ArenaNet has launched a new blog and they're kicking off the first one with the MMO Design Manifesto. In the blog, ArenaNet studio head Mike O'Brien discusses Guild Wars 2 combat, storytelling, social interaction, and plans to evolve their games to make them even more fun and engaging. O'Brien touched on one hot topic that was debated to no end by gamers. Was Guild Wars an MMORPG? ArenaNet themselves described the game in their FAQ as a CORPG (Competitive Online Role-Playing Game). But this time around, O'Brien said there is no mistake, Guild Wars 2 will be an MMORPG. However, O'Brien goes into more detail about some of the plans the team has for Guild Wars 2, including adding the option for choices within the game's story.

In addition to great storyline and important player choices, another hallmark of great RPGs is that they create a world that feels real and alive. Let’s say a village is being terrorized by bandits. You don’t want to find out about that because there’s a villager standing there motionless with an exclamation mark over his head who says when you click on him, “Help, we’re being terrorized by bandits.” You want to find out like you would in GW2: because the bandits are attacking, chasing villagers through the streets, slaying them and setting their houses on fire. You can stand up for the villagers, or you can watch their village burn to the ground and then deal with the consequences. We’ve worked hard to create a living, dynamic world for you, where there’s always something new to do.