ArenaNet
ArenaNet (colloquially ANet or Anet) is the development studio that makes Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. They are located in Bellevue, Washington, USA, and their stated mission is to "create a state-of-the-art, interactive game network and design premier multiplayer online games for dedicated game players." The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Korean company NCsoft, publishers of other MMORPGs such as Lineage 2, Blade & Soul and WildStar.
History[edit]
ArenaNet was founded in spring 2000 by Mike O'Brien, Patrick Wyatt and Jeff Strain. All three founders came from Blizzard Entertainment and were previously involved in the development of multiplayer online games such as Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft, World of Warcraft and the Battle.net gaming network. The newly-formed business was originally called "Triforge", but was changed to "ArenaNet" shortly after; it was acquired in 2002 by NCsoft.
ArenaNet is the developer of the Guild Wars trilogy: Guild Wars: Prophecies (2005), Guild Wars: Factions (2006), and Guild Wars: Nightfall (2006), as well as the Guild Wars: Eye of the North (2007) expansion pack. After the announcement and subsequent release of Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet ceased development of expansion packs or standalone sequels for Guild Wars, but has continued to support the game. Since 2013, ArenaNet transitioned to automated maintenance and support of Guild Wars.[1]
ArenaNet is currently focused on the development and support of Guild Wars 2, which was announced in 2007 and released in August 2012. Since the game's release, ArenaNet has continued to develop new content and features in the form of the Living World and Feature Packs and Releases, with content released for free to owners of the game. The studio announced Guild Wars 2's first paid expansion, Heart of Thorns, at PAX South in January 2015, and released the expansion on October 23, 2015. A second expansion titled Path of Fire was released on September 22, 2017, with a third, End of Dragons, was released on February 28, 2022.
ArenaNet guild[edit]
Some ArenaNet employees are members of a guild named "ArenaNet" with a unique graphical guild tag that is a stylized version of the studio logo. As with any guild, the guild name and tag are only visible while an employee is representing the ArenaNet guild. Many ArenaNet employees who are active players primarily play with their ArenaNet tag off and are members of other guilds.
The Guild Wars 2 Support Team, some of which are also known as "game masters" or "GMs," are a subset of ArenaNet employees who are responsible for providing in-game customer service and enforcing the Guild Wars 2 Code of Conduct.[2]
List of ArenaNet staff[edit]
Over the years, ArenaNet has grown to ~350 employees. Two of the three founders left the company in 2008, but Mike O'Brien headed it as the president for over 19 years until he left in September 2019. A list of the ArenaNet team can be found in the game credits, though there have been changes over time.
Analytics[edit]
- Jeremy Brown - Data Analyst
Animators[edit]
- Brian Walter - Senior Animator
- Chuck Jackman - Art Manager
Artists[edit]
- Aaron Coberly - Art Director
- Adam Hogseth - Lead Character Artist
- Chelsea Mills - Senior Prop Artist
