Guild Wars Factions

Introduction
Guild Wars Factions is the official product title of ArenaNet's upcoming campaign to the Guild Wars world. It is also commonly referred to as Chapter Two, Campaign Two, Factions Campaign, or just Factions.

Relationship with other Guild Wars campaigns
Guild Wars Factions will be a stand alone product and will not require the player to already own the original Guild Wars (Prophecies Campaign). However, the two campaigns can be linked by adding the Factions retail key to an already existing Prophecies account and players from both campaigns will be able to interact. They will be able to compete in PvP and players who own both campaigns will be able to take their ascended Prophecies characters over to the lands of Factions.

The stories of the Prophecies Campaign and the Factions Campaign link at Lion's Arch, where Canthan merchants were already present in the Prophecies Campaign.

Story
The Factions Campaign takes place in Cantha, the home continent of the sailing merchants empire, with an Asian theme.

The backstory revolves around the antagonist Shiro Tagachi, a former bodyguard of the righteous emperor of Cantha 200 years ago. Shiro murdered his master and was killed for it. At his death Shiro Tagachi let out a horrible ghostly wail that turned the seas into solid jade and petrified the forests. And even worse, 200 years after his execution he returns from his grave to pester the Canthans yet again. The main task of the players is to ultimately defeat Shiro and send him back to his grave for good.

Furthermore the story focuses on the two factions of the Luxon and the Kurzick who compete with each other for resources in Cantha.

Current Events

 * Day of the Tengu – 2006 Apr 27, in-game headstart event.

Past Events

 * Factions Preview Event (March 24-26).
 * Guild Wars Factions Global Free-for-All PvP Weekend (January 20-22, 2006)

Release Date / Pre-Order
The official global release date according to this press release by ANet is April 28, 2006.
 * Note: This happens to be exactly one year after release of Chapter 1.

The Guild Wars Factions Pre-Order Package will be available in retail stores beginning February 27, 2006. This preorder will allow players access to Factions 24 hours earlier than the April 28 release date.

A Guild Wars Factions Collector's Edition is also available for preorder now.

Confirmed Features
The following features are officially confirmed by ArenaNet:
 * New Region: Cantha - featuring an Asia themed world.
 * New towns - e.g. Seitung Harbor and Kaineng City
 * The Marketplace
 * Echovald Forest (region)
 * Altrumm Ruins
 * Amatz Basin
 * Brauer Academy
 * Durheim Archives
 * House zu Heltzer
 * Lutgardis Conservatory
 * Saint Anjeka's Shrine
 * Tanglewood Copse
 * Vasburg Armory
 * Jade Sea (region)
 * Bai Passu Reach
 * Breaker Hollow
 * Cavalon
 * Eredon Terrace
 * Leviathan Pits
 * Seafarer's Rest
 * The Aurios Mines
 * Zos Shivros Channel
 * 50+ new areas
 * Echovald Forest (region)
 * Arborstone (Explorable)
 * Drazach Thicket
 * Eternal Grove (Explorable)
 * Ferndale
 * Melandru's Hope
 * Morostav Trail
 * Mourning Veil Falls
 * Jade Sea (region)
 * Archipelagos
 * Boreas Seabed (Explorable)
 * Gyala Hatchery (Explorable)
 * Maishang Hills
 * Mount Qinkai
 * Rhea Crater
 * Silent Surf
 * The Undercity
 * The Emperor's Palace
 * Eternal Grove
 * Jaya Bluffs
 * Maatu Keep and Highlands
 * Nahpui Quarters
 * Pongmei Valley
 * 4 new mission types:
 * Challenge Missions
 * Elite Missions
 * Competitive Missions
 * Fort Aspenwood
 * The Jade Quarry
 * The Unwaking Waters
 * Alliance Battles
 * 14 new missions
 * These missions will have a three-tier ranking system rather than the two-tier (normal/bonus) system in the Prophecies Campaign.
 * Examples: The Eternal Grove, Gyala Hatchery
 * New quests
 * New tutorial area Shing Jea Monastery (similar to Pre-Searing for the Prophecies Campaign)
 * Two new Factions that play into both PvE and PvP elements of the game:
 * The Luxon
 * The Kurzick
 * 2 new Professions (along with the original six core professions):
 * Assassin
 * Ritualist
 * New henchmen with the new professions
 * More character slots
 * Four slots total for a stand-alone Factions Campaign account.
 * Six slots total if a Factions account is combined with a Prophecies account
 * More purchasable character slots (to be rolled out soon after the Factions release)
 * 300 new Skills, incl. 90 new Elite Skills:
 * 75 skills for each new profession
 * 25 skills for each core profession
 * additionally 5 duplicate skills for each old profession
 * New equipment:
 * 6 new armor types for each of the new and the old professions - again featuring an Asian theme
 * New weapons and items
 * New creatures:
 * 100+ new monsters
 * The Afflicted
 * The Crimson Skull
 * The Wardens
 * The Naga
 * Gangs of Kaineng
 * Yeti
 * Bzzrats
 * Kappas
 * Kirin
 * Oni
 * New NPCs
 * New pets for Rangers
 * At least two different tigers (Bengal Tiger, White Tiger), two different crabs (blue, red), a crane, and a black Moa Bird
 * New PvP/GvG features:
 * 4 New Guild Halls
 * Guild Hall Services
 * Guild alliances (max 10 guilds per alliance)
 * New rating system
 * New guild emblems

From Arenanet

 * Factions FPE Sneak Peek (March 21, 2006)
 * Official Factions FAQ (UPDATED March 2, 2006)
 * Factions trailer zipped file in wmv format from the official site. (February 20, 2006)
 * Factions Preview Event FAQ (February 9, 2006)
 * ANet Press Release regarding Global Beta Test and Pre-Order (February 9, 2006)
 * ANet Press Release Announcement regarding Factions Beta Weekend Event (January 10, 2006)
 * Cover art of the 2006 Feburary Computer Gaming World magazine, hosted on the Guild Wars official website and featuring art for the Assassin profession.

From other sites
(Info in reverse chronological order of release - add latest news at the top)
 * Factions Q&A on Gamespot (April 21, 2006)
 * GuildCast Podcast Latest Facts on Factions (April 1, 2006)
 * GamingSteve Podcast Interview with Jeff Strain (March 20, 2006)
 * IGN article Guild Wars Factions Hands-On (March 10, 2006)
 * IGN article includes pictures of new armors. (March 6, 2006)
 * Q&A on gamesindustry.biz (February 24, 2006)
 * Q&A on Total Video Games (February 24, 2006)
 * Assassin & Ritualist hands on preview on GameSpot (February 20, 2006)
 * Mirror Korean site
 * Mirror on GuildWarsGuru
 * Mirror on RapidShare
 * Mirror on FileFront
 * Mirror on GWOnline.net
 * Guild Wars: Factions Environment Preview - The New Continent of Cantha (February 20, 2006)
 * CVG Interview (February 3, 2006)
 * IGN Preview (January 12, 2006)
 * GameSpy Preview (January 11, 2006)
 * Computer Gaming World Magazine, February 2006 issue exclusive feature:
 * GuildWarsGuru Forum on the CGW Feb 2006 article
 * GW Europe summary of the CGW article
 * GameSpot Interview with Gaile Gray