why you're anticipating the GW2 beta in the comments.

  Posted on 01/31/2012 by David North

• The UI - Cleaning Up the Clutter

  One of the things that MMO players demand any more is a customizable UI. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we opine about ways that Arena.Net could take on the UI and make it something that players will like from the get go. Check it out and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 01/24/2012 by David North

• The RPG Element

  In many ways, it's sometimes easy to remember that the games we love are actually supposed to have a role-playing component in them. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we discuss how critical it will be for Arena.Net to nail the RPG in their MMO. See what you think and then discuss the column in the comments.

  Posted on 01/17/2012 by David North

• More Than Quest Givers

  One of the most interesting things about Guild Wars 2 is how diverse and widespread the races coming with the game are shaping up to be. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at that broad diversity. Read on!

  Posted on 01/10/2012 by David North

• The Hall of Monuments

  While old news to some, the thought of the Hall of Monuments and its place in the Guild Wars 2 universe intrigues us. See why we think the Hall of Monuments will be simply marvelous and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 01/03/2012 by David North

• 5 Things We'd Like to See for Guilds

  In order to make Guild Wars 2 truly GUILD oriented, we think there are some things that Arena.net must address in order to make that happen. Check out the guild wish list and see if you agree with the things we'd like to see for guilds. Have other thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

  Posted on 01/02/2012 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• When It's Done

  Some of the most frustrating words any gamer hears from developers: "It'll be released when it's finished". While those words may make sense in our heads, our hearts don't always follow suit. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we look at those annoying words with regard to this most-anticipated title. Check it out and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 12/27/2011 by David North

• Mesmer - Master of the Mind

  Last week, Arena.Net announced that the Mesmer was the final profession that will ship with the game on release. Today we take a look at the Mesmer and what this master of mind-control brings to the game. Read on!

  Posted on 12/20/2011 by David North

• Loot Equality

  Ah, Loot. The great bane and boon of players' existences. It lies there tantalizing us with its promise of l33tness yet it becomes a force for division among those who fought so bravely for it. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, we take a look at ways that the Arena.Net team is working to make sure that we all experience the thrill of "Loot Equality". Read on!

  Posted on 12/13/2011 by David North

• Professing on Professions

  Guild Wars 2 fans have been waiting a LONG time to find out what the final profession will be and it doesn't look like that information is coming in the immediate future either. In today's column devoted to GW2, we opine about what that last profession will be or even what it should be. Check it out and then weigh in with your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 12/06/2011 by David North

• The Extended Experience Mobile App

  In his latest Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com's David North discusses the possibilities of the mobile aspect of the Guild Wars 2 Extended Experience.

  Posted on 11/22/2011 by David North

• Holiday Events in GW2

  In his latest column devoted to Guild Wars 2, MMORPG.com's David North wonders if the new game will be able to measure up to the holiday goodness that came with the original Guild Wars. See what sorts of holiday fun David has dreamed up for Guild Wars 2. Do you have a few thoughts? Add them in our comments.

  Posted on 11/08/2011 by David North

• Fresh Beats in Tyria

  MMORPG.com columnist David North discusses the aural experience of Guild Wars 2 in this week's Guild Wars 2 column.

  Posted on 10/25/2011 by David North

• Keeping the Game Solid

  In his latest Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com's David North divines the future for the game and how he believes the developers can keep the game solid for players when it comes to content and patch updates. Check out what David has to say and then let us know how you think the GW2 team can 'keep the game solid' as its future rolls on in the comments.

  Posted on 10/11/2011 by David North

• The Asura from a Bookah’s View

  A couple of weeks ago, the Guild Wars 2 team revealed much more information about the tiny guys of the game, the Asura. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com's David North takes a look at the Asura and how the dev team came to the 'look'. Check out David's thoughts and then add a few of your own in the comments.

