In the space of a single year, Guild Wars 2 has sold over 3 million copies (as of 01/2013). Those box sales arent collecting dust either; there are over 400,000 peak concurrent players, playing a combined total of 508,428 hours a day. Guildwars2.com alone sees over 3 million page views each day.
Nor is ArenaNet struggling; though the game is supported solely on sales of the game and cosmetic items via the Gem Shop, the company has continued to grow and has even forgone the need for a boxed expansion to drive sales. This content will instead be delivered to players as part of their ongoing, bi-weekly Living Story updates... all without ever charging a subscription.
- Halloween event
- Haunted Doors
- New activities: Reaper's Rumble and Lunatic Inquisition
- New dungeon: Ascent to Madness
- New Jumping Puzzle: Mad King's Clock Tower
- New PvE area: Mad King's Realm
- Costume Brawl
- PvP paid tournaments
- 50 new events
- Skritt Burglar
- Modus Sceleris
- 4 new jumping puzzles
- 2 new mini-dungeons
- New and updated achievements
- A one-time weekend-long event that permanently changes the world in some places.
- Prelude content with hints and teasers to build up the game release.
- A new PvP map: Temple of the Silent Storm
- A new area: Southsun Cove, designed for level 80s.
- Two new jumping puzzles.
- New events.
- New achievements.
- A new dungeon: Fractals of the Mists, designed for level 80s.
- A new set of exotic weapons: Fractal weapons.
- A new enemy: the karka.
- New ascended rarity and corresponding ascended equipment; with a new type of upgrade slot: Infusion.
- A new PvE mechanic: agony.
- New crafting resources to find and harvest Karka Shells, Passion Fruits, and Passion Flowers with 200 new crafting recipes, including the new Apothecary's/Passiflora atrribute combination.
- A new group of NPCs, a merchant conglomerate, called the Consortium.
- Unique minis, armor skins, town clothing, and weapon skins made for the Lost Shores event from Consortium Chests.
- Wintersday event
- New Jumping Puzzle Winter Wonderland
- New activities Snowball Mayhem, Bell Choir, and Toypocalypse
- New dungeon Tixx's Infinirarium
- A special event for the update release
- Breakout events in World versus World
- 6 new crafting materials (snowflakes) and 275 new crafting recipes, including the new Giver's attribute combination
- /rank emote
- New currency: Pristine Fractal Relics
- Ascended rings added to Fractal merchant.
- Collection slots for Rare and Festive materials
New Living World content- New achievement category Flame and Frost, which tracks the progress of the narrative
- Temple of the Silent Storm: Week long event then added to regular rotation
- Improved achievement system with daily/monthly tracker UI.
- A new currency: Laurels
- Guesting
- New infusion equipment: Ascended amulets and utility infusions
- Tweaks to World versus World
- New Gem Store items available for purchase
- Changes to Orr to improve events, rewards, and general playability.
- Improvements to Fractals of the Mists, including new daily bonus chests.
New Living World content- Continuation of the Flame and Frost narrative
- New Flame and Frost (achievements)achievements
- Guild missions
- New currencies: Guild Merits and Guild Commendations
- New Ascended accessories and stat combinations for existing rings and amulets
sPvP Updates - New structured PvP map: Spirit Watch
- Two team rated play in PvP
General Updates - Selectable daily achievement system
- Preview items on the Trading Post
- Revamped Ascalon Catacombs Explorable encounters
New Living World content- Continuation of the Flame and Frost narrative
- Two new NPCs: Braham and Rox
- New storyline instances with repeatable rewards
- 7 new Flame and Frost achievements
- New fused weapons in the Black Lion Chests
WvW Updates - World versus World extended progression
- Removal of culling, with new player options
- World XP and World Ranks granting visible titles and new passive abilities
- New WvW achievements
- New scoreboard UI for WvW
- New gear on Badge of Honor vendors with expanded skin and stat options.
General Updates - Additional Guild mission content
- Three new Guild Bounty Hunt Targets
- New Guild Bounty Training missions for new and small guilds
- New Guild weapons available at the Guild Commendation Trader
sPvP Updates - Leaderboards covering WvW and PvP rankings as well as achievement rankings.
- New items in the Gem Store: Name Change Contract and Communal Boost Bonfire
- Selectable monthly achievement system
Super Adventure Box is a dungeon introduced during the eponymous release as part of April Fools' Day 2013. It is a "game within a game", has an 8-bit platformer theme, and unlike other dungeons can be completed either solo or in a group. Talk to Moto in Creator's Commons Rata Sum to gain access. Currently, only World 1 and the first zone of World 2 are accessible. The dungeon is character-based; any items and upgrades obtained on one character do not carry over to other characters. Progress within the Super Adventure Box is tracked via the achievement category. Bauble Bubbles acquired from the game can be exchanged with Moto for various items, including the super weapon skins.
