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    Guild Wars 2

    Game » consists of 3 releases. Released Aug 28, 2012

    Guild Wars 2 is an online RPG developed by ArenaNet, and continues the subscriptionless business model of the original Guild Wars. The game is set about 250 years after the events of its predecessor in a world devastated by the ancient elder dragons resurfacing after millennia of slumber.

    Kekai Kotaki Departs from ArenaNet

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    Jazz_Lafayette

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    #1  Edited By Jazz_Lafayette

    Award-winner and seemingly all-around cool dude Kekai Kotaki, Concept Art Lead for GW2, earlier announced that he would be leaving the company where he's spent the previous 8 years to stretch his creative muscles elsewhere. In the blog post he also reminisces on how he started (doing ground texture work) and thanks ANet for making his first job in gaming a successful one.
     
    ArenaNet is widely considered to have one of the best teams of artists in the games industry, and Kotaki was a major part of that team's output. Regardless of what he chooses to do in the future, no doubt many Guild Wars fans (myself included) will be sad to see him go. You can find a large sampling of his work at his website.
     

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    PeezMachine

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    #2  Edited By PeezMachine

    I'm not an art guy, but even I could tell that Kotaki had chops. Seemed like a solid dude, judging from interviews. Let's hope his departure won't affect any GW2 content that comes out down the line (and that he has fun with his work).

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    Maystack

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    #3  Edited By Maystack

    Ah man, that sucks. His concept art was amazing.

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    ajamafalous

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    #4  Edited By ajamafalous

    lol at that armor.

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    Stete

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    #5  Edited By Stete

    That pic screams Vagrant Story, if there's ever a sequel this guy should work on it.

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    deactivated-6418ef3727cdd

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    His art is quite beautiful, but they were probably done with the vast majority of the concept art for Guild Wars 2. I'm looking forward to whatever he comes up with in the future.

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    Jimbo

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    #7  Edited By Jimbo

    I didn't know his name until now, but the concept art is my favourite thing about Guild Wars 2. I don't think he's gonna struggle for work.

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    Jazz_Lafayette

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    #8  Edited By Jazz_Lafayette
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    zyn

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    #9  Edited By zyn

    Sad to see him go but good luck also!

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    UssjTrunks

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    #10  Edited By UssjTrunks

    He looks like an extremely talented dude, but Anet is stacked in the art department. His concept art wasn't even my favourite. I don't expect game design to be affected in any meaningful way.

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    Istealdreams

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    #11  Edited By Istealdreams

    can someone please write a sensationalized article on the incredibly sexualized look of that female? I can't believe that we still have to deal with this in artwork after thousands of years!!! Someone needs shaming!

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    deactivated-5cc8838532af0

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    I can't wait for people to get pissed about the armor.

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    Benny

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    #13  Edited By Benny

    @UssjTrunks: If you google him, the GW2 art style seems to be exactly the same as his style, so I do wonder how influential he was during his time there. As you say though, there will be a lot of artists there who can really step up now.

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