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Guild Wars 2: Bazaar of the Four Winds Revealed, Coming July 9th
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Continuing its amazing pace of development and content additions to Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet has announced that Bazaar of the Four Winds will be hitting live service on July 9th. The update will feature new events, new rewards, an account-based achievement reward system and a new PvP map, Skyhammer.
ArenaNet has been delivering new content to Guild Wars 2 at an increased pace since January, and is now maintaining a 14-day rate, bringing players exciting new features, events, rewards and storylines at a frequency unmatched by any other Western studio. Today’s decision affirms the studio’s continued commitment to that effort, and means players can expect Tyria to remain one of the most frequently updated and best supported online worlds in the industry.
In the newest update, Bazaar of the Four Winds, merchants are converging from all corners of Tyria to sell their wares. The gathering will feature more than just shady characters and risky trades because, this year, the mystical flying Zephyr Sanctum has landed, bringing magical crystals and amazing movement skills to traders and adventurers alike.
In addition to experiencing movement in a new way, players will partake in new themed-events and join in the thrill of the trade. Also included in this update:
New Events
Belcher’s Bluff Mini-game: Players can put their Omnomberry Juice drinking skills to the test in this new, permanent mini-game, and challenge their friends in PvP mode.
Sanctum Sprint Race: Navigate a dizzying obstacle course in this competitive race that will send players leaping over barriers and flying through the air.
Lessons from the Sky Scavenger Hunt: Players will need to show their mastery of wind, sun and lightning as they search for Sky Crystals and explore hard-to-reach places in the Labyrinthine Cliffs.
Developer Livestream: Get an early look inside the release during a preview livestream (www.twitch.tv/guildwars2) with ArenaNet developers on Monday, July 8 at noon (PT).New Rewards
Aspect Back Items: Players can compete in the Sanctum Sprint for a chance to earn one of three special back items representing the aspects of wind, sun and lightning.
Personal Quartz Node: Once players complete the meta achievement for this release, their home instance will have a daily resource node, allowing the harvesting of quartz – a new material being introduced in this release for crafting new recipes.
Zephyr Sanctum Model: Players who complete the Lessons from the Sky achievement will be awarded a miniature model of the Zephyr Sanctum, allowing them to view the ship at any time, even after it has flown away.New Features
Account Achievement Reward System: Starting with this release, players can unlock rewards like exclusive new armor skins, weapon skins and permanent account bonuses as they earn achievement points. They can also earn laurels, gems, gold, powerful items, and PvP and WvW rewards as achievement scores grow.
New PvP Map – Skyhammer: Players can battle for control of three capture points in the new Skyhammer map, a high-tech Asura lab packed with jump pads, shattering floor panels and a gigantic, mega cannon.
Find out more on the Guild Wars 2 page.
Comments
Actually the Achievement update seems like a very "meaty" update. After all it seems like it will give some long term goals to people. Although I hate achievements and I would prefer something else.
Some stupid mini-games and a rehash of the same PvP map again.....
Wow they sure can pump out great content! /sarcasm
Steam: Neph
The tears of the haters are DELICIOUS!
The game is doing great and they just can't stand themselves.
Every 14 days ?!
INSANE !!!!
From what i see, this update brings only permanent content, so sth for whiners
Achievment rewards seems pretty interesting
If only this were true lol. Haters have no problem with the game doing well. I'm happy it's doing well. However, it doesn't mean they did not fail epically on several accounts. Mainly PvP. I've actually heard very little if any dissent on that point either. Also, the PvE content is so shallow it's no wonder it only takes 2 weeks to put out. I can't believe any of the folks left at ANet actually worked on GW1 because besides the art style and using the same lore there's not a trace of GW in the game.
Steam: Neph
You missed the part where in the description of the mini-bazaar reward it says you can still see it "after the Bazaar leaves." So yeah, more temp content.
Steam: Neph
They are working on that, more than likely. what other game has given you this much content in less than 1 year and free? I can't think of one - certainly the closest was Rift but still not in the same category.
Please be specific with what you want to see.....
Well, GW1 is in the past so of course there is no GW1 left - JEEZ. Understand the lore of the game BEFORE you actually comment.
Uh? How is that relevant to what I said at all? Maybe you should read and comprehend before responding. I was referring to the fact that many of the same employees that made GW1 such a great title are still working on GW2 yet underperforming. I meant that on a systems level - ie PvP in GW2 is absolute garbage - there is no trace of the fact that any of these folks took anything from working on GW1.
GW1 - played for over 3 years.
GW2 - Most anticipated title for me ever..... lasted me 3 months tops.
Steam: Neph
Ye i missed that...hmm i think hanging out places like that should stay, cuz from what i see the artstyle of this place gonna be awesome.
I dont feel they are underperforming. In GW1 - we got Sorrow's Furnace 6 months out then we got Factions 6 months after that. People who say that they are currently putting out 'the same content' each patch should look at Factions - it is basically the same or similar content but just 2 new professions.....
They are pushing content out in GW2 and it seems they are trying to build on the story. I would hope we do get a chance to go to the Crystal Desert and see what it looks like there, since Glint is dead now. It would be a neat jaunt.
I simply LOVE this game !
Never ever before a game with or without subs gave all this content at this pace!
I
you ANET!
Two new Mini games (one permanent?) Sanctum Sprint & Belcher's Bluff:
What's wrong with adding fun content in for the sake of being fun? I think this is a plus. If they're going to be adding permanent mini games to this game every two weeks, I'll be even more excited. The game could use more social tools, especially to bring people to the other 4 barren capital cities.
"In the upcoming Guild Wars 2 update, Bazaar of the Four Winds which will launch on July 9, players will be able to take part in Mario Kart-like races across a cliff in a floating city." Source
Lessons from the Sky Scavenger Hunt:
Sounds like a lot more achievements to take people out into the open world, I think this is also a plus. I'm pretty excited to see what this looks like; I expect though everyone else will just ask Dulfy, hehe.
Personal Quartz Node: They're actually using our personal instances again? Maybe they'll actually make this an evolving/changing part of our character's story as the living world develops (like they promised pre-launch for our personal story).
New PvP Map: I'm not a fan of it and would love for them to add Guild Halls/unique GvG format or more PvP types, but there are people who enjoy the current mode. They deserve to be developed for too, lol
Account Achievement Reward System: I'm always wary about new progression/reward systems. I really dislike games that become more about the reward than the content (or worse, the reward is the content), and if they fall into the trap of catering exclusively to carrot chasers or increase the power gap, I'll probably not come back to this. That being said, this seems like it will be a pretty big change. i wonder what happens to people who've already earned 9000+ achievement points.
Good, because GW1 was terrible. I don't think I ever made it past level 8 in that game.
Kicking myself for blowing a night on a jumping puzzle. Man I'm bad at jumping in this game for some reason haha.