New Living World content- Conclusion of the Flame and Frost narrative
- New dungeon: Molten Facility
- New Flame and Frost achievements with a new title and a special reward: Fused Gauntlets
sPvP updates - Custom PvP Arenas
- Spectator Mode
- sPvP Browser update
WvW updates - New World Experience upgrades: Arrow Cart Mastery and additional Guard Killer ranks.
- Guild siege weapons
- Guild mission updates
- 30 new Guild Trek locations
- New Quaggan-themed Guild Rush
- Influence rewards from Guild Treks
- New back banners on the Guild Commendation Trader
- New attribute prefix: Sentinel's
- New gemstones: Azurite Crystal/Azurite Orb
- New Gem Store items: miniatures, Braham and Rox weapon skins, and Sonic Tunneling Tool.
New Living World content- New Southsun Cove content
- Crab Toss activity
- Secret of Southsun achievement category and content
- New events
- Southsun Supply Crate available via Gem Store and rare drop in Southsun
- Sclerite weapon skins
- New miniatures: Mini Southsun Kasmeer and Mini Southsun Faren
- World vs World updates
- Separate map for Obsidian Sanctum to reduce queues for Eternal Battlegrounds[1]
- WvW Traps: Stealth Disruptor Trap and Supply Removal Trap
- Six new Guild Trek locations in Southsun Cove
New Living World content- New Southsun Cove content
- New dungeon: Canach's Lair
- New meta event with a new world boss: Legendary Karka Queen
- New miniature and special settler trinket rewards
- New Guild Puzzle: Angvar's Trove
- World vs World Updates
- Matchmaking changes to increase match-up variety
- Improvements to rewarding of World Experience
- Ascended gear and WvW-specific infusions
- WvW-specific Daily achievements
- Reward chest for gaining World XP ranks[1]
- New and updated WvW abilities: Burning Oil Mastery and additional Defense Against Guards ranks.
- sPvP Updates
- Custom Arena Time Tokens
New Living World content- Dragon Bash festival
- Moa Racing activity
- Dragon Ball Arena
- New achievements
- Dragon Coffer chest containing festival consumables and a small chance for an exclusive mini and Dragon's Jade weapon skins
- Dragon themed animated backpacks
- New miniatures and rewards: dragon themed backpacks and helm
- sPvP Updates
- Leaderboard decay
- Authorized Shoutcasters
New Living World content- New story dungeon: Aetherblade Retreat
- New Sky Pirates achievements
- New jumping puzzle: Not So Secret
- Sea of Sorrows Scavenger Hunt
- New rewards
- Mini First Mate Horrik, Monocle, Aetherized Tonic
- Tybalt Plush Backpack in Black Lion Chests
- sPvP updates
- Custom Arenas and Spectator Mode now available to all players
- WvW updates
- Mortar Mastery
- Gem Store updates
- Gifting
- Aetherblade armor skins
- Custom Arena Starter Kits
- Chop-It-All Logging Axe
- General Updates
- Skill and trait balance updates
- New condition: Torment
- AoE Looting
New Living World content- Belcher's Bluff activity
- Sanctum Sprint
- Lessons from the Sky Scavenger Hunt
- New achievements
- New Crafting material: Quartz, with new recipes
- New rewards
- Aspect Back Items
- Personal Quartz Node
- New miniature Zephyr Sanctum Model
- sPvP Updates
- New map: Skyhammer
- WvW Updates
- New World Experience upgrades: Build Mastery and Repair Mastery
- Achievement Reward System
- Updated Achievement UI
New Living World content- Captain's Council election, through August 5, 2013 11 AM PST.
- Support your candidate with Support Tokens
- New challenge activity: Candidate Trials
- New competitive activities: Aspect Arena and Southsun Survival
- New achievements: Support Ellen Kiel and Support Evon Gnashblade
- New events
- New Living World rewards
- New back items: Desert Rose and Zephyr Rucksack
- New miniatures: Mini Evon Gnashblade and Mini Ellen Kiel
- WvW updates
- New World Ability Line: Catapult Mastery
- Gem Store updates
- Black Lion Claim Ticket Scraps and Black Lion Claim Ticket in Black Lion Chests
- New Aetherized weapon skins on Black Lion Weapon Specialist
- Braham's, Magitech, and Phoenix armor skins
New Living World content- New zone: Crown Pavilion
- New activities: Queen's Gauntlet and Beacons of Kryta
- New achievements: Queen Jennah's Jubilee and The Queen's Gauntlet
- New events
- New Living World rewards
- New tokens: Watchwork Sprockets and Queen's Gauntlet Entrance Tickets
- New miniatures: Mini Watchknight and Mini Liadri the Concealing Dark
- New reward box: Elaborate Watchwork Box
PvE updates - Daily dungeon rewards
- Champion rewards
- Daily Activity rotation
sPvP updates - Solo Arena Queue
WvW updates - New World Ability Line: Supply Mastery
Gem Store updates - New Royal Terrace zone available through the gemstore.
