Guild Wars login announcements

The following is a list of the current Guild Wars announcements, published via the login screen of the game client. See the archive for older announcements.

Current announcements
These are announcements for special weekends and other in-game events, as well as new issues.

Please change your password today!
We are seeing hackers try to log into Guild Wars accounts using passwords stolen from other games and web sites. For your security, you should never use the same or a similar password for Guild Wars that you use for any other purpose. We strongly recommend that all Guild Wars players change their passwords immediately.

Important Account Security Message
We urge you to visit the NCsoft website to read an important message about account [sic] from our Game Surveillance Unit: http://us.ncsoft.com/en/playsmart/security-post.html

Wintersday Returns!
Due to technical issues with the Festival Hat distribution during the Wintersday finale, the event will return for one week with all the usual activities. It begins at Noon PST on Friday, January 29 and runs until 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, February 7, giving you another chance to pick up a Wintersday Festival Hat! If you can't make it to the finale, there will be special collectors who will exchange Wintersday Festival Hats for Candy Cane Shards.

Alliance Battles Bonus Weekend
Starting at Noon Pacific this Friday, you will earn double faction for participating in Alliance Battles. This bonus will last through 11:59 PM Pacific on Sunday.

Generic announcements
''These are generic reminder announcements pertaining to player accounts and rules. You will usually only see one of these announcements each time you log in.''

Review the Naming Policy
There are some types of names that are unsuitable for Guild Wars, so before creating a new character, please review the Naming Policy (http://www.guildwars.com/support/legal/naming_policy.php).

Beware of Impersonators
We will never ask for personal information (such as your name, your phone number, account names, etc.) in the game. If someone approaches you asking for such information, do not provide it. Instead, alert Support and provide the character name of the person who approached you.

Buying Gold Promotes In-Game Griefing
If you purchase gold for real-world money, you are supporting the behavior of companies that cause real grief to you and your fellow players on a daily basis. These companies spam chat channels, bot farm the game, inflate the in-game economy, and even steal personal accounts. If you don't like these behaviors, then don't buy their gold.

Don't Give Account Information to Gold Sellers
Beware of gold farmers who sell gold for real-world money and ask for your account information. These requests are designed to trick you into divulging your personal information, which is then used to steal your account. Never give your account information to anyone. Also remember: if you buy in-game gold for real-money [sic], your account will be suspended.

Chat Channel Changes
Players are reminded that the All (Local) Chat Channel is intended for social activities, and the Trade Channel is provided for trade activities. Players using the All Chat Channel for trade spam are subject to account suspension. See the Conduct Breaches and Outcomes document at www.guildwars.com/support/conduct_breach for more information.

Stay Secure
Never give out your password or other account information to anyone for any reason. Once someone has that information, your account is no longer secure. Remember, ArenaNet and NCsoft will never ask for your account access information, so anyone who does is not affiliated with ArenaNet or NCsoft in any way.

Beware of Phishers
Bogus emails and fake online videos promising access keys for in-game items or early entry into beta events are phishing attempts. They are designed to trick you into divulging your personal information, which is then used to steal your account. Don't get caught. Never give out your account information to anyone.

Bogus Videos and Security Concerns
Recently, scammers have posted two bogus videos on the internet to trick Guild Wars players into revealing account information. One video alleges to show players how to hack into Guild Wars, while the other offers early entry into the Guild Wars 2 beta. Both of these videos are directly linked to recent account thefts. Do not fall for these scams. Remember: never give your account password out to anyone, and look for legitimate information about the [sic] Guild Wars 2 on www.guildwars.com.

Strong Passwords Promote Safety
Account theft is a real problem in online games. One of the best ways to keep your account safe is to use a complex password and change it regulary. You should also use completely different passwords for your games, fansite registrations, and all other password uses. Strong passwords contain at least 8 characters and use a mixture of letters and numbers.

Don't Get Hacked
Never download or run third-party programs that claim to hack Guild Wars. Often, these are used to steal account information. Attempting to run a third-party hack is not only punishable by account banning, but it also exposes your personal information to account theft. For your sake and the safety of your private information, do not use hacks.

Gold Buyers and Sellers Banned
ArenaNet identifies and bans thousands of accounts used by gold sellers every week. Gold buyers also face serious consequences. If you buy in-game gold or items, your account will be suspended and the gold or items you purchased will be removed from your account. See www.guildwars.com/support/rmt/rmt-en.php for more details on our policy on real-money transactions.

Player Account Safety
We've noted a rise in attempted game account thefts. Account theft often results from risky player behavior (purchasing gold online, sharing accounts, using third-party programs, answering bogus emails, or having weak passwords). To protect yourself, use a complex password and change it regularly.

I Have a New Key
If you've just purchased a Guild Wars product, click on the 'Create Account or Add Access Key' link in the login dialog to add your new access key.

Account Security
Beware of a new scam where individuals or companies offer to place trades, sales, or contest prizes directly into a player's account. Remember: once someone has your username and password, your account is no longer secure. Do not share account info with anyone.

Reminder About Purchasing Gold Online
As a reminder, buying and selling gold or items for cash is prohibited. If you purchase in-game gold or items, your account will be suspended and the gold or items you purchased will be removed from your account. Please read our policy on real-money transactions for more details. www.guildwars.com/support/rmt/rmt-en.php