Beta Weekend Event

Beta Weekend Events were events that took place once a month to let players experience the game before official release, in 2005.

People who wanted to play had to obtain a key from someone who pre-ordered the game or get an access key from a number of fansites.

The end of the events usually involved fireworks.

There were a total of six weekends in all:

• November 6th 2004 until November 8th 2004
• December 4th 2004 until December 6th 2004
  • This event featured the introduction of an active guild ladder. Players from top guilds at the end of this BWE 'ladder season' supposedly received invitations to join the Alpha Test Team for Guild Wars.
• January 7th 2005 until January 9th 2005
• February 18th 2005 until February 20th 2005
• March 18th 2005 until March 20th 2005
  • This event's finale featured multiple Gwens being spawned and killing all players online at the time with Spontaneous Combustion.
• April 15th 2005 until April 17th 2005
  • This event's finale featured Infernal Wurms spawning in Lion's Arch and Tomb of the Primeval Kings.

Gwen's quotes while burning Ascalon:

• My 3 favourite things: Skipping, playing the flute, and burning towns down.
• Mommy always said not to play with fire. But Mommy's dead.
• Why does everyone I love always die?
• You didn't save Ascalon, now I'm going to hurt you.
• Painful to live in fear, isn't it?
• The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire!
• If you don't get off me, I'll burn you, <Character name>.
• Do you like fire, <Character name>?
• Did I say you could talk to me, <Character name>?
• Stop touching me, <Character name>, that's inappropriate behavior.
• My name is Gwen, and I don't liiike yooou.
• Ashes, ashes, you all fall down!