  Posted on 09/27/2011 by David North

• The Cries of the Players

  Most MMO players have spent years looking for the 'right' MMO in which to spend their time. Along the way, the myriad problems with attaining that ideal have been voiced by the gaming community. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com's David North discusses how Arena.Net is breaking the MMO mold on many fronts, most notably the one where developers actually look at player concerns and listen to the voices of their fan base. Keep reading!

  Posted on 09/13/2011 by David North

• The War of Guilds and Stars

  Loving our games passionately is a hallmark of MMO players. But the rhetoric aimed at games that haven't made our "personal A List" seems to have ratcheted up lately when it comes to Guild Was 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic. In today's column, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy looks at the chasm that divides players into Guilds & Stars and wonders how it happened. Keep reading! Lend us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 09/08/2011 by William Murphy

• The End is Only the Beginning

  It seems that any more, "endgame" is the buzzword whispered by players as they peruse upcoming MMOs...or maybe it's loudly crowed from the rooftops. In his weekly Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com's David North takes a look at the endgame and the amount of content that Guild Wars 2 will feature. Read on!

  Posted on 08/30/2011 by David North

• The Real Top 10 MMOs of 2012

  It's hard to accurately predict what will be popular in the MMO-space these days. Last week, we took a look at a 2009 piece predicting the success of certain MMOs in 2012 that...ain't gonna make it. In The List today, MMORPG.com Managing Editor dons the swami's hat and prognosticates about 2012 and what he believes will be the real success stories of the year. Read on!

  Posted on 08/23/2011 by William Murphy

• Growing Away from the Standard

  In his latest column devoted to Guild Wars 2, MMORPG.com's David North takes a look at last week's revelations about the Sylvari race. See what David has to say before letting us know what you think in the comments!

  Posted on 08/16/2011 by David North

• The Top 10 MMOs of 2012 - Revisited

  Back in 2009, our own Jon Wood took a look at the ten games he thought would be dominating the market in 2012. This week, we take a look at Jon's list and find out whether his predictions are on track or a bust.

  Posted on 08/15/2011 by William Murphy

• The Quest for Looking Good

  In this week's Guild Wars 2 column, resident cartoonist David North takes a look at the process of character creation and personalization in ArenaNet's upcoming blockbuster. See what he has to say and leave a comment or two if you agree or not.

  Posted on 08/02/2011 by David North

• Five Reasons to Crave Guild Wars 2

  MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager Garrett Fuller takes on The List this week with a few reasons why many of us are waiting on baited breath for the arrival of Guild Wars 2. Among the legion of exciting features that Guild Wars 2 brings to the table is the fact that Everyone Can Heal and this is one aspect that Garrett examines. Read on to see if Garrett picked your reason for craving Guild Wars 2.

  Posted on 07/25/2011 by Garrett Fuller

• More Than a Theme Park

  Recently, Guild Wars 2 developers announced underwater combat and battle in a truly 3D environment. In a new column debuting today on MMORPG.com, David North talks about underwater combat as an example of how Arena.Net uses environments to tell the story, making it less a theme park and more something completely different. Read on!

  Posted on 07/05/2011 by Guest Writer

• A Sub-Genre?

  In the MMO-universe, there is an ever-growing library of games that neither fit the traditional MMORPG genre, nor do they fit into the "normal" subscription-based game. In today's column, MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy takes a look at today's MMOGs and ponders the expanding number of sub-genres. Let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 04/21/2011 by William Murphy

• The Quiz: The Guild Wars 2 Edition

  After a week's break, MMORPG.com Quiz Master Drew Wood has returned with The Quiz. This week, one of the most keenly anticipated games on players' collective radar is showcased for the betterment of your gray matter: Guild Wars 2. See how you do and then report back in the comments.

  Posted on 04/20/2011 by Drew Wood

• The Final Two

  In today's Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager Garrett Fuller speculates a bit about what the final two classes will be. Arena.Net is playing these last two very close to the chest. Check out Garrett's thoughts and then let us know what you think the final two classes in Guild Wars 2 will be.

