Communications Manager
Guild & Fansite Relations; In-Game Events
ArenaNet
Halloween is coming to Tyria! We’re really looking forward to the return of everyone’s favorite pumpkin-headed monarch, Mad King Thorn, and his motley mass of mischievous minions.
While many of us at ArenaNet will be joining the game often during the Halloween festival, team members are going to make a special effort to join players in the game on Friday, October 30. We’ll be hanging out in Lion’s Arch, joining with players in a few rounds of “Mad King Says” or other seasonal activities, and hopping into a few of the many player-organized events that take place on that date.
If your guild or group is holding an event in Lion’s Arch on October 30, let us know by posting in this thread. Provide the group name, time (with time zone), your game world, and a few details about your planned activities. If we’re able to do so, we’ll stop by and visit with you for a bit!
We also wanted to mention that we’ve scheduled a new episode of the Community Showcase Live livestream for Wednesday, October 28 at Noon Pacific Time (17:00 UTC). The show is presented in English, but art is “the universal language” and we feel that everyone will enjoy the visuals no matter what language they speak. If you’re an artist, crafter, or other creative sort, please consider posting your creations in our Community Creations Forum. Lizzie and I may be able to feature them in a future show!
Get ready to celebrate Halloween, Tyria Style! 
If my computer is working by them, I look forward to the fun times to be had too.
Yessss, Mad King Says! One of my favorite parts XD
Love this event and its one that is always looked forward to. Any confirmation when its running this year? Is it the normal 21/22 or any chance of it starting earlier with HoT?
Love this event and its one that is always looked forward to. Any confirmation when its running this year? Is it the normal 21/22 or any chance of it starting earlier with HoT?
Launches on HoT launch day, from what I’ve heard.
Recycled content? Or something new added?
Recycled content? Or something new added?
Thats the big question.
It better not be recycled content…
It better not be recycled content…
This sooo much!
I was so sad to have recycled content last year. I don’t care if we get recycled mini games that’s fine. But there’s this whole story around Mad King Thorn that they could harvest, like all his wives and such.
Halloween is coming to Tyria! We’re really looking forward to the return of everyone’s favorite pumpkin-headed monarch, Mad King Thorn, and his motley mass of mischievous minions.
While many of us at ArenaNet will be joining the game often during the Halloween festival, team members are going to make a special effort to join players in the game on Friday, October 30. We’ll be hanging out in Lion’s Arch, joining with players in a few rounds of “Mad King Says” or other seasonal activities, and hopping into a few of the many player-organized events that take place on that date.
If your guild or group is holding an event in Lion’s Arch on October 30, let us know by posting in this thread. Provide the group name, time (with time zone), your game world, and a few details about your planned activities. If we’re able to do so, we’ll stop by and visit with you for a bit!
We also wanted to mention that we’ve scheduled a new episode of the Community Showcase Live livestream for Wednesday, October 28 at Noon Pacific Time (17:00 UTC). The show is presented in English, but art is “the universal language” and we feel that everyone will enjoy the visuals no matter what language they speak. If you’re an artist, crafter, or other creative sort, please consider posting your creations in our Community Creations Forum. Lizzie and I may be able to feature them in a future show!
Get ready to celebrate Halloween, Tyria Style!
I hope you guys will join EU as well, and not leave us out like every year :S Come visit us!
I would love to hang with some of Anet in LA on the 30th as long as you guys come EU!
I really could care less if the content is recycled or not since we will have a new expansion to play but it would be really nice if it was a whole bunch of new stuff for that as well, but I can totally understand if it is recycled content since you guys have been working so long(was going to say hard but it got kitten’d) on HoT for us!
See you ANet guys in LA, if you come to the EU servers. I’ll be the guy throwing eggs and TPing(I have 2 stacks of each from last Halloween ^^)
Halloween is coming to Tyria! We’re really looking forward to the return of everyone’s favorite pumpkin-headed monarch, Mad King Thorn, and his motley mass of mischievous minions.
