Guild Wars 2 will have no subscription when it launches later this year in China.

Today, Guild Wars 2 developer ArenaNet, alongside their China publishing partner KongZhong Corporation, have announced that Guild Wars 2 will launch without a subscription in the country. Players will be able to purchase the game once and continue playing the game free of charge, exactly like players in the West. This will make GW2 unique in a game market primarily dominated by free-to-play and time-based pay-to-play models.

Alongside the announcement that GW2 will keep its buy-to-play model in China is the announcement that China will not only get the same consistent and timely content updates as the West, but that China will get these updates synchronized with the worldwide version of the game. These updates include the Living World content and will ensure that GW2 China has the same content available everywhere else (with the exception of adjustments to the new-player tutorials).

No release date has been set for GW2 China, but another two week long closed beta test will begin on March 11. China will be the first region in Asia where GW2 is launching.

Matt "Mattsta" Adams

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