Guild Wars Pre-Order Box Ships Today

Here’s the full press release:

Guild Wars Pre-Order Box Ships Today

World Preview Event Kicks Off October 29

Bellevue,WASH., September 13, 2004 ArenaNetâ„¢, creators of the highly anticipated online role-playing game Guild Warsâ„¢, and NCsoft, the world’s leading developer and publisher of online computer games, today announced that the Guild Wars pre-order box has been shipped to retail and online outlets nationwide.

Guild Wars, a competitive online role-playing game that rewards player skill, is the first title from ArenaNet, which was founded by key members of the creative teams behind the hit games Warcraft®, StarCraft® and Diablo®, and the creators of Battle.net®. In large head-to-head guild battles, cooperative group combat and single-player missions, players explore a fantasy world and test their skills against chosen rivals. Players must carefully select from among hundreds of skills to craft their personalized characters and prepare them for battle. Missions are not scripted adventures, but are open battlegrounds in which victory is determined by skill and teamwork. While Guild Wars offers a vast online world and the ability to play with thousands of players worldwide, players will not be required to pay a subscription fee.

The pre-order version of Guild Wars features the following:

– Access to all Guild Wars events including the October World Preview Event and all Beta Weekend Events

– One guest pass that allows a friend to join a Beta Weekend Event

– One exclusive in-game item from among a variety of weapons, shields or magical items

– A Prima Tournament Survival Guide offering character and team strategies

– A Guild Wars poster

– Pre-registration for character names and player accounts

– Exclusive music tracks from award-winning composer Jeremy Soule

– Concept artwork, screen shots, wallpapers and links to the Guild Wars fan community

During the World Preview Event October 29 31, players from around the world will be invited to play Guild Wars.

This free event will allow gamers to explore two new game regions and to engage in combat on new competitive battlefields. In addition, they will experience the Guild Wars character progression system, engage in exciting cooperative quests furthering the Guild Wars story, and view the first public presentation of guild features. To participate in the event, players should visit www.guildwars.com or a Guild Wars fansite and download the free, 90K game client. The World Preview Event officially kicks off the game’s beta period.

Purchasing the pre-order box for Guild Wars guarantees participation in each exclusive Beta Weekend Event, scheduled for the first weekend of each month. The Beta Weekend Events will be open only to players who purchase the pre-order box or obtain exclusive access to single events through ArenaNet’s programs with leading game magazines or retailers. Each Weekend Beta Event will feature new content and offer exciting new challenges in the Guild Wars world.

(The World Preview Event and monthly Beta Weekend Events will give players unprecedented access to Guild Wars,) Jeff Strain, Guild Wars producer and ArenaNet co-founder said. (After four years of development we are ready to start the crucial beta period and invite players from around the globe to experience Guild Wars.)

More information about Guild Wars, the October World Preview Event and Beta Weekend Events can be found at www.guildwars.com. ArenaNet and NCsoft plan to release Guild Wars at the conclusion of the beta period, which they anticipate will be in early 2005.

About ArenaNet
ArenaNetâ„¢, located in Bellevue, Washington, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NCsoft and was founded by key members of the creative teams that developed the hit game series StarCraft, Warcraft, and Diablo as well as Battle.net. ArenaNet is building a state-of-the-art, interactive game network and developing premier multiplayer online games for dedicated game players. More information about ArenaNet can be found at www.arena.net.

About NCsoft Corporation
Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, NCsoft is a leading developer and publisher of innovative and successful online games with subsidiaries and JV’s in US, Asia and Europe. Founded in 1997 to provide a leading-edge online gaming experience, NCsoft is constantly striving to push the envelope of the online game experience with innovations in technology, graphics and game play. NCsoft’s fast-growing portfolio of successful titles includes the currently released Lineage, Lineage 2 and City of Heroes and the soon-to-be-released Guild Wars. More information about NCsoft can be found at http://www.ncsoft.net.