Guild Wars Mini-Interview #57
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Q: Will they ever consider a different way/system for giving people access to the Underworld and the Fissure of Woe? Those are PvE areas, but the access is controlled by PvP - which does not make sense.
A: The tie between PvP and cooperative player was built with intent, as a design choice that helps to emphasize the dual nature of Guild Wars and to nurture the connection between the two types of players. As PvP players may engage in cooperative play in order to build their character, those who engage solely in cooperative play come to appreciate the access to new explorable areas made possible by the PvP player. We will continue to examine many aspects of PvP and cooperative play, and to weigh how they interact and nurture one another, as we launch the Sorrow's Furnace Update and while we prepare for the start of the tournament season.
Now, in light of this question, I want to say that we are very aware that players in Europe have less access to the Fissure of Woe and The Underworld than players from other regions. This leads us to two things that we can do: (1) We can make adjustments to help balance that access out most evenly, and (2) We can expand content to allow the same type of fun, high-level exploration and combat in other areas that do not have the same sorts of access requirements. Fissure of Woe and The Underworld are both fully optional. Yet we realize they are elite PvP areas, and that for some players, they are the most fun and the most rewarding areas in the game. But consider Sorrow's Furnace and Grenth's Footprint. They will be more readily entered no cost, no timing issues and they will offer the same quality of experience and reward as Fissure of Woe and The Underworld for high-level players. By offering these new areas, we provide a variety of experiences and opportunities, and we will continue to expand such options in the future.
