ArenaNet gives players a chance to beta test new PvP mode from the upcoming Guild Wars® 2 expansion, and invites everyone else to join the fun on Twitch
April 9, 2015
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
NCSOFT | BRIGHTON, UK – 9th April, 2015: NCSOFT® and ArenaNet™, publisher and developer of the acclaimed Guild Wars franchise, have today announced that Stronghold, the new player versus player (PvP) mode coming to Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, will be playable in the live game for all current Guild Wars 2 players in North America and Europe as part of an upcoming public beta test. Starting on Tuesday, 14th April at 21:00 CEST (20:00 BST) and running for 24-hours, all players in the West with Guild Wars 2 accounts will have the option to try Stronghold and put their skills to the test in this exciting new competitive mode that blends deep strategy, role-based play and immersive story elements into PvP. Stronghold was unveiled earlier this year as one of the key features coming with Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, ArenaNet’s upcoming expansion to Guild Wars 2.
To invite everyone to join in the excitement, ArenaNet is marking this first public beta test for Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns with a series of livestream specials on Twitch that include fierce matches featuring developers and special guests. The studio is also enticing new players to join by launching a massive sale on Guild Wars 2 with a 75 percent discount on the game. The sale starts at 19:00 CEST (18:00 BST) tomorrow, Friday 10th April, and runs until 08:59 CEST (07:59 BST) on Monday, 14th April. During this time, the game’s Standard Edition will be €9.99/£8.75 and the Digital Deluxe edition will be €14.99/£12.49 when purchased at buy.guildwars2.com.
ArenaNet’s Stronghold Twitch programming starts with a special episode of “Ready Up” featuring a Stronghold boot camp, scheduled for 21:00 CEST (20:00 BST) tomorrow, 10th April, on the official Guild Wars 2 Twitch channel. Show host Joshua Davis and Stronghold designer Hugh Norfolk will walk viewers through how to play this new PvP mode ahead of the beta going live. Then starting at 22:00 CEST (21:00 BST) on 14th April, shortly after the Stronghold public beta becomes available in-game, ArenaNet will begin broadcasting and hosting livestreams throughout the day. Tune in and watch ArenaNet developers and popular Twitch streamers as they play in heated Stronghold matches, exploring this new PvP mode and exposing new strategies and tactics.
Stronghold offers an entirely new way to play and watch competitive PvP in Guild Wars 2. In the inaugural map, the Battle of Champion’s Dusk, players take on the role of pirates or knights as they work with their allies to kill the opposing team’s lord. The mode features NPCs that players can hire for supply to help their team tear down the enemy’s gates and take down their defenses. These heroes provide new tactical and strategic opportunities for players. Whether players are fighting over supply, pushing or defending a lane, getting doorbreakers to the front line, or destroying enemies, every team member will have a key role and players will always be actively engaged.
During this 24-hour public beta, Stronghold will be the only mode available to all players in Unranked Arena, while the game’s traditional Conquest PvP mode will still be available in Ranked Arena. The revenant profession, the new playable class coming with Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, will not be available in this beta test. Players will instead be able to beta test the new mode using any character tied to their account.
ArenaNet’s schedule for Stronghold public beta programming on the official Guild Wars 2 Twitch channel is as follows:
Tuesday, 14th April
- 22:00 Central European Summer Time (21:00 BST) – Blu
- 23:00 Central European Summer Time (22:00 BST) – ArenaNet Devs vs. Twitch Streamers
- 00:00 Central European Summer Time (23:00 BST) – ArenaNet Devs “Battle Royale”
- 01:00 Central European Summer Time (00:00 BST) – Shinryuku
- 02:00 Central European Summer Time (01:00 BST) – Djtechlive
- 03:00 Central European Summer Time (02:00 BST) – DocGotGame
- 04:00 Central European Summer Time (03:00 BST) – TBD
- 05:00 Central European Summer Time( 04:00 BST) – Aurora Peachy
- 06:00 Central European Summer Time (05:00 BST) – AnthonyAcc
- 07:00 Central European Summer Time (06:00 BST) – QMGSaint
- 08:00 Central European Summer Time (07:00 BST) – Mufasaprime
Wednesday, 15th April
- 09:00 Central European Summer Time (08:00 BST) – DonnaBerry
- 10:00 Central European Summer Time (09:00 BST) – Sir Koroshi
- 11:00 Central European Summer Time (10:00 BST) – Sputti
- 12:00 Central European Summer Time (11:00 BST) – MMOINKS
- 13:00 Central European Summer Time (12:00 BST) – TBD
- 14:00 Central European Summer Time (13:00 BST) – Ashuvidz
- 15:00 Central European Summer Time (14:00 BST) – Helseth
- 16:00 Central European Summer Time (15:00 BST) – MightyTeapot
- 17:00 Central European Summer Time (16:00 BST) – Jebro
- 18:00 Central European Summer Time (17:00 BST) – FariFarinos & Reihn
- 19:00 Central European Summer Time (18:00 BST) – Matt Visual
- 20:00 Central European Summer Time (19:00 BST) – Minervae
To follow all of the latest updates on Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns and learn more about Stronghold, please visit www.guildwars2.com.
About Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars® 2 is a visually stunning MMO, a living world that offers players the epic grandeur of a massive role playing environment combined with innovative combat mechanics, dynamic events and customized personal storytelling, as well as fast-paced competitive play with team-based PvP and massive World vs. World battles. Building on the success of Guild Wars, NCSOFT and game developer ArenaNet™ have created a MMO that lets gamers play the way they want, while at the same time retaining the no-subscription-fee business model that made the original Guild Wars so popular. For more details on Guild Wars 2, please visit www.guildwars2.com.
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