Guild Wars 2 Pro League Offers $400,000 In eSports Prizes

ArenaNet and the Electronic Sports League are teaming up to bring Guild Wars 2 to a more organized realm of eSports than the MMO has previously attempted. Today, ArenaNet has announced the establishment of the Guild Wars 2 Pro League, offering $400,000 USD in cash prizes over two seasons of play, culminating in a World Championship after the end of season 2. It will take over for the World Tournament Series as the game’s de facto PvP championship and will open up eligibility to more players around the world.

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The Guild Wars 2 Pro League will run in a way that allows both professional eSports athletes and the common gamer aspiring to go professional an opportunity to compete through this tournament. It starts with an open qualifier in mid-November, launching a few weeks after the upcoming expansion, Heart of Thornes. 4 winning teams will move on to an 8-week Pro League, culminating in a Season Final LAN hosted at ESL studios. 4 other teams entering the Pro League are a mix of WTS series finalists and highest ranking teams from the October Go4GuildWars2 Cups Finals. Teams that don’t get in right away can still compete in the Guild Challenger League, where the best guild teams will compete over an 8-week season for the rights to enter the Challenger Cup.

The Challenger Cup brings balance between pro team and regular Guild Wars 2 teams by pitting the lowest-ranked pro teams against the highest-ranked guild challengers. The winners will move on into the Pro League Season 2, hoping to continue on and advance towards a World Championship hosted after Season 2. $200,000 USD in prizes is offered during each season, offering incentives to perform at the very best no matter if World Championship placement has already been clinched.

ArenaNet partnering with the ESL opens up opportunities for more Guild Wars 2 players to participate by using their guidelines to allow players as young as 16 years old from all global regions to compete in tournament play. Furthermore, the previously-announced PvP Leagues coming to Heart of Thornes will help up-and-coming players learn how to compete by progressing their team skills, earn in-game rewards and rank higher and higher in ranked divisions. It lets people who are new to the game, but familiar with eSports, the best chance to learn through practice in gameplay.

“We’re seeing massive growth in players joining Guild Wars 2 and competitive play is the fastest growing segment in the game,” said Colin Johanson, Game Director at ArenaNet. “Working with ESL to develop this tournament is a natural next step for us, inviting more players from this growing community to come take their shot at being elite. Guild Wars 2 Pro League is the result of our vision to create a tournament system where the majority of our player community can participate and are given a clear path to improve their skills, form teams and qualify, giving them a real shot at fame, glory, and big cash prizes.”

Those interested on all the official rules and eligibility for the Guild Wars 2 Pro League can check out the news hub over at ESL’s website.

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