In our new MMO Manifesto video, ArenaNet Studio Lead Mike O’Brien and key creators explain how Guild Wars 2 will defy MMO conventions and create a new kind of game – free from boring grind and static, unchanging worlds. Loaded with incredible gameplay footage, the MMO Manifesto video charts a bold new direction in gaming. Watch it right here!

ArenaNet is hitting gamescom in a big way this year, with the world premiere of the Guild Wars 2 live demo and a weekend full of swag and surprises! If you’re lucky enough to attend gamescom 2010 in Cologne, Germany, put the NCsoft booth (Hall 9, A11) at the top of your list!
Everyone’s excited to play the first ever Guild Wars 2 live demo. We’ve got 45 demo stations and a squad of helpful staffers, and we can’t wait to show our game off!
In addition to the Guild Wars 2 hands-on experience, we’ve got a lot of other cool stuff planned. We’re giving away and signing copies of the Art of Guild Wars 2 and Ghosts of Ascalon, the first Guild Wars novel. Panel discussions with ArenaNet developers like Jeff Grubb, Eric Flannum, and Daniel Dociu will expand your understanding of GW2 and the game design process. We’ll be passing out Guild Wars 2 art cards at certain times, which are your key to winning fabulous prizes. Plus, we’ve got a costume competition, a community party, and a couple incredible surprises!
That’s not all. Our fellow NCsoft title Aion has lined up a full slate of activities and fun for gamescom. Bookmark the NCsoft Event portal to make sure you’ll receive a constant flow of exciting coverage from the NCsoft booth and a live video stream to convey the full gamescom experience!
If you can’t make it to gamescom, be sure to follow ArenaNet on Twitter and Facebook for updates and surprises from the show floor, and keep an eye on the ArenaNet Blog for behind-the-scenes info.

Signups are now open for the BlizzCon 2010 Costume and Dance contests! Eligible entrants are invited to strut their stuff live on stage, with the festivities being hosted by our master of ceremonies, comedian Jay Mohr. You have until October 4 to sign up for the live contests, and you must sign up online if you want to participate. With over $25,000 in prizes for our Friday night contests, this is one you don’t want to miss.
Speaking of which, submissions for the Fan Art, Original Song, and Movie contests close in less than a month on September 27, so if you haven’t entered yet, you’d better get cracking!
If you aren’t attending BlizzCon you can still check out these contests, all panels and tournaments, and even receive extra goodies including the “Deathy” World of Warcraft in-game pet by purchasing a BlizzCon 2010 Virtual Ticket.

Farmer is a general term for an MMORPG player who attempts to acquire (“farm”) items of value within a game, usually by exploiting repetitive elements of the game’s mechanics. This is usually accomplished by carrying out in-game actions (such as killing an important creature) repeatedly to maximize gains, sometimes by using a program such as a bot or automatic clicker. More broadly, the term could refer to a player of any type of game who repeats mundane actions over and over in order to collect in-game items. An organization which organizes farmers is known as a shop.