- Chelsey Shuder - Cinematic Team Lead
- Chris Swick
- Dana MacDonald - Prop Artist
- Daniel Williams
- Danny Yeo
- Darren Chiu
- Dave Beetlestone - Environmental Art Lead
- Donald Phan
- Eli Hanselman
- Franco Galletta - VFX Artist
- Heather Nicole Smith - VFX Artist
- Hyojin Ahn
- James Van Den Bogart
- Jason Juan
- Jason Kim - Character Artist
- Jason Stokes
- Jean-Marie Scheid - 3D Artist
- Jenn Ravenna
- Jennifer Mills - Art Director
- Jessica Lewis - Cinematic Artist
- Joe Pikop
- Justin Fawcett - of Fawcett's Bounty and Fawcett's Revenge fame
- Kate Pfeilschiefter - Visual Development/Modeling/Creature Art Lead
- Kate Picchi - Creature Artist
- Katy Hargrove
- Kyle Bash - Environmental Artist
- Lee Bledsoe - Lead VFX Artist
- Logan Zayac - Environmental Artist
- Marcus Jackson - Character/Creature Artist
- Matthew Barrett
- Matthew Oswald
- Nadine McKee
- Nathaniel Hubbell - Senior Visual Effects Artist
- Paul Comte
- Pete Egbers - Creature Artist
- Ronald Kury - Creature Artist
- Shaun McNeely - 3D Artist
- Shawn Sharp
- Theo Prins
- Tracey West - Environment Artist
- Tsveta Komaticheva - Concept Artist
- Vicki Ebberts
Audio/Sound Team[edit]
- Bryan Atkinson - Composer
- Drew Cady - Audio Director
- Jasmine Serrano - Associate Sound Designer
- Jason Wolford - Lead Sound Designer
- Joseph Clark - Senior Sound Designer
- Katelyn Isaacson - Associate Sound Designer
- Lena Raine
- Maclaine Diemer - Composer
- Marissa Sipos - Voiceover Lead
- SungHa Hong - Sound Designer
Community/Marketing[edit]
- Brian Porter - Head of Global Marketing
- Elisabeth Cardy - Studio Brand Lead
- Jason Byfield - Cinematics Marketing Lead
- Justin Fassino - PR Manager
- Rubi Bayer - Content Marketing Manager
- Stéphane Lo Presti - French Content Marketing Manager/ArenaNet Communications Team
- Tristan Corbett - Global Brand Manager
Designers[edit]
- Adam Vance
- Ali Buntemeyer - Senior Game Designer
- Andrew Gray - Content Design Lead
- Andrew McLeod
- Annie VanderMeer - Senior Game Designer
- Anthony Ordon
- Ben Miller - of Miller's Sound fame
- Ben Phongluangtham - Design Manager
- Benjamin Spencer - Senior Technical Designer
- Cal Cohen - Game Designer (PvP/WvW)
- Cameron Rich - Game Designer (Living World)
- Chloë Mills - Senior Story Designer
- Clayton Kisko - Senior Game Designer
- Connor Fallon - Game Designer (Living World)
- Devon Carver
- Elijah Miller - Game Designer
- Elizabeth Yuan - Game Designer
- Floyd Grubb - Senior Game Designer (WvW)
- Irenio Calmon-Huang - Skills and Balance Team/Elite Specializations
- James Ackley - Audio Director
- Jason VandenBerghe - Director of Design
- Javier Benavides - Game Designer
- Jennifer Scheurle - Lead Game Designer
- Joel Eckert - Senior Systems Designer
- John Hargrove - Mobile Game Designer
- John Jarynowski - Content Designer
- Joshua Diaz - Rewards Team
- Justin Reilly - Senior Game Designer
- Karl McLain - Skills and Balance Team/Elite Specializations
- Kevin Stocker - Lead Designer
- Kirk Williford - Game Designer
- Kristen Mann - Development Director
- Link Hughes
- Matt Wuerffel
- Matthew Medina - Senior Content Designer
- Matthew Pennebaker - Game Design Lead
- Mike Ferguson - of Ferguson's Crossing fame
- Nick Hernandez - Game Designer (Living World)
- Robert Gee - Skills and Balance Team/Elite Specializations
- Roy Marks - Associate Designer
