Guild Wars 2 skipping E3, first hands-on at gamescom

ArenaNet's upcoming MMORPG Guild Wars 2 won't be appearing at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.  Rather, the developer plans to save the first hands-on public demo of the game for later this summer for gamescom (August 19-22) in Cologne, Germany where studio head Mike O’Brien and German community manager Martin Kerstein will provide more details about their demo.

Global Brand Director at ArenaNet Chris Lye says the company's reasoning for this decision stems from an aversion to the event.

First, let’s get one of the most-asked questions out of the way. We are NOT going to be on the floor at E3. We really have mixed feelings about E3. On the one hand it can be a great centralized way to meet press and retailers. On the other hand, it’s anti-fan. As the marketing guy, if I’m going to spend a boatload of money on a booth, videos, props, etc., I want to be able to share it with the folks who’ll geek-out on it the most – the fans! IMO, E3 could steal a page from gamescom, which is a combination of a civilized business/industry area and a showy exhibit hall that’s open to consumers. If they did that, E3 would be a no-brainer in my book.

Don't live anywhere near Cologne?  Never fear, as GW2 will also be making an appearance at PAX Prime this fall.  The event, taking place September 3-5, promises plenty of fun, and the chance to meet your favorite artists, designers, as well as try your hand at the highly anticipated demo.