Never let a Guild Wars 2 player be called an underachiever. They take achievements in their PvE, their PvP, their WvW and probably their breakfast cereal. And with their achievements they acquire achievement points, which sit in a pile doing not a lot, now you mention it.
That’s why ArenaNet have been working on a new reward structure, which will see players unlock new and exclusive weapon skins, armour, currencies, titles, and even permanent account-wide boosts as they achieve.
Here’s a cross-section of what we can expect:
- Exclusive armor and weapon skin unlocks – including Radiant armor, Hellfire armor, and the Zenith weapon set.
- Permanent account bonuses – permanent boosts to Magic Find, experience from kills, karma gain, and more. Earn achievement points on any character and get rewards for all of your characters.
- Currencies – gold, gems, karma, and laurels.
- PvP Rewards – skins and glory boosters.
- WvW Rewards – use Badges of Honor and siege blueprints to help push your server to victory.
- Utility Items – Instant Repair Canisters, Revive Orbs, powerful boosters, and more.
- Unique Titles – show off your dedication to your fellow players.
The new system is retroactive, so any points you’ve acquired on your travels prior to the update will contribute to your heap of rewards.
“We’ll continue to work on improving systems and rewards across the entire game,” says ArenaNet designer Matt Wuerffel, “and we’re excited for what lies ahead.”
The developers seem very keen at the moment to mark in-game progress in more abstract fashion. Do you think their efforts are warranted? Or should their rewards be more firmly grounded in the game’s fiction?