Each month ArenaNet has a nice web page detailing in easy-to-chew form what is to be expected from that month’s update. For the end of January, Guild Wars 2 is getting Flame and Frost: Prelude. The earth and sky are the enemy in this one, which have led to norn and charr refugees streaming in from Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau. With that in mind, the concept art wallpaper for this update looked like norn refugees. I am not sure where people got Cantha, although having a horse in Guild Wars 2 concept art is a tad interesting. No mounts anyway, says ArenaNet as they chalk up the errant horse to “art”.
The main features teased last week are also cemented in to this update. Laurel currency is being added to completed rotating daily and monthly achievements, which can buy ascended gear and other things. Guesting is the other big bullet point  There is also a bunch of other stuff like better UI (achievement tracker), level adjustment balancing, and WvW performance. Of course, there has to be more gem store options. Baby Quaggan Backpacks and Riding Brooms are new offerings, and the Box o’ Fun got a revamp.
I am actually surprised that they had a chance to add some content, preludish as it may be. It’s kind of in a surprising direction too. I am pretty sure we’ll be in Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Plateau and not Southsun Cove. If I was a betting man back in 2012, I would’ve guessed that Southsun Cove would get the next pass. Hopefully they don’t take away the most confused karka ever guarding the most used mining node ever. I am also surprised that the action is happening in two low-level zones. Wayfarer Foothills still sees a decent amount of action, especially on the northern and southern ends. Diessa Plateau gets a little more empty as leveling heads to the lonely middle, but altogether these are two decently populated zones.
Anyway, Flame and Frost is going to be a “small lead-in” that preludes content over the coming months. In other words, the first season of 2013’s PvE content is going to be Flame and Frost. This is the start. Given the words “small” and “prelude” coupled with Southsun Cove’s sparseness I am going to keep expectations well in check. I am very excited about daily achievements and the laurels, which I consider the centerpiece of next week’s update.
–Ravious
I agree that the quaggan backpack is a perfect example of how to make money without selling power :P In fact that may well be the reason they ended up including quaggan in the game – “think of the merchandising potential!”
Laurels and new dailies will be most welcome. I am not too surprised that the event is centred on low-level areas, because they have wanted to get people visiting more of Tyria outside of just levelling. Plus, there seems to be a new ‘got the game at Christmas’ crowd to cater to. I’m curious as to how much destruction we might see in these zones; it might be nothing major, but seeing the wrecks of steadings and villages we recognise could be very cool.
People are obsessed with Cantha. GW2 is not GW1, people! There’s no reason to involve Cantha at this point, and it’d be a stretch to make it a playable area at any point IMO.
That only shows how unrealistic expectations people have. Cantha was large part of GW1 and it was released with box campaign. I’m sure there will be “Factions” equivalent in GW2 – that’s why there was “Winds of Change” in GW1 – to set the lore ground to transition (not to mention that first GW2 style mesmer -Reiko- was in GW1 WoC). And the dragon – possible master of Kuunavang, and Kuunavang herself – great reasons to make this story life. But hey, I don’t belive it will be at the open in 2013. Just saying.
I don’t know how people can hype themself over small update, just to get disappointed right after release.
The unreasonable disappointment is what gets to me – be glad of monthly updates and stop complaining that there wasn’t enough free content for you!
It’s certainly possible that they will use Cantha in future – the option is always there, and I imagine that’s how they plan to keep it whatever happens. I always assumed that Winds of Change was more about explaining why Cantha would be inaccessible in future, though (bearing in mind I haven’t played through it). Tying up loose ends and whatnot. I guess we’ll see in the next year or more!
Yeah, something like that. Although, there was a lot of hints of what will wait for us in Cantha after 250(+) years.
Personally I think they will take us somewhere new. North maybe, with Kodans. But still – visiting Cantha and Elona is a “must”. All those places that GW1 fans love and miss. More than that – Cantha is actually great opportunity to make add-on that is not completely centered over dragons… which will broad the view in my opinion. All the “races getting together to fight 1 true evil” is fun, but little naive after GW1 stories. There was a lot of persons&fractions of interest that weren’t completely crystal clear “dogooders” that can enrich the world.
Sometimes I forget about GW1 lore and look at the GW2 as it is… and then it looks a bit flat. And I’m not saying a word about some of the weak stories for our heroes. But on the other hand – it’s only ground on which the game will be build in future ;).
What am I even writing?! ;)
Wayfarer’s and Diessa are two of my favorite maps. Not sure if I’m excited or terrified.
They did say January’s update would be small – February is supposed to be the big one. Even then I’m not getting my hopes up too far for new explorable content. If we even get one new map I’ll be happy.
One new map every few months is still pretty good, especially for free! It’ll be interesting to see if we get expansion-like blocks with multiple zones added, or if the stories progress and things expand more slowly in these monthly bits. Part of me like the suspense in getting it drip-fed, so that no one can play through the whole expansion in an afternoon…
It’s because one of the norn (the one that looks like he’s on a horse) has Samurai looking hair, http://xhost.net.ua/images/imagem-1318801253.jpg
That said, norn and charr aren’t fleeing Cantha so I don’t see a connection. I think Jormag or Primordius has something to do with it. I don’t even know what the make of the horse, but that has the mount crowd all hyper. I don’t see us getting mounts so I shudder to think what future reactions will be.
Anyway, if they ever did a Cantha expansion, I doubt it would be the first expansion like it was in the original. WoW bounced around and added new maps before filling in the original map, and technically, Zhaitan is what kept Cantha and Tyria apart but I still expect to see confrontations with the other elder dragons across Tyria first, including Kralk in the Crystal Desert (Elona.)