Guild Wars 2 beta no longer set for 2008

Fans of the PC online RPG series will have to wait until 2009 for a taste of the action.

ArenaNet has updated its Guild Wars 2 FAQ revealing that the planned beta for Guild Wars 2 will no longer be going ahead this year.

"Although we publicly alpha- and beta-tested the original Guild Wars while it was still in early development, with Guild Wars 2 we will commence beta testing closer to the game's release," explains the FAQ. "With that in mind, we will not start beta testing in 2008 as we had originally planned."

The reason for the delay in the beta test is simply that ArenaNet wants gamers to be "absolutely blown away by the game the first time they experience it".

ArenaNet has been keeping its cards very close to its chest regarding Guild Wars 2; we're still waiting for a first glimpse of the game following its announcement back in early 2007. What we do know is that the game will introduce a persistent world to the series, yet will remain subscription free.