Guild Wars 2 to feature persistent world

Development of Guild Wars 2 is underway and the game will be based on the same mechanics which made the Original Guild Wars so popular. However, the first full sequel will see the addition of a fully persistent world and yet the series will remain subscription free.

The game is expected to go into beta sometime in the second half of 2008, so we’re still some way off a release.

There’s also further news today on the first true expansion for the Guild Wars franchise, Guild Wars Eye of the North. The expansion is due to hit retail in Q3 2007 and will require at least one of the previous Guild Wars campaigns (Prophesies, Factions or Nightfall) in order to play.

“We felt it was extremely important to reward those people who have been playing Guild Wars since the game first launched in 2005,” said Jeff Strain, co-founder of ArenaNet. “Those players have seen three very large campaigns created in a little under two years and so we think it’s time to begin filling in the details of the existing world and to provide more content for current characters. We are thrilled to focus our time on something that our players have been asking for.“

The expansion is set largely in the dungeons and caverns of the land of Tyria that players will have first explored in Guild Wars Prophesies. Eye of the North will feature 18 large, multi-level dungeons, 150 new skills across all ten professions, 10 new Heroes, 40 new armour sets, plus more items, weapons and titles.

The expansion will also feature a Hall of Monuments where players’ accomplishments are memorialised and will eventually be inherited by Guild Wars 2 characters.

“It’s the payoff we hope players will appreciate as we continue to build on the Guild Wars franchise,” said Strain. “We’re excited to announce these two new products and we want players to know that Guild Wars has an extremely exciting future in the months and years ahead.“