Guild Wars has made an announcement today on the Automated Tournaments!

We are extending the Automated Tournament Series into 2008 with a number of improvements. For the first part of the series we will offer electronic gift cards from Amazon.com, allowing winners to select their own prizes from Amazon's vast catalog of products.

April marks the third anniversary for Guild Wars, and we plan to commemorate this event with a special anniversary tournament that will feature an expanded prize pool. After this concludes, we will transition from real-world prizes to exclusive in-game awards, including never-before-seen items. Rules for the 2008 Automated Tournament Series can be found here, and details about the in-game prizes will be released in the spring.

You can't win if you don't compete, so good luck to everyone!

Guild Wars has a new FAQ up!

Q: I just purchased an unlock pack. When will it be added to my account?
A: Immediately after you add the access key.

Q: Can I use these skills in PvP as a PvP-Only character?
 A: Yes, as long as you have purchased the related campaign or expansion, or the PvP Access Kit for your account.

Q: Can I use these skills in PvP as a Roleplaying (PvE) character?
 A: Yes, but only if you've purchased the related campaign or expansion for your account and have learned the skills from a skill trainer or by using a tome.

Lots of info for the skill and item unlock packs, so check it out!

Not only does Guild Wars have a new commercial that will be airing on a TV near you any day now, they also have a new State of the Game letter up.

When it comes to Heroes' Ascent many people use the term "gimmick" when defining most team-builds because they compare the builds to GvG. The problem with that comparison, however, is that Heroes' Ascent and Guild Battles have different objectives. The objective in every Guild Battle is to kill the enemy Guild Lord (or give each player on the opposing team 60% Death Penalty). The objectives in Heroes' Ascent, though, change with each map. The criteria for determining whether a build is balanced or "gimmicky" are essentially different for Heroes' Ascent than for Guild Battles. Also, gimmick builds in Heroes' Ascent are often used to farm fame in the first map or two, while balanced builds are used to progress all the way to the Hall of Heroes.

One way to determine if a build is balanced or gimmicky is to examine how well it can adapt tactics to achieve the objectives and challenges on each map. Can the build split well and be mobile enough for the Antechamber's control points? Does it provide options for relic runners when playing in Unholy Temples? Is there enough offensive power to win in Annihilation maps like the Underworld? Questions like these are an effective way to determine the balance of a build.

For a glimpse at the commercial, try looking here!

Guild Wars has another State of the Game up!  This time, it's Shaking Down the Shake-Up!

Enter the new-and-improved Word of Healing. After the updates, the net change to the skill allows it to act as a self-heal. As a powerful, versatile, and cheap heal, WoH has found its way onto the Skill Bars of both Infusers and split Monks. The most common two-Monk backline after these updates has one Word of Healing Monk and one Restore Condition Monk. However, many teams run a Word of Healing Monk runner as well, who can keep NPCs alive fairly well in split situations.

Check out the in game skill changes that have been taking place!

Guild Wars is now offering Skill and Item Unlock Packs for half off!

For a limited time, enjoy special, introductory pricing of 50% off when you purchase any of the new Skill or Item Unlock Packs listed below through the Guild Wars In-Game Store or PlayNC.com. Offer good from Noon Pacific time (-8 GMT) November 15, 2007 to Noon Pacific time (-8 GMT) December 31, 2007. Discount will be applied at time of purchase.

You can find more info on this special right here.  Just in time for shopping season!

Guild Wars has a new State of the Game available!

Izzy: A Heal Party type of skill is integral to the backline of Guild Wars teams, and has been almost from the start. Because it's even more efficient than Heal Party, Light of Deliverance is harder to deal with. Using Light of Deliverance also pressures teams' ability to split because Monks' Skill Bars are now more tuned for 8v8 fighting. I would like to deal with the Light of Deliverance issue, but I want to continue examining passive defenses. It's dangerous making changes to Monks without extensive consideration. A small change to Monks can have far-reaching consequences for overall balance. Monks play a pivotal role throughout the game.

Join these two long time players as they look at what balance means to them!

Guild Wars has a new state of the game up!

In addition, they think that players often focus too much blame for losses on builds. They suggest not blaming builds, but instead giving a new build a solid chance before deciding to change it. Trying new builds helps players learn new styles of play. When players try something new and it fails, they should strive to figure out why it was not successful.

Read the rest about Delta Formation [DF].

Guild Wars has a new State of the Game post up, remembering the good ol' days!

With frequent updates and skill balances exploding into the fluxing metagame, Guild Wars players have marched through numerous game permutations, some drastically different than others. Veteran players will most likely recall these tales from earlier days, but do you remember when...

If you're a long time player, remember the days. If you're a new one, you'll be greatful for the many changes that have come in!