GuildWars.com news/Archives/200604

The following lists the April 2006 news from the official GuildWars.com site.

April 28th, 2006

 * New In-Game Movie

A new Factions movie is available for you now. The film shows the land of Cantha and many of its inhabitants, both valiant and venal. Find the movie in three choices of resolution in our Video Section.


 * Guild Wars Factions is Live!

The retail servers are live; your journey to Cantha may begin. Start your exploration of the new continent, create your new Assassins and Ritualists, and savor your first taste of the release version of Factions now. Pop in your CD or purchase a copy and come and join us in Cantha!


 * Guild Wars FactionsCollector's Edition Availability

Due to unexpected production delays, the initial batch of Guild Wars Factions Collector's Edition will be shipping in North America on May 4 rather than the scheduled release date of April 28. We are working with select retailers such as GameStop and Electronics Boutique for in-store availability on Friday, May 5. While this first supply of the Guild Wars Factions Collector's Edition is limited in quantity, production is underway for a second run and we expect those to ship in the U.S. on June 30, 2006.

The teams at ArenaNet and NCsoft sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, and appreciate your patience while we work on a solution that will get the Guild Wars Factions Collector's Edition to you as soon as possible.

For details on availability in Europe, please visit eu.guildwars.com.

April 27th, 2006

 * Roll the Credits!

You may wonder about the people involved in the creation of Guild Wars Factions&mdash;the hundreds of individuals who have assisted in the creation and support of the game. Find the names behind the game right here.


 * Another Spate of Screenshots

This week, we're presenting a bundle of screenshots displaying areas that will soon be familiar to you. The images offer vistas of the four new Factions guild halls and four of the towns that can be found on the new continent. Head on over to take a look.


 * Head Starters: Game On!

At this moment&mdash;12:01 a.m. PDT (7:01 GMT)&mdash;the game servers have opened to all who obtained a Guild Wars Factions pre-order access key, and the Head Start event has begun. Players are reading the first quests and gathering those important Naga Fangs for the special Day of the Tengu event. Head on over to the Shing Jea Monastery now!

April 26th, 2006

 * News on Collector's Edition

We have great news about availability of the Guild Wars Factions Collector's Edition! As you may know, some stores are reporting a shortage of the Collector's Edition. In truth, it appears that we underestimated the demand and manufactured too few copies. In order to correct this shortage, we are currently producing additional copies of the CE. These copies have an anticipated ship date of June 30th. We sincerely thank the Guild Wars community for its incredible support of Factions, and look forward to seeing you in the game soon!


 * Factions to Offer Special Extended Head Start Event

As a special surprise &quot;thank you&quot; gift to Guild Wars fans for their support of the Guild Wars Factions Pre-order, we offer an opportunity to play Factions during a new Extended Head Start Event! This event will be open to those who already have enabled a Factions Pre-order access key, and those who do so before the  planned end of the Head Start Event (11:59 p.m. PDT on April 28th or  6:59 GMT on April 29th). The Extended Head Start Event will pick up where the initial event ends, and will run for an additional three days. The Extended Head Start Event will end at 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 1 (6:59 GMT May 2).


 * Shiro's Betrayal

Download a new desktop this week that captures a dramatic moment from the Guild Wars Factions cinematic. Locate this new wallpaper in the Gallery, or via this direct link.


 * Guild Wars Factions Ships

Today's joint press release from ArenaNet and NCsoft announces the shipping of Guild Wars Factions to retail stores and online outlets worldwide. You can get the news in our Press Section, or on this direct link.

April 25th, 2006

 * GameSpot Preview Article

GameSpot conducted a recent interview with senior members of the Guild Wars Factions Design Team, and came away with a lot of great new information about the game. Head on over to GameSpot to learn about titles and alliance battles, and to get some inside info about the two new professions from the designer themselves on this link.

April 24th, 2006

 * GWFC and PvP Articles

If you'd like to know about player-vs.-player gameplay, you should head over to the Competitive Section's Articles subsection to read two articles on that very subject. The first tells you about Random Arena, Team Arena, and Alliance Battle combat. The second discusses guild-vs.-guild combat in Heroes' Ascent. At the same time, you can catch another Match Report&mdash;that on the finals of the GWFC&mdash;over on this link.


 * Character Slots for Head Start Event

We're happy to let you know that if you own Prophecies and have activated a Factions Pre-order on your account, you will be able to access your two new character slots during the Factions Head Start Event. The slots will become available and will have access to Cantha from 12:01 a.m. PDT (7:01 GMT) on Thursday, April 27th through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 28th (6:59 GMT on April 29th). After the close of the Head Start Event, Canthan characters and Factions content will not be accessible until a retail key is activated on the account. The character slots will enjoy a "grace period" of ten days, to allow you to enter your retail access key and make them permanent.

April 21st, 2006

 * Factions Head Start Event: Day of the Tengu

When is a Head Start more than a head start? When it's an event! The Guild Wars Factions Head Start Event begins on April 27th, at 7:01 GMT (12:01 a.m. PDT). Want to find out what's in store during this 24-hour celebration? Click here for just some of what you can expect at this pre-release party!.


 * More GWFC Match Reports

See our newest website section for more guest articles covering various matches of the Guild Wars Factions Season One Playoffs. Find three articles in the Competitive Section, under Match Reports.


 * ArenaNet Announces: The E3 Challenge

If you're not attending E3 this year, you and your guild still have a chance to participate in the action taking place on the show floor! Nine Guild Wars guilds will be invited to take on the GWFC First Season winner, The Last Pride, in GvG matches that take place during the expo. Win the match or go the distance and fun prizes can be yours! Find out all the details here.

April 20th, 2006

 * GWFC Points Detailed

With the conclusion of Season 1 of the Guild Wars Factions Championship, GWFC Points have been awarded to the top-ranking guilds. You can get the details on how points are awarded, and check out the standings, on this page.


