ArenaNet talks Guild Wars 2

"This is the most ambitious online world being developed in the industry."

Interview by Wesley Yin-Poole Former Editor-in-Chief

Updated on Aug. 10, 2010

EurogamerMike, you created Battle.net. What do you think about what it's become?

Mike O'Brien

I was very proud to be a part of that effort. They've taken it in a lot of different directions since I've left the company.

I'm not focused on what they're doing with Battle.net. I'm focused on what we're doing with Guild Wars.

I would just say in general that back then, in 1996, I was trying to bring players new experiences and more innovation to online gaming, and here we are in 2010 and I'm trying to bring players new experiences and more innovation to online gaming.

Leaving aside Battle.net, I'm excited to be in a position where we can deliver something new with Guild Wars 2.

EurogamerAre you proud to have created something that's become so influential and important in PC gaming?

Mike O'Brien

I've been lucky to be able to work on a lot of exciting projects over my career.

EurogamerWould you consider implementing Real ID, where players have to use their real names in your forums and across your games?

Mike O'Brien

You're asking us a question we haven't even considered. It's hard to answer a question we haven't considered.

I'll just say briefly, gaming is about having fun. That's the most important thing. You gotta concentrate on the fun.

People have enough stress in their lives. Let's not worry about the stressful aspects of it. This is an escape.

We make online worlds because people want to hang out in an online world and escape the real world for a while and meet new friends and have fun with their friends.

We should have no barriers between people and making new friends and having fun with their friends.

EurogamerWill Guild Wars ever come to consoles?

Eric Flannum

We think consoles are interesting. We have a small group here at ArenaNet that are doing investigation of console technology. But we've no console plans at this time.

The development team is a hundred per cent focused on delivering a great PC experience.

EurogamerWhat challenges are there in transporting the traditional PC MMO experience onto the home consoles?

Mike O'Brien

MMOs can exist on consoles, but there are a lot of challenges. It's not our focus right now.

Our focus right now is making Guild Wars 2 the best PC online world ever created.

EurogamerWhen will the game be out?

Mike O'Brien

That's another question you know we're not going to answer.

You can see we have every bit of the very highest goals and ambitions for this game and for ourselves. We are not going to ship this game until this game is the game that defines the industry and what people want to play.

It's going to be done when it's done.

EurogamerI've heard developers say that before.

Mike O'Brien

Some of them mean it and some of them don't. We mean it.

Guild Wars 2 will be released on the PC when it's done.