  Posted on 03/28/2011 by Garrett Fuller

• The Evolution of Attributes

  Power, Vitality, Precision and Toughness. These are the attributes that players will have to work with in Guild Wars 2 and it's an impressive sounding list. MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton has some thoughts about the attribute system as its evolved between Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. Check it out and then leave a thought or two in the comments.

  Posted on 03/21/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Top Draws of PAX East 2011

  PAX East is the first major convention on the East coast with many developers of this year's highly anticipated MMOs making an appearance. In The List today, MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy talks about the games high on the staff's list of 'must visits' and what they expect (hope?) to find out. Read on!

  Posted on 03/11/2011 by William Murphy

• The Norn Invade PAX

  It's now official: The Norn are invading PAX East this year, coming in full force on twenty machines in a brand new demo for Guild Wars 2. MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy has a few thoughts on these denizens of the cold country. Check them out and then add a few of your own.

  Posted on 02/28/2011 by William Murphy

• The PAX East Demo

  Arena.Net and the Guild Wars 2 dev team announced last week that a new demo version of the game would make its appearance at PAX East. In today's Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton speculates about what fans might see in the new demo. Check out Mike's thoughts and then add a few of your own speculations to the mix in the comments.

  Posted on 02/21/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Beta Cometh

  With the turn of the new year, Guild Wars 2 fans began to look for news about the game that most are keenly anticipating. Among smaller news items since then, a hidden nugget of information came to light that caused heart palpitations worldwide: Guild Wars 2 will enter at least a pair of betas during 2011. MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy has a few thoughts about that exciting news. Check it out!

  Posted on 02/14/2011 by William Murphy

• Bittersweet

  It's with a bittersweet pen that MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton writes about the Guild Wars 2 class reveal of the Guardian. He had been sure of the Mesmer but admits that Guardians bring a lot to the party and maybe that's not such a bad thing. Check out Mike's thoughts about the Guardian and then add a few of your own in the comments section.

  Posted on 01/27/2011 by Michael Bitton

• All Quiet on the Tyrian Front

  In our continuing series of articles dedicated to Guild Wars 2, MMORPG.com's Bill Murphy notices that the last few weeks have not netted fans much in the way of new information as compared to the figurative bombardment of the fall months. Bill further speculates that maybe the dearth of information just may, in fact, be the point. Check out Bill's thoughts on the matter and then add a few of your own in the comments.

  Posted on 01/17/2011 by William Murphy

• PvP Speculation

  In our continuing look at all things Guild Wars 2, MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager Garrett Fuller has a few things to say about PvP. While not much is known about PvP in Guild Wars 2, Garrett has pulled together -has- been revealed and offers a few thoughts. Be sure to add your comments below.

  Posted on 01/10/2011 by Garrett Fuller

• 2011 - For Amusement Purposes Only

  In his latest Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager Garrett Fuller reveals himself to be a betting man. His wager with you, our faithful readers, is the likelihood (or not) that Guild Wars 2 will actually see the light of day in 2011. Read Garrett's thoughts on the wager and then give your virtual betting handshake in the comments beneath.

  Posted on 01/03/2011 by Garrett Fuller

• Prognostications for 2011

  It's that time of year, the time when things wind down for the preceding twelve months, the time of reflection and the time for looking ahead to the coming year. In his latest MMORPG.com column, Bill Murphy prognosticates about 2011. Check out his thoughts and then add a few of your own in the comments section below.

  Posted on 12/30/2010 by William Murphy

• The Fifth Profession

  In his latest column about all things Guild Wars 2, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton considers last week's tease from ArenaNet that the fifth profession will be announced in January. Mike has a strong opinion as to what that fifth class will be. See if you agree with his reasoning and then weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

  Posted on 12/27/2010 by Michael Bitton

• The PvP Question

  In the latest Guild Wars 2 column here at MMORPG.com, Bill Murphy takes a look at the elephant in the room: PvP and Guild Wars 2. There is very little known about one of the most popular aspects of the original Guild Wars and how it will be brought into its successor. He's got a few thoughts about Guild Wars 2 and PvP so be sure to take a look. Weigh in with a few of your thoughts below.