 * Character Slots Offered

We are happy to announce that you will be able purchase additional character slots for your Guild Wars account beginning this summer for $9.99 U.S. (or equivalent). Each new slot will enable you to add a new character to your account with full access to all of the content your current characters enjoy. We'll have more details to share soon!


 * Magnificent Monsters

A wise hero knows his enemies. You have a chance today to get familiar with a few of the fearsome monsters that inhabit Cantha. As you count the hours until the start of battle, head over to the Gallery to study a half-dozen screenshots of Canthan monsters, or click though this link. Remember: Forewarned is forearmed!

April 19th, 2006

 * New Feature: Battle Reports

We have brought on about half a dozen freelance "game reporters" to help cover Guild Wars from the viewpoint of competitive play. The first two of their articles describe matches that took place during last weekend's Guild Wars Factions Championship Seasonal Playoffs. Catch the battle reports linked from this page.


 * Wallpaper for a Wednesday

This week's desktop image presents a conceptualization of a nomadic camp portrayed in the suffused lighting of dusk. You'll find a variety of ratios and resolutions over in our Gallery, or by clicking through this link.

April 18th, 2006

 * Ladder Reset; Season 2 Begins

After a hiatus to accommodate the GWFC playoffs, the Guild Wars Ladder was restarted at Midnight this morning. Jump into the competition to vie for your share of fabulous prizes of cash, travel, and more. Catch the GWFC details here.


 * Guild of the Week #45

The members of the Guardians of the Ethereal Night guild enjoy all aspects of Guild Wars, from roleplaying to guild-versus-guild to team and random arenas. You can learn more about this diverse group by reading our weekly GotW article.

April 14th, 2006

 * Guild Wars Skill Pins

Have you heard about the Guild Wars Skill Pins? The winners of the Guild Wars World Championship selected eight of their favorite skills, and from those we crafted attractive 1-inch skill pins. The pins are sure to be this year's fashion accessory—and they can be yours! Find out more on this page.

April 13th, 2006

 * Armor Ardor

Satisfy your craving for a glimpse of several of the new armor sets of Guild Wars Factions by taking a stroll through the Screenshot Gallery today. There, you will find 16 shots&mdash;from Assassin to Warrior to every profession in between. These images will give you something to start planning for, as Factions nears release. Head here to get started on your "wish list."


 * DirectSong Scores Again

Guild Wars score composer Jeremy Soule has created another fantastic soundtrack for Guild Wars Factions. At more than 57 minutes of music, the score captures the passions, grace, and adventure of Factions. You have an opportunity to purchase the soundtrack now. Head over to the DirectSong website to enjoy sound samples, obtain more information, or place your order!

April 12th, 2006

 * Desktop Decoration

If it's Wednesday, it must be time for a new Factions wallpaper! Today's image presents concept art of a Canthan cityscape. Find a choice of sizes, sure to brighten your desktop, on this link.

April 11th, 2006

 * FPE Movie Debuts

Some of our fondest memories of the Factions Preview Event are preserved forever in the newest Factions gameplay movie, featuring combat, and dancing, and dragons, oh my! Find the movie, in your choice of three resolutions, in our Gallery. Or head directly to this page.


 * Guild of the Week

We'd like you to meet our latest Guild of the Week, Lost Haven, a multi-generational guild with a Guild Wars history that stretches back two years to the very first beta event. Check out this week's feature here.

April 6th, 2006

 * Canthan Collection

We offer three new Factions screenshots this week. They display combat in Echovald, new armor for the male Elementalist, and an explorable area called Breaker Hollow. You'll find the shots over in our Gallery.


 * GWFC News: Location &amp; Dates Revealed

Today's press release from NCsoft and ArenaNet reveals the highly-anticipated news of the location and dates for the finals of the Guild Wars Factions Championship. We're very excited to offer a European flair to the August show-down. Check out the press release here. And as they say in Germany, "Auf nach Leipzig!!"

April 5th, 2006

 * Wallpaper of the Week

This Wednesday's Wallpaper features a few of the better-known icons from Guild Wars Factions: The Ritualist, the Jade Sea, and the malevolent visage of Shiro Tagachi. Find your choice of desktop images on this link.

April 4th, 2006

 * Guild of the Week

Our featured guild, Keepers of the Shadow Empire, follows a novel creed, sports an ever-changing guild cape, and hosts events that have been known to cross from in-game fantasy to real-world reality. Read about KSE on this link.

April 3rd, 2006

 * Factions Preview Event Wrap-up

In a press release today, you'll find several interesting details about the recent Factions Preview Event, including a few numerical milestones. Read about the FPE, and catch up on the Factions Pre-order, too, in the press release.


 * Guild Emblem Contest Nears Deadline

Here's a reminder that we're looking forward to receiving your entry in the Guild Emblem Contest. Entries should be postmarked by this Friday, April 7, and received by April 21 in order to be included in the judging. We have received many excellent concepts to date, but the more, the merrier! Please check this page for more information.


 * Ladder Frozen; Rosters Due!

The first qualifying season of the Guild Wars Factions Championship has come to an end. The Guild Wars Ladder was frozen at 8:00 GMT (1:00 a.m. PDT), and will remain so for the duration of the seasonal playoffs, which take place April 8th through April 13th. Guild Wars guilds in the topmost ranks of the Guild Wars Ladder should be gathering all the required information in order to submit your guild roster by the April 5th deadline, as per the GWFC Rules. Remember that this season offers an extraordinary bonus prize: A trip to E3 in Los Angeles this coming May! We look forward to the receipt of the rosters, at which time we will verify the eligibility of each guild member and start planning the playoff schedule. Best of luck to all the guilds!