SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NCsoft®, the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), and ArenaNet©, developer of the renowned Guild Wars franchise, today announce that Guild Wars 2, the most anticipated game of 2012, will launch in both Europe and North America on August 28, 2012.

Building on sales of more than seven million units of the original game, Guild Wars 2 redefines massively multiplayer online roleplaying games with visceral, action-oriented combat; a gorgeous, living world full of constantly evolving dynamic events; customizable personal storylines that are unique to each player; intense Player vs. Player combat between small teams or massive armies; and most importantly, a shared online world where players work together as allies instead of as rivals - all with no monthly subscription fee.

“We’re offering gamers an experience that delivers on the promise of online gaming with a truly social experience in an immense, shared world,” said Mike O’Brien, president and co-founder of ArenaNet. “After five years of creation, development, and polish, announcing the launch date of Guild Wars 2 is a huge milestone for us, but the thing we’re most looking forward to is seeing gamers from all over the globe explore this world and begin creating their own stories.”

As they prepare for launch, ArenaNet will focus on polishing Guild Wars 2 to ensure the highest quality experience on launch day, which includes hosting a final Beta Weekend Event July 20-22, 2012.

For more information about the Beta Weekend Event and how to pre-purchase Guild Wars 2, visit www.guildwars2.com.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars® and City of Heroes® franchises. Announced in August 2011, WildStar© is the newest MMO being developed by internal team Carbine Studios. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at www.ncsoft.com.

About Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 is a visually stunning MMO that will offer players the epic grandeur of a massive role playing environment combined with innovative combat mechanics, dynamic events, and customised personal storytelling. Building on the success of Guild Wars, NCsoft and game developer ArenaNet© are creating an 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 information about Guild Wars 2, visit www.guildwars2.com.


Source: NCsoft