  Posted on 12/20/2010 by William Murphy

• Measuring Up

  In the latest Guild Wars 2 column here at MMORPG.com, Managing Editor Jon Wood takes a look at originals and sequels. At times, it seems that the first is better and more fulfilling than the second. Jon wonders whether this pattern will continue with Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. Read Jon's GW2 column and then let us know what you think in the comments below.

  Posted on 12/17/2010 by Jon Wood

• Pacing and Combat

  In his latest Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager Garrett Fuller takes a look at the pacing and combat coming in the game. As Garrett opines, pacing and combat can make or break an MMO. Many have fallen victim to poor deployment of these two features. See what he's got to say about pacing and combat in Guild Wars 2, then weigh in with your own thoughts below.

  Posted on 12/06/2010 by Garrett Fuller

• Chasing 30/50

  In his latest Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton reveals his obsessive compulsive side in obtaining the 30/50 rewards in Guild Wars to bring bodacious rewards into Guild Wars 2. He's a man with a plan that you won't want to miss. Be sure to tell us about your plans to hit 30/50 in the Hall of Monuments below.

  Posted on 12/02/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Dynamic Content

  In MMORPG.com's latest Guild Wars 2 column, Managing Editor Jon Wood takes a look at Dynamic Content. Dynamic content, as Jon suggests, is content that should make the game world feel alive, that the actions players participate in make a difference in the way the world looks and feels. Check out Jon's thoughts and then let us know what you think about dynamic content on the forums.

  Posted on 11/15/2010 by Jon Wood

• My Life in Tyria

  The Guild Wars 2 team has promised many amazing things for the game, things that have fans excited in ways they haven't been for a long time. Among these promises is the idea of story. Players will have a "personal story". In his latest Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com's Bill Murphy takes a look at the personal story and offers some insight into what it all means. Check it out and then jump into the discussion on our forum.

  Posted on 11/08/2010 by William Murphy

• Dungeon Running Differently

  In his latest Guild Wars 2 article, MMORPG.com's Community Manager, Michael Bitton, takes a look at the dungeons in Guild Wars 2. Mike starts the discussion by stating that he didn't really expect the dungeon system to see major changes from GW1 to GW2 but after reading an article in PC Gamer, Mike has been pleasantly surprised to see that dungeons will be receiving love too. See what Mike found out about the Guild Wars 2 dungeon system and let us know what you think.

  Posted on 11/01/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Hall of Monuments

  In his latest article about Guild Wars 2, MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager, Garrett Fuller, talks about the Hall of Monuments. The Hall of Monuments is currently active in Guild Wars and the collection of achievements there will have an impact on a player's experience when Guild Wars 2 launches. Check out Garrett's thoughts about the Hall of Monuments and then let us know yours.

  Posted on 10/26/2010 by Garrett Fuller

• Hands On with the Charr Necro

  At the recent New York Comic Con, MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager, Garrett Fuller, had the opportunity to spend some hands on time with the Charr Necromancer. Not only does Garrett have some general thoughts about the Necromancer class, but he's got a lot to say about the Charr Necro as well. Read Garrett's hands-on look and then let us know what you think about the bad-ass Charr Necro!

  Posted on 10/18/2010 by Garrett Fuller

• Why I Will Play a Necromancer

  In his latest MMORPG.com article, columnist Bill Murphy talks about all the awesomeness that is the Guild Wars 2 Necromancer class. Whether it's summoning scary minions or being a terrific support character or being in possession of unique mechanics, the Necromancer looks to be one of the more intriguing character classes in Guild Wars 2. Check out Bill's reasons why HE will be playing a Necro and then tell us what YOU will be playing...and why.

  Posted on 10/18/2010 by William Murphy

• Item & Loot Reveal Thoughts

  In his latest Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at the recently revealed Item and Loot Systems as detailed on the official Arena.Net blog. Mike is cautiously optimistic about several things but does express a bit of reservation about the item shop hinted at in the blog post by Arena.Net devs. Check out Mike's thoughts and then add your own to our forums.