While many of us at ArenaNet will be joining the game often during the Halloween festival, team members are going to make a special effort to join players in the game on Friday, October 30. We’ll be hanging out in Lion’s Arch, joining with players in a few rounds of “Mad King Says” or other seasonal activities, and hopping into a few of the many player-organized events that take place on that date.
If your guild or group is holding an event in Lion’s Arch on October 30, let us know by posting in this thread. Provide the group name, time (with time zone), your game world, and a few details about your planned activities. If we’re able to do so, we’ll stop by and visit with you for a bit!
We also wanted to mention that we’ve scheduled a new episode of the Community Showcase Live livestream for Wednesday, October 28 at Noon Pacific Time (17:00 UTC). The show is presented in English, but art is “the universal language” and we feel that everyone will enjoy the visuals no matter what language they speak. If you’re an artist, crafter, or other creative sort, please consider posting your creations in our Community Creations Forum. Lizzie and I may be able to feature them in a future show!
Get ready to celebrate Halloween, Tyria Style!
Will reapers rumble make a return???
I hope you guys will join EU as well, and not leave us out like every year :S Come visit us!
See you ANet guys in LA, if you come to the EU servers. I’ll be the guy throwing eggs and TPing(I have 2 stacks of each from last Halloween ^^)
That’s definitely the plan! I mean coming to LA on the EU servers — not getting pelted with eggs. 
What a stupid idea to drop it with HOT. If anything has been made obvious since this games launch, it’s that ANET cannot release ANYTHING without breaking much more. So why would you release a festival at the same time you drop the first expansion. Yay, won’t get to play HOT on launch due to server issues, won’t be able to play Halloween because of server issues. Get it together anet.
srsly… this sounds like the anet team is looking forward to joining “our” events… which is code for… “we dont have anything to offer, but can we join yours and have fun?” i dunno… maybe im wrong, but Idont have much faith in anet and its LS or events and celebrations anymore, so Im not expecting much TBH.
Any plans to do a blog in the very near future so we know what to expect for the Haloween release?
Recycled content? Or something new added?
Thats the big question.
Pretty sure that this sudden support for community events is just another way of saying ‘we got nothing, go make up your own events’
Any plans to do a blog in the very near future so we know what to expect for the Haloween release?
Yes. There will be a blog and an event page soon. You’ll have a whole bunch of details then.
Thanks for those who are looking forward to the event, and who post to say they are. For those who are posting up bile-filled negativity, I’d like you to step back and think about the situation: We’re having a Halloween festival in a timeframe when many, many players thought there would not be one. Dire “the sky is falling” commentary isn’t appropriate. Rude “You got nothing” comments have no place here.
We’re offering to join community events because they’re fun, and our joining in supports those marvelous people and guilds and groups who put their time and effort into creating such events for the community at large. This is in no way a case where we’re “doing nothing” when the team is presenting an entire festival for you at a time the company is also launching an expansion pack for our game.
This thread presents positive and encouraging new information, and I’d ask you to join in the spirit of the thread and not make rude, negative, or nasty comments. I mean, replying is optional, and thoughtfulness seems a simple thing to ask.
Does your friend the Frog also come to LA again? He is so scary! 0:)
Oh boy… HoT and Halloween at the same time.
ANet, you’re killing me!Glad I have a 3 weeks vacation to nolife the kitten out of it XD
You are a wise person, Hidori. 
Thanks Gaile, I agree some of this negativity is completely uncalled for.
Confused though, is this post saying that the decorations and such are going up today/soon? As I thought we already knew Halloween was coming (was I assuming that?)
I will never, ever understand why people complain about recycled holiday content. Isn’t that what traditions are? Or do people make the same complaint about Halloween or Christmas being the same every year IRL too? Something new is always welcome, but if everything was demolished each year it would not be the same holiday anymore. It would only be a date when something new happens.
Awesome.
My guild is planning our annual Halloween party and in game costume contest on the night of Monday the 26th, but I will talk to them during missions next week and see if they want to move it to the 30th.
It’ll be up to them though. I suspect many will have real world plans on a Friday night just before Halloween. 