New Gem Store updates - Copper-fed Salvage Kit
General updates - Permanent, selectable Finishers for WvW and sPvP
- Wallet
- Effects Level of Detail system
New Living World content- New achievements
- GW2 Anniversary and first birthday rewards
- New Rewards
- Infinite Watchknight Tonic
- Mini Queen Jennah
PvE updates - Removal of culling
WvW updates - WXP rate increase and point adjustment
- New World Ability Line: Trebuchet Mastery
Heres a look at some of the features coming into the game during the rest of the year:
- New Skills and Traits
- More ways to earn Skill Points
- New set of account bound crafting materials
- Removal of Magic Find from gear and moving it over to an account wide system
- Making Fine and Masterwork loot (vendor trash) have a chance to become a Magic Find consumable when salvaged
- Crafting levels raised to 500 and new materials used to craft Ascended gear
- A specific way to build Precursor weapons for building Legendaries
- New Legendary weapons and new types of Legendary gear
- The ability to change out your Legendary stat combo while out of combat
- The replacement of the original Orb mechanic in WvW
- Player roles in WvW, Scouts, Siege Masters, Defenders, etc
- Features and balance changes for WvW to encourage smaller group play over zergs
- Changes in WvW to try to increase scoring when people are playing the game and to make it much more difficult to keep your territory without actively guarding it.
- Weekly changes to WvW that drastically change how you play, kinda like a modifier of a game mode
- Continued additions of WvW materies and Siege weapon balancing
- New reward systems for sPvP
- New map types and the ability to gain Legendary skins in sPvP
- Optional new player tutorial
- New story steps at levels 5 & 10 to better teach core mechanics, a better hint system, and a new level-up messaging system.
Origins...
The first rumblings of a GAFGuild began in early 2012. Community regulars began to organize almost immediately, establishing the GAFGuild website, Mumble server and even a few informative podcasts before the game even launched. A spreadsheet was compiled to keep track of everyone who volunteered their username so they could be quickly invited; this list capped out at 535 members before the game even launched.
When the head-start first began on August 25, Gaming Age Force [GAF] was established on Stormbluff Isle and quickly swelled to the 500 member cap; a second overflow guild [GAFO] was created to handle the excess members. At one point, this second guild was almost halfway full, bringing our numbers to about 750 GAFers, their family and friends.
Post-Launch...
Not surprisingly, GAFGuild quickly became one of the largest guilds on the server (certainly the largest that doesnt publicly recruit). Though the initial crush of members at launch has since fallen off, the guild continually flirts with the 500 member cap (at least four cullings have been performed) and the guild still sees ~50 active members during prime time.
Looking Ahead...
A year later, GAFGuild remains strong; there have been no radical shifts in leadership and the guild remains open to everyone. Gaming Age Force is one of, if not the longest lived GAF-based guilds, and very likely the largest as well. We run the gamut from World vs. World warriors to top-rated PVP players, casual PVE members to hardcore dungeon delvers.
As we enter our second year as a close-knit community, the same familiar faces intermingle with new faces invited every week. Our mumble server is still supported by donations from our membership and weve taken up donations to pay for four members to transfer servers (approximately $100 in real-world money, including two $25 gem cards from Arken).
The first rumblings of a GAFGuild began in early 2012. Community regulars began to organize almost immediately, establishing the GAFGuild website, Mumble server and even a few informative podcasts before the game even launched. A spreadsheet was compiled to keep track of everyone who volunteered their username so they could be quickly invited; this list capped out at 535 members before the game even launched.
When the head-start first began on August 25, Gaming Age Force [GAF] was established on Stormbluff Isle and quickly swelled to the 500 member cap; a second overflow guild [GAFO] was created to handle the excess members. At one point, this second guild was almost halfway full, bringing our numbers to about 750 GAFers, their family and friends.
Post-Launch...
Not surprisingly, GAFGuild quickly became one of the largest guilds on the server (certainly the largest that doesnt publicly recruit). Though the initial crush of members at launch has since fallen off, the guild continually flirts with the 500 member cap (at least four cullings have been performed) and the guild still sees ~50 active members during prime time.
Looking Ahead...
A year later, GAFGuild remains strong; there have been no radical shifts in leadership and the guild remains open to everyone. Gaming Age Force is one of, if not the longest lived GAF-based guilds, and very likely the largest as well. We run the gamut from World vs. World warriors to top-rated PVP players, casual PVE members to hardcore dungeon delvers.
As we enter our second year as a close-knit community, the same familiar faces intermingle with new faces invited every week. Our mumble server is still supported by donations from our membership and weve taken up donations to pay for four members to transfer servers (approximately $100 in real-world money, including two $25 gem cards from Arken).
