Guild Wars 2

The OP is imo technically correct. You are able to exchange real money to power in GW2, i think this is indisputable.

The question imo is what quality of power do you get for your money. Ascended items have better stats than exotics, especially the weapons, around ~5%-~8%. The armor around ~5%.

So is this a) enough advantage to call it p2w and b) is ascended equipment hard enough to get to make it worth to pay money for

Imo both times a no. I have many guildmates who do not have ascended items and they wreck people left and right in WvW so if you bring, the right class with the right build and if you can handle your char you have no need of that little extra power. In PvE raids it might be a different story, i have no experience in that, i do 100% wvw.

Second, it is extremely easy to get ascended items, it is only gated by time. So you just wait until you have enough laurels or guild commendations to buy your accessories, rings, amulets etc. For the armor and weapons you also need only time, no special items needed at all, you can get the ore nowadys nearly everywhere in the game.

So imo even if you can buy power with money in GW2 the benefit of it is so little that p2w does simply not apply.

This thread has run its course and is at risk for being argumentative and will therefore be locked.