- Sean Conroy - Game Designer
- Stephen Hwang
- Steven McNally - Rewards Team Lead Designer (End of Dragons)
- Taylor Brooks - Skills and Balance Team Designer
- Tyler Bearce - Commerce Designer
- Will McDermott
- William Fairfield
Localization[edit]
- Anna Medina - Spanish Localization Specialist
- Bashkim Leka
- Jose Gomez - Spanish Localization Editor
- Nadine - German Localization Editor
- Sabine Frost - German Localization Specialist
- Sophie Van Hees - French Localization Specialist
Management[edit]
- Colin Johanson - Studio Director[3]
- JoAnna Frazar - Development Director
- Josh Davis - Head of Live Operations[3]
- Kyle Brink - Head of Development
- Sean Clark - GM, Studio Operations
Production Team[edit]
- Amy Liu - Executive Producer
- Cecil Armstrong - Producer, WvW Team Lead
- Emilio Pujadas - Cinematics Producer
- James Richter - Audio Producer
- Joe Belousek - Producer
- Kye Harris - Producer
- Matt Lambdin - Producer
Programmers[edit]
- Amy Gianetti - Gameplay Programmer
- Bart Kijanka - Director of Engineering
- Benjamin Arnold - Gameplay Programmer
- Chris Barrett - Gameplay Programmer
- Daniel Snider - Gameplay Programmer
- David Jackson - Content Programmer
- Erik Fagerstrom - Content Programmer
- Ester Ann Sauter
- Hann Jo Hopp - Web Programmer
- James Fulop - Senior Engine Programmer
- Jason Runta
- Joe Kimmes
- Joel Helmich - Gameplay Programmer
- John Corpening - Senior Software Engineering Manager
- Kyle Conroy - Senior Gameplay Programmer
- Paul Schwarzwalder - Gameplay Programmer
- Ray Patrick - Server Programmer
- Raymond Lukes - Gameplay Programmer
- Robert Neckorcuk - Server Programmer/Platform Team Lead
- Stephen Clarke-Willson - Studio Technical Director
- Steven Stadnicki - Software Engineer/Content Programmer
Security Team[edit]
Support[edit]
Quality Assurance[edit]
- Brett Nellermoe - QA Embed
- Connor Day - QA Analyst
- Ester Ann Sauter - Tech
- Kent Benson - QA Analyst
- Kevin Lepeska
- Matthew Burke - QA Analyst
- RJ Mitchell - QA Analyst
- Peter Larkin - Senior QA Embed
- Sam Clarke-Willson - QA Analyst
Narrative[edit]
- Alex Kain - Senior Writer / Narrative Designer
- Anatoli Ingram - Writer/Narrative Designer (Editing)
- Bobby Stein - Narrative Director
- Casey Anderson - Writer / Narrative Designer
- Daniel Barnes - Writer / Narrative Designer
- David Wilson - Editing Lead
- Erin Amschlinger - Writer / Narrative Designer
- Indigo Boock - Writer / Narrative Designer
- Morgan Lockhart - Senior Writer / Narrative Designer
- Stacy Kolden - Narrative Editor
- Tim Williams - Senior Writer / Narrative Designer
Former staff[edit]
- Aaron Linde - Lead Narrative Designer
- Aaron Roxby - Game Designer
- Allie Murdock - PvP Community Coordinator
- Angel McCoy - Senior Narrative Designer
- Anthony Tran - Game Designer
- Armand Constantine - Narrative Design Lead for Guild Wars 2 Living World
- Artem Sorokin - SFX Artist
- Bill Freist - Gameplay Programmer
- Bob Green - QA Team Manager and Lead
- Braeden Shosa - Lead Gameplay Programmer
- Brett Vickers - Technical Director
- Bryan Swan - QA Embed
- Buffy Rice - Event Coordinator and Assistant Office Manager
- Byron Miller - Senior Game Designer
- Carlon Addison - intern
- Casey Graham - UI Artist
- Chris Burgess - Sound Designer
- Chris Cleary - Analytics Lead
- Chris Whiteside - Studio Design Director - of Whiteside Ridge fame.