I look at it as preventing depression… I dont want to kill the mood gaile, but the track record here isnt very good. there has been no content most of this year, what little was released was not done very well and sometimes removed cuz it was so buggy.
That being said, past Halloween events have been very good, even if they were a little rehashed. I always look forward to this time of year with you guys. I will look forward to the events should they happen. I sincerely hope you guys have an awesome bash planned for us. (crosses fingers… hopes for best, but plans for the worst…)
Thanks Gaile, I agree some of this negativity is completely uncalled for.
Confused though, is this post saying that the decorations and such are going up today/soon? As I thought we already knew Halloween was coming (was I assuming that?)
Oh sorry for any confusion! No, the decorations and such do not go up today. I’m simply playing Herald. Well, not really — I’m playing Ranger, but you know what I mean. 
The blog comes next week, and it’ll have dates and details. This post was just to get the word out that we’ll try to participate in some player-hosted in-game events, in addition to doing some of our own. In other words, to invite guilds and groups and individuals to let us know what they have planned so we can try to stop by.
Awesome.
My guild is planning our annual Halloween party and in game costume contest on the night of Monday the 26th, but I will talk to them during missions next week and see if they want to move it to the 30th.
It’ll be up to them though. I suspect many will have real world plans on a Friday night just before Halloween.
If you’re planning, I probably should mention that we’ll have some team members active during EU daytime hours, and the studio will have some reps active during daytime NA hours, with the primary hours being 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Friday, October 30.
Event Name: The King and Queen’s Horrorween 2015
Group name: Daniel Frozenwind, Mad Queen Malafide and the Aurora Glade PvE Special Interests Group
Time: 30th October, 6 GMT
Game world: Tyria / Lion’s Arch / Aurora Glade’s Megaserver
About: Ladies and Gentle Ghouls, it is my pleasure to announce that Tyria’s oldest community event (happy ten years Horrorween!) will be making its annual return to Lion’s Arch on the 30th of October.
Join familiar faces and legendary spirits for a night of devilry, merriment and much mischief!
It is not be missed, there is something for everyone.
Activities include: unique in-game activities, art contests, a dynamic lore building story that changes from player participation and so much more.
Oh, and there is this….
See you soon
I wish we could get it like a week early.. do you think they might be able to do that? Probably not, but its worth a try to ask!
SO CAN WE HAVE IT EARLY PLEAASSEEE
Also, just wanted to say Halloween and Wintersday are the best events ever. I am always looking forward to them! I CANT WAIT. <333
I love you guys!
If the blog is next week, and they typically do releases on Tuesdays, we’ll probably see it on the 20th which gives most of us a few days to enjoy the content before the expansion goes live. The GW1 Halloween event starts on the 18th so it makes since it would be around there for us.
Thanks for those who are looking forward to the event, and who post to say they are. For those who are posting up bile-filled negativity, I’d like you to step back and think about the situation: We’re having a Halloween festival in a timeframe when many, many players thought there would not be one. Dire “the sky is falling” commentary isn’t appropriate. Rude “You got nothing” comments have no place here.
We’re offering to join community events because they’re fun, and our joining in supports those marvelous people and guilds and groups who put their time and effort into creating such events for the community at large. This is in no way a case where we’re “doing nothing” when the team is presenting an entire festival for you at a time the company is also launching an expansion pack for our game.
This thread presents positive and encouraging new information, and I’d ask you to join in the spirit of the thread and not make rude, negative, or nasty comments. I mean, replying is optional, and thoughtfulness seems a simple thing to ask.
This^ all of this. We should be grateful we are even having the event with the release of HoT. Get the sticks out of your butts and get in the spirit of HALLOWEEENNNN
The raffle with the silver ticket scraps were mostly a bust and a majority of everyone didnt get it. regardless, if someone had money to spend and spam the bags to get the silver scraps then they still had higher RNG chances to acquire them
Can we expect to have the 1st year halloween skins return for the new players and veterans that never acquired the skins with a different way such as a skin or quest reward?
