Last year all that power went to ArenaNet’s head, and the developer went and blew up Lion’s Arch, the most prominent capital city in Guild Wars 2, as part of the game’s ongoing Living Storyline.
Now that the villainous Scarlet Briar (she tore the place up with a great big drill mounted on an airship) has been defeated, however, it’s time to rebuild. Guild Wars 2 players have been asked to help with that process.
Not the actual re-building of course, but in naming the new streets and districts that will pop up once construction is complete. Sadly (but understandably, given the internet) you can’t vote for names created by the community, but there’s a Surveymonkey poll up where you can choose from a number of pre-set names.
“The plan of the city leaders is not to attempt to fully restore the landmark as it once was, but rather to implement an enhanced design that will more realistically serve the Tyria of today,” writes ArenaNet’s Gaile Gray. “In light of the lessons learned from the attack by Scarlet Briar and her massive airship drill, the Breachmaker, the city will be a more fortified city, with a design intended to protect citizen and visitor alike.
And yet, the city will retain its distinctive beauty. There will be new gathering places, focused service areas, refreshed locations, and commemorative area names and place names that are sure to delight. Lion’s Arch will remain a glorious meeting place for Tyrians of every race, profession, and background.”
Though there’s no set date just yet, ArenaNet’s also encouraging the guilds of Guild Wars 2 to start planning their celebrations over on the game’s forums. The rebuilding of Lion’s Arch isn’t actually tied to upcoming expansion Heart of Thorns, but fans can look forward to more new content when it drops later this year.