- Christian Nava - Gameplay Programmer
- Connie Griffith - Senior Game Designer
- Crystal Reid - Design Manager
- Crystin Cox - Lead Designer/Game Director (Monetization)
- Curtis Johnson
- Da-Hee Im - Cinematics Animator
- Dane Petersen - Character Artist
- Daniel Dociu - Chief Art Director
- Dara Potocska - QA Embed
- David Ortiz - Community Lead for Europe
- David Paul - Art Director
- Doug Williams - Artist
- Elvir Bahtijaragic - Technical Director
- Emily Diehl - Community and content manager
- Eric Flannum - Designer
- Evan Lesh - PvP Gameplay Programmer
- Evan Zynda - QA Embed
- Eve Eschenbacher - Voiceover Lead
- Gaile Gray - Communications Manager
- GM Talon - Lead Game Master
- Grant Gertz - Producer: WvW, PvP and Fractals
- Greg Bekken - Senior Cinematic Artist
- Hai Phan - Character Artist
- Heather Conover - Lead Game Designer
- Heron Prior - Lead Animator
- Horia Dociu - Chief Art Director
- Isaiah Cartwright - Design Director
- James Muree - QA Embed
- Jamie Ro
- Jason Reynolds - Team Lead (Living World, previously Raids and Fractals)
- Jeff Grubb - Designer
- Jeffrey Vaughn
- Jerry Schroeder - Sound Designer
- Jessica Price - Story Editor
- Jessica Teddy Croft - Designer
- Joe Longworth - QA Events Team Lead
- John Smith - Head of Analytics
- John Taylor - Studio Director
- Jon Olson - Gameplay Programmer
- Jon Peters - Designer
- Jonathan Sharp - Designer
- Josh Petrie - Engineering/Programmer
- Joshua Foreman - Environment Design Specialist
- Juhee Hong - Senior Environment Artist
- Julia Nardin - Narrative Lead
- Kate Welch - UI Designer/Host of Points of Interest
- Kayl Myers - Senior Environment/Tech Artist
- Keaven Freeman - Game Designer
- Kelsey Pickinpaugh - UX/UI designer
- Kevin Ehmry - Programmer - of Ehmry Bay fame
- Kirill Federspiel - Environmental Artist
- Kristen Perry - Artist
- Lauren Kamieniecki - QA Lead
- Kwan Perng - Narrative Lead
- Leah Rivera
- Lily Yu - Narrative Designer
- Linsey Murdock - Lead Designer, Living World
- Lisa Davis - Designer
- Lisa Fleck - Environmental Artist
- Mark Katzbach - Content Marketing Manager
- Martin Kerstein - Community Team Lead
- McKenna Berdrow
- Meagan Glennon - Environment Artist
- Melina Norfolk - Quality Assurance Principal Tester
- Mia Kim - Senior Character Artist
- Michael Henninger - Support Team Lead
- Michael Yichao - Narrative Designer
- Michelle Juett - QA
- Mike O'Brien - Studio Founder and Game Director
- Mike Silbowitz - Head of Global Marketing
- Mike Zadorojny - Game Director
- Nate Long
- Novera King - Writer/Narrative Designer
- Patrick Cooper - Environmental Artist
- Paul Ella - Producer: Raids Team
- Peter Fries - Narrative Designer
- Randall Price - Senior Vice President, Global Business
- Ree Soesbee - Designer
- Regina Buenaobra - Head of Content Marketing
- Richard Anderson - Artist
- Robert Djordjevich - Lead Designer/Game Director
- Robert Hrouda - Designer
- Ross Beeley - Lead Narrative Designer
- Roy Cronacher - Game Design Team Lead
- Samantha Rogers - Creature Artist, of Samarog fame
- Scott Mayhew - Character Animator
- Scott Allan - Visual Effects Artist
- Scott McGough - Narrative Lead
- Solar - Lead Skills and Balance Designer
- Susan Thayer - Lead Server Programmer
- Thomas Scholes - Artist
- Tirzah Bauer - Environmental Artist
- Tom Abernathy - Studio Narrative Director
- Xia Taptara - Artist
- Yamen O'Donnell - QA Tester
- Ylan Salsbury - Lead Gameplay/Tools Programmer
Related achievements[edit]
- Community: Carry the Creator — Complete a raid boss with an ArenaNet employee. (0 )
- Community: Channel the Creator — Complete a fractal with an ArenaNet employee. (0 )
- Community: Complement the Creator — Complete a daily strike with an ArenaNet employee. (0 )
- Community: Conquer the Creator — Defeat an ArenaNet employee in Player vs. Player combat. (0 )
- Convergences: Converge the Creator — Complete a Convergence with an ArenaNet employee. (0 )
- Community: Cozy Creator — Have an ArenaNet employee visit a homestead. (0 )
Notes[edit]
- Although ArenaNet hosts the wiki, ArenaNet employees that contribute to this or the Guild Wars Wiki do so as ordinary users, sometimes providing detailed renders, answering player questions and listening to player feedback.
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
- ArenaNet website
- NCsoft website
- ArenaNet on Wikipedia
- Support