  Posted on 10/11/2010 by Michael Bitton

• A Game for the New Decade?

  In the latest in a series of articles about the juggernaut that has become Guild Wars 2, MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager Garrett Fuller takes a look at the potential for Guild Wars 2 to become THE game for the decade spanning 2010-2020. The potential, Garrett says, is there. See if you agree with his assessment of Guild Wars 2 and then join in on the discussion on our forums.

  Posted on 10/08/2010 by Garrett Fuller

• Playing Solo Together

  In the latest MMORPG.com column examining Arena.Net's Guild Wars 2, Bill Murphy talks about the envelope-expanding nature of the dynamic quest line. Designed to cater to all type of players, from the casual to the hardcore, dynamic events are building on ideas from the past and taking them in new directions. Check out Bill's thoughts about what Arena.Net is doing with dynamic events and see if you agree with his conclusions. As always, let us know your thoughts on our forums.

  Posted on 09/27/2010 by William Murphy

• The Road to Comic-Con

  As the MMORPG.com team prepares to descend on the New York Comic Con in a few weeks, Community Manager Michael Bitton writes about how much he's looking forward to getting hands on time with Guild Wars 2. Mike's also got plans to attend the ArenaNet panel and even becoming a panelist himself in the MMORPG.com discussion about "The Future of Online Gaming". Check out Mike's "The Road to Comic-Con" article and then join in on the discussion.

  Posted on 09/20/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Five Things PAX Should Show Us

  As the MMORPG.com team readies itself to head off to PAX, columnist Bill Murphy has a few ideas about what we all should learn from our favorite game developers during the conference. See if you agree with Bill and add any other thoughts you might have on our forums!

  Posted on 08/31/2010 by William Murphy

• Every Game Needs a Necro

  MMORPG.com's Garrett Fuller has a sneak peek at the Necromancer class in this latest entry in his Guild Wars 2 column. The necromancer is a force to be reckoned with due to an alarming (and very cool) number of spells and summoning abilities. Find out what Garrett has to say about everybody's favorite undead mastermind in this week's Guild Wars 2 column.

  Posted on 08/25/2010 by Garrett Fuller

• Heals for Everyone!

  In the third installment of his Guild Wars 2 column, MMORPG.com writer Bill Murphy takes a look at health and healing in Guild Wars 2. Without the need for a dedicated healer, without having to stand around advertising for a healer to run an instance, the game is, according to developers, more fun and the healing wealth is spread among all character archetypes. Read all of Bill's thoughts about health and healing.

  Posted on 08/16/2010 by William Murphy

• Downed Abilities

  This week we begin our weekly game column on Guild Wars 2. Each week we will look at different aspects of the game and try to analyze how Guild Wars 2 continues to present new ideas into the MMO genre as well as keep players posted on the latest updates and features of the game. So this week we are taking a close look at the Downed Mode Skills that Guild Wars 2 revealed in its healing and death feature.

  Posted on 08/03/2010 by Garrett Fuller

• MMOs and Storytelling

  In this week's Player Perspectives column, MMORPG.com's Jaime Skelton talks about the importance of storytelling in any game. But do MMOs tell the story in a way that leads players to discover things on their own, to feel like they are truly immersed in the story? Find out what Jaime thinks in her compelling article.

  Posted on 07/23/2010 by Jaime Skelton

• Five Reasons to Avoid Beta

  In this week's The List, MMORPG.com columnist Bill Murphy takes on beta testing and gives five compelling reasons why folks should avoid it like the plague. Agree or disagree, Bill's column is sure to start an excellent conversation.

  Posted on 07/20/2010 by William Murphy

• Five MMO Sequels

  This week, MMORPG.com's Jon Wood uses the list to count down five MMO sequels, a rare breed for the genre.

  Posted on 09/29/2009 by Jon Wood