Guild Wars 2 “Shadow of the Mad King” Halloween Update Released

Halloween comes just once a year, so ArenaNet didn’t want to miss out on the chance to kick out some ghoulish (and free!) content to celebrate the holiday in Guild Wars 2. Entitled “Shadow of the Mad King”, the new update brings a new story, activities, items, puzzles, and more to the subscription-free MMORPG:

Check out the full press release below:

Guild Wars 2® Shadow of the Mad King Live Today

First Major Update for the Critically Acclaimed MMO Delivers Nearly 80 New Pieces of Content, Free of Charge

SEATTLE October 22, 2012: NCSOFT®, the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and ArenaNet, developer of the renowned Guild Wars franchise, will release the first major content update today for Guild Wars 2: Shadow of the Mad King. The Halloween-themed update brings a wealth of new seasonal and permanent gameplay to the world of Tyria, part of the team’s commitment to keeping Guild Wars 2 constantly updated with more high-quality content than any game has offered before.

In Tyria, legend states that 500 years ago, a tyrannical Krytan king was slain by his own people, those who had suffered greatly during his reign of lunacy. It is said that this king’s body was chopped into pieces, and his spirit was banished to the Underworld. While many think him capable of returning to the mortal realm, he hasn’t been seen for more than 250 years.

The update brings Halloween-themed content that will only be available during the holiday event, as well as live game content that all players will be able to experience permanently. Given that exploration and discovery are so central to Guild Wars 2, specifics will be left for players to experience for themselves. That said, some of the new features that can be expected include:

‘¢ An All-New Story: A four-act arc running from October 22-31 based on the legend of the Mad King. It’s been 250 years since the last alleged sighting of Mad King Thorn’s spirit, but strange energies are rising under the autumn moon.
‘¢ Halloween-Based Activities: A variety of Halloween classics such as tricking or treating (beware of monsters), new Halloween-themed crafting recipes and Jack o’ Lanterns, as Tyria is transformed with decorations for the season.
‘¢ New Items in The Black Lion Trading Company: A variety of new items to celebrate Halloween, including costumes that grant spooky skills, tonics that transform players into ghouls and ghosts, and creepy crawly minis.
‘¢ Nearly 80 New Pieces of Content in All: From new events and mini-dungeons, to jumping puzzles and achievements. The update is available free of charge, building on the already unmatched value that Guild Wars 2 delivers to players.

For more information about the update, visit www.guildwars2.com/en/events/halloween-2012.

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 ArenaNetâ„¢ are creating an MMO that lets gamers play the way they want, while at the same time retaining the no-subscription-feebusiness model that made the original Guild Wars so popular. For more information about Guild Wars 2, visit www.GuildWars2.com.