Also can we expect to NOT RNG the oontz necklaces and acquire them otherwise?
what new stuff can we expect?
tired of the lucky few making more money when the poor get poorer
I will never, ever understand why people complain about recycled holiday content. Isn’t that what traditions are? Or do people make the same complaint about Halloween or Christmas being the same every year IRL too? Something new is always welcome, but if everything was demolished each year it would not be the same holiday anymore. It would only be a date when something new happens.
A portion of people aren’t bothered by the recurring mini games (although there are aspects that were absent last year that they’d like to see return). Mostly what these people are concerned about is the story. Year one and two had different stories to follow for Halloween. Then, last year the story was a repeat from the previous year. There’s a lot to be explored surrounding the Mad King and his family, and some people would like to continue advancing in that story.
im so hyped for this event.
I really hope they’ll put some new weapons skins in the bltc
(2012 halloween skins plz.)
Over on the GW2 Fashion subreddit (/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/) we are hosting a costume contest and we would sure love to see as many spooky and creative entries as possible…come see ;p It’s not an in-game event, exactly, but I KNOW many of us will be showing off our creations in Lions Arch.
The Mad King’s Masquerade:
https://www.reddit.com/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/comments/3ngzed/the_mad_kings_masquerade_costume_contest/
so sad it’s not coming earlier, but still good for a player like me who just can’t spend on HOT yet, though wants to stick arround and mby get few skins =)
Over on the GW2 Fashion subreddit (/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/) we are hosting a costume contest and we would sure love to see as many spooky and creative entries as possible…come see ;p It’s not an in-game event, exactly, but I KNOW many of us will be showing off our creations in Lions Arch.
The Mad King’s Masquerade:
https://www.reddit.com/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/comments/3ngzed/the_mad_kings_masquerade_costume_contest/
That sounds like a ton of fun, Amelia Brigita — we love seeing all those creative outfits!
Over on the GW2 Fashion subreddit (/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/) we are hosting a costume contest and we would sure love to see as many spooky and creative entries as possible…come see ;p It’s not an in-game event, exactly, but I KNOW many of us will be showing off our creations in Lions Arch.
The Mad King’s Masquerade:
https://www.reddit.com/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/comments/3ngzed/the_mad_kings_masquerade_costume_contest/That sounds like a ton of fun, Amelia Brigita — we love seeing all those creative outfits!
Also, the old costumes like Viper and Hex are going to come back? with the release of the expansion and the Halloween event? i really wish it happen! is kinda a new start after all with so many changes…
I hope we will see Reaper’s Rumble’s comeback. Really have no idea why it was removed after 2012 event.
Thanks for those who are looking forward to the event, and who post to say they are. For those who are posting up bile-filled negativity, I’d like you to step back and think about the situation: We’re having a Halloween festival in a timeframe when many, many players thought there would not be one. Dire “the sky is falling” commentary isn’t appropriate. Rude “You got nothing” comments have no place here.
We’re offering to join community events because they’re fun, and our joining in supports those marvelous people and guilds and groups who put their time and effort into creating such events for the community at large. This is in no way a case where we’re “doing nothing” when the team is presenting an entire festival for you at a time the company is also launching an expansion pack for our game.
This thread presents positive and encouraging new information, and I’d ask you to join in the spirit of the thread and not make rude, negative, or nasty comments. I mean, replying is optional, and thoughtfulness seems a simple thing to ask.
The problem isn’t the event. The problem is that instead of admitting that there won’t be anything new halloween themed content the company is constantly avoiding this topic, thus generating false hope.
If there won’t be anything new this year, just say it so people can move on. I think everyone appreciates the work you put into HoT and will understand why it has to be this way, but now it just feels shady.
I just hope next year my favorite event since the early days of GW1 will not be ignored again, for the 3rd year in a row :/
Anyway, happy Halloween in advance!
Over on the GW2 Fashion subreddit (/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/) we are hosting a costume contest and we would sure love to see as many spooky and creative entries as possible…come see ;p It’s not an in-game event, exactly, but I KNOW many of us will be showing off our creations in Lions Arch.
