Guild Wars 2 is a fantasy MMORPG currently in development by ArenaNet.

In the upcoming MMO Guild Wars 2, choosing which of the five distinctive races to play is just the first step down the road to your ultimate destiny. Starting with this crucial decision, your characters epic tale begins. With their new preview video, NCsoft and ArenaNet pull back the curtain to reveal more details of the five diverse player races in Guild Wars 2. Which will you choose?

Take the role of a noble human defender and fight for the survival of your people. Play a ferocious feline charr, carving a trail of conquest. Become one of the brilliant asura to study hidden knowledge and harness incredible magical technology. Assume the form of a shapeshifting norn, the massive battle-forged warriors from the far north. Explore the mysteries of Tyria as one of the sylvari, a mystical new race of plant spirits. From these five races, mighty heroes shall rise!

To set the stage for Guild Wars 2, this video introduces the five iconic heroes of each race, all voiced by accomplished actors. Logan Thackeray the human defender is voiced by Troy Baker (Fullmetal Alchemist, One Piece). Rytlock Brimstone the charr warrior is voiced by Steve Blum (Spectacular Spider-Man). Eir Stegalkin the norn is voiced by Jocelyn Blue (Invader Zim, Space Jam). Zojja the asura is voiced by Felicia Day (Dr. Horribles Sing-Along Blog, The Guild, Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Caithe the sylvari is voiced by Kari Wahlgren (Wolverine and the X-Men, Aliens in the Attic).

Guild Wars 2 is a visually stunning MMO that will offer players the epic grandeur of a massive role playing environment as well as the challenge of intense player vs. player competition. Building on the success and popularity of Guild Wars, ArenaNet is creating a subscription-free MMO where players create their own personalized story in a richly imagined world where their actions have real consequences.

While Guild Wars 2 adds a persistent-world experience, it retains the unique characteristics of the original game, including strong narrative, extensive instanced gameplay, anti-grind design philosophy, and strong support for competitive play.

Guild Wars 2 is a very large and ambitious game, and Guild Wars players rightfully have very high expectations

Guild Wars 2 provides a massive, online persistent world.

Guild Wars 2 will have the kind of extensive character advancement appropriate to a persistent-world RPG. Our goal is to avoid forcing players into the grind-based gameplay that too often accompanies a high level cap.

Also, to allow players the freedom to play together even if their friends are at a much higher (or lower) level, we are planning to implement a strong sidekick system, similar to that used in City of Heroesâ„¢.

Players will be able to engage in organized, balanced PvP (similar to GvG in the original Guild Wars) without first leveling up characters, finding equipment, and unlocking skills. While inside the organized PvP area, all characters will be the same power level and will have access to the same equipment.

You will be able to advance your character to the maximum level without ever joining a group if you so desire. Most content will be designed in a solo-friendly way, though often with mechanisms for scaling up in difficulty when more players are involved. This will give players the option to experience the game however they prefer.

Guild Wars 2 is a whole new game with different professions and races, new technology, and expanded gameplay. It is not possible to directly use an original Guild Wars character.

However, your original Guild Wars character names will be reserved for your use in Guild Wars 2. The Hall of Monuments in Guild Wars 2 recognizes the accomplishments commemorated by your original Guild Wars characters and provides you with unique rewards to showcase those achievements.

Races

* Sylvari
* Norn
* Charr
* Asura
* Human

Sylvari

Long ago, a weary soldier planted a strange seed in the depths of the Maguuma Jungle. For centuries, the Pale Tree grew, branches arching over the forest, until at last--twenty five years ago--it bloomed, and the Firstborn stepped into the world. They were followed by their brethren, season after season of sylvari, wide-eyed with wonder and searching for purpose in this strange land. Shaped first by the Dream that nurtured them before they awakened, the sylvari now travel Tyria seeking adventure and their place in the world...
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Norn

They hail from the frozen north--the norn, a race of heroes. These massive, shape-shifting warriors prize individual valor and victory above all. They trust only the power of steel. The norn do not beg or grovel for the favor of the Gods, no. Instead, they revere the spirits of animals and draw strength from them. The norn can assume the form of their sacred totem beasts--bear, snow leopard, raven, and wolf--and call upon their power whenever they do battle, which is often.
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Charr

The thundering sound of their advancing war machines makes the lesser races tremble with fear. They are the charr, and conquest is their birthright.The charr race was forged in the merciless crucible of war. It is all they know; war defines them and their quest for dominion drives them onwards, always onwards. The weakling and the fool find no place among the charr...


Asura

They may be short in stature, but this subterranean race of magical inventors are intellectual giants. These incredibly intelligent beings use their knowledge and skill with magic and crafting to assert their natural dominance. In the world of the asura, it is not the strong who survive, but the clever. Other races believe they should rule by virtue of their power and strength, but they delude themselves. All will serve the asura - in due time...

Human

The resiliency of the noble human race has been tested many times. They have paid a dear cost for their security and liberty, yet their spirit remains unshaken. From the invasion of Ascalon by the savage charr, to the cataclysmic rise of the lost kingdom of Orr from the depths of the sea, mankind has been battered and overwhelmed. They have lost homelands; their prayers go to silent skies. Now, the remaining sons and daughters of man have one last homeland--the nation of Kryta, ruled by Queen Jennah.

About ArenaNet

ArenaNet Team Located in Bellevue, Washington, ArenaNet is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. The studio was formed in the spring of 2000 with the goal of creating a state-of-the-art interactive game network, and of developing premier multiplayer, online games. Having built such a network, ArenaNet continues to improve upon it, keeping stride with current technology and offering new and innovative approaches, such as a subscription-free business model, instanced missions, and streaming updates, which eliminate the need for patching.

ArenaNet's diverse staff has come together from many different countries and cultures. The team members speak a variety of languages, which—with the common bond of a love for games—helps them understand the needs of the global gaming community, and allows them to listen and respond to feedback from fans around the world. In keeping with the spirit of bringing people together, ArenaNet designs and operates servers that allow gamers to play with anyone, anytime, anywhere in the world.

In addition to designing the game and logging hundreds of hours each in the three Guild Wars campaigns and the recent expansion, staff members read fan forums and observe PvP matches on a daily basis. They also attend various live gaming events and hold tournaments for both the novice player and the top-ranked competitive guilds. The decisions charting the course for Guild Wars are not arbitrary choices made by an isolated marketing department; rather, the entire gaming community, including players and developers alike, has a voice in the future of Guild Wars.

Currently, ArenaNet is busy developing Guild Wars 2 while continuing to support Guild Wars with additional content such as holiday events, community contests, monthly championships, and merchandise. The entire team is excited about Guild Wars 2 and thinks players will be, too. .