NCSoft and ArenaNet, the two companies behind the renowned Guild Wars franchise are set to release the first major content update today for Guild Wars 2 titled ‘Shadow of the Mad King’. The Halloween-themed update brings a wealth of new seasonal and permanent gameplay to the world of Tyria and is part of the teams commitment to keep Guild Wars 2 constantly updated with high-quality content.
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, the companies are keeping quiet on the specifics, leaving players to experience them for themselves.
However, some of the promoted additions 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.
