Beta/Getting Started

If you're having technical issues, please visit http://support.guildwars2.com.

Getting Started

The Guild Wars 2 Client

Follow the instructions below to download the client. Once you've obtained the client, we recommend that you allow it to update overnight, as there will still be a large number of files that will need to be downloaded before you can play the game. Make sure that you have at least 15 GB of space available on your PC's hard drive. German or French versions of the download instructions are available here: Download-Anweisungen: Deutsch Instructions de téléchargement en français

Download Instructions

In order to participate in the beta, you will need to download and fully update the game client, as detailed in the steps below. We recommend that you begin downloading the client as soon as possible so you are ready for the upcoming event beginning this Friday at noon PDT (GMT -8).

1. Download the Guild Wars 2 executable file.
2. Create a file folder on your computer where you wish to install the game, and move the executable file there. This is where the game will save data whenever it updates. Note: If you use Windows Vista or Windows 7, it is recommended that you install the game in a location other than the Program Files folder. Alternatively, you should run the game as an administrator.
3. Run the executable file.
4. Allow the game to patch the necessary data from our file servers.
5. Enjoy!

Be sure to keep your client updated throughout the week by starting up the game and allowing it to patch. This will ensure that you have a minimal number of files to download when you begin playing this weekend.

If you want to run the client overnight, you can create a shortcut and have it run with the command-line argument of "-image," which will tell the game to shut down once it has patched to the latest version. You can do this by right-clicking the shortcut, choosing "Properties," and adding "-image" (without the quotes) to the end of the "Target" field.

F.A.Q.

Q: I moved the .exe to a folder and launched it, but immediately crashed. What's wrong?

• A: This could be caused by a number of issues, but here are a few things to check for:

• Are you an administrator on your computer?
• You may need administrator privileges to run the client or properly access the folder in which your game client is located.
• Is the folder that contains the game "Read Only"?
• The client needs to add files to the folder when it patches in order for it to run properly. If the "Read Only" box is checked when you access the properties of the folder, uncheck it and try again.
• Is the Gw2.dat file "Read Only"?
• Once the executable file accesses our servers, it will begin to download a Gw2.dat file that contains the game's content. If your computer sets this as a "Read Only" file, be sure to clear the flag in the Properties menu.

Q: I've downloaded the client and now have to patch thousands of files. Is this normal?

• A: Yes, this is perfectly normal. These files are the most up-to-date content files in the game, and are absolutely required to play.

Q: What is a build, and why do they keep interrupting the game?

• A: A "build" is the technical term for a particular version of a game. Since Guild Wars 2 is currently being developed, newly updated versions are constantly being made available—on a typical day, there may be several new builds. Every time we distribute a new build, the game will automatically restart and download the new files.

Q: My file "repairs" itself every time I crash. What do I do?

• A: If this happens, the most likely possibility is that your Gw2.dat file has somehow been corrupted, either while downloading an update or during the crash. Try re-downloading the Gw2.dat file (by moving or removing the existing file) and see if that fixes the issue. (This may take several hours.) If you're still having problems, you may have hardware issues with your RAM or hard drive. There are a number of free programs, such as MemTest, to help you diagnose your system if this is the case.

Q: My client gets stuck at "Connecting to ArenaNet…" while updating. What do I do?

• A: This is usually caused by a firewall, which may be blocking your ability to connect to the ArenaNet servers. We recommend disabling your firewall first and seeing if this fixes the issue. AVG Antivirus has also been known to cause problems by blocking Guild Wars 2 from connecting to our servers.
• If disabling your firewall doesn't work, and you are able to access the Internet through other games or in a Web browser, you may need to re-download the game's executable file or the Gw2.dat file (as it may be corrupted).

Q: Media Center launches every time I launch Guild Wars 2. How do I stop it?

• A: Right-click the client shortcut and select "Properties." In the command line, you should see "-mce" at the end. Delete this tag and then click "OK."

Q: A new patch just came through, and now I can't log in. What should I do?

• A: After a patch, the game server can still take a minute or two longer to update and catch up to the new build. If a patch just went through, please wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists, you can visit http://support.guildwars2.com for more information