The Mad King’s Masquerade:
https://www.reddit.com/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/comments/3ngzed/the_mad_kings_masquerade_costume_contest/That sounds like a ton of fun, Amelia Brigita — we love seeing all those creative outfits!
Also, the old costumes like Viper and Hex are going to come back? with the release of the expansion and the Halloween event? i really wish it happen! is kinda a new start after all with so many changes…
Hex might be brought back since its been a year. Viper armor was removed about 10 days ago. It’s not likly they’ll take the Viper armor out one month and then put back in the next since they want it to be “new” again. A 4-6 month period of time is a more reasonable expectation.
Super excited about Halloween returning. A question….
Any word on if that mini dungeon from year 1 will make a return? It was in Lion’s Arch and was one of the most fun events from that year! The name was Ascent to Madness.
I’ve been wanting to replay it.
It better not be recycled content…
This sooo much!
I was so sad to have recycled content last year. I don’t care if we get recycled mini games that’s fine. But there’s this whole story around Mad King Thorn that they could harvest, like all his wives and such.
I’ll hope for something to add on to the previous content, but there’s a reality in MMOs when it comes to holiday events.
Stuff gets recycled.
It’s to the benefit of newer players, and veterans who may have missed out on rewards. The best approach is to take previous content, polish it up, and tack on a little more to further the narrative. ..Maybe we’ll see one of Mad King Thorn’s wives. That’d make the labyrinth even more interesting. XD
Over on the GW2 Fashion subreddit (/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/) we are hosting a costume contest and we would sure love to see as many spooky and creative entries as possible…come see ;p It’s not an in-game event, exactly, but I KNOW many of us will be showing off our creations in Lions Arch.
The Mad King’s Masquerade:
https://www.reddit.com/r/GuildWarsDyeJob/comments/3ngzed/the_mad_kings_masquerade_costume_contest/That sounds like a ton of fun, Amelia Brigita — we love seeing all those creative outfits!
Also, the old costumes like Viper and Hex are going to come back? with the release of the expansion and the Halloween event? i really wish it happen! is kinda a new start after all with so many changes…
Hex might be brought back since its been a year. Viper armor was removed about 10 days ago. It’s not likly they’ll take the Viper armor out one month and then put back in the next since they want it to be “new” again. A 4-6 month period of time is a more reasonable expectation.
Theres still a chance u_u, i mean, is the first expansion of the game, they could bring back all the expired costumes the first days and then remove them, i really wish it happen Y.Y, if not then i will have to stop using medium armor class’s until then…
Oh sorry for any confusion! No, the decorations and such do not go up today. I’m simply playing Herald. Well, not really — I’m playing Ranger
Zing!
far to excited for the clock tower tbh.
I have played since release and this will be my first Tyrian Halloween and I am looking forward to it. Will be getting HoT for myself as an early birthday present, and will spend all my birthday playing Halloween and HoT. Maybe some of the artwork could be birthday themed? I almost deserve it.
Can we expect to have the 1st year halloween skins return for the new players and veterans that never acquired the skins with a different way such as a skin or quest reward?
Please, don’t bring back the 2012 BLC skins. Please, let there be some prestige old-time items in this game. The veterans who where there had their chance.
And why should new players access the skins while they weren’t around the first time?
Why should everybody have everything? When that day comes in GW2, it will be a really sad day.
So Anet, when end-game is about fasion, please don’t disappoint your older player base.
Is this only for events open to the public? My guild hosts an annual costume brawl tournament, but it’s generally guild only (because we usually offer gem store prizes). However, we’re having a free-for-all after the structured tournament that anyone is welcome to attend!
Event Name: [STAR]’s Annual Costume Brawl Tournament
Group name: Starbuck Guild
Time: October 30th, 8pm CST/1am UTC
Game world: NA/Sanctum of Rall
What it is: A bracketed Costume Brawl tournament, packed with more Pow, Bang, and Whack than you can shake a stick at! Contenders will claw, hoof, flipper, or whatever their way to the top to claim ultimate victory!
For more information, check out the thread on our website: http://starbuckguild.com/topic/halloween-event-costume-brawl-tournament/
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