SEATTLE – July 2, 2013: ArenaNet today announced it has formalized plans to maintain a two-week major release cadence for Guild Wars 2, and revealed the latest content update to the game’s Living Story, Bazaar of the Four Winds, scheduled to go live on July 9.
ArenaNet has been delivering new content to Guild Wars 2 at an increased pace since January, and is now maintaining a 14-day rate, bringing players exciting new features, events, rewards and storylines at a frequency unmatched by any other Western studio. Today’s decision affirms the studio’s continued commitment to that effort, and means players can expect Tyria to remain one of the most frequently updated and best supported online worlds in the industry.
In the newest update, Bazaar of the Four Winds, merchants are converging from all corners of Tyria to sell their wares. The gathering will feature more than just shady characters and risky trades because, this year, the mystical flying Zephyr Sanctum has landed, bringing magical crystals and amazing movement skills to traders and adventurers alike.
In addition to experiencing movement in a new way, players will partake in new themed-events and join in the thrill of the trade. Also included in this update:
New Events
o Belcher’s Bluff Mini-game: Players can put their Omnomberry Juice drinking skills to the test in this new, permanent mini-game, and challenge their friends in PvP mode.
o Sanctum Sprint Race: Navigate a dizzying obstacle course in this competitive race that will send players leaping over barriers and flying through the air.
o Lessons from the Sky Scavenger Hunt: Players will need to show their mastery of wind, sun and lightning as they search for Sky Crystals and explore hard-to-reach places in the Labyrinthine Cliffs.
o Developer Livestream: Get an early look inside the release during a preview livestream (www.twitch.tv/guildwars2) with ArenaNet developers on Monday, July 8 at noon (PT).
New Rewards
o Aspect Back Items: Players can compete in the Sanctum Sprint for a chance to earn one of three special back items representing the aspects of wind, sun and lightning.
o Personal Quartz Node: Once players complete the meta achievement for this release, their home instance will have a daily resource node, allowing the harvesting of quartz – a new material being introduced in this release for crafting new recipes.
o Zephyr Sanctum Model: Players who complete the Lessons from the Sky achievement will be awarded a miniature model of the Zephyr Sanctum, allowing them to view the ship at any time, even after it has flown away.
New Features
o Account Achievement Reward System: Starting with this release, players can unlock rewards like exclusive new armor skins, weapon skins and permanent account bonuses as they earn achievement points. They can also earn laurels, gems, gold, powerful items, and PvP and WvW rewards as achievement scores grow.
o New PvP Map – Skyhammer: Players can battle for control of three capture points in the new Skyhammer map, a high-tech Asura lab packed with jump pads, shattering floor panels and a gigantic, mega cannon.
