The end of the year seems to be a good time for awards -- all the cool kids are doing it, and Massively is nothing if not cool. Guild Wars 2 has been around long enough for me to have made some favorites. I've talked about features and things I loathe and love before, but now it's time to call out specific NPCs and instances, rather than general features. Before we get any further with this: These awards are purely my own opinion. Disagree with me? Great; write your own end-of-the-year awards. The more, the merrier.

Things have been getting spookier and spookier around the land of Tyria. If you're a Guild Wars 2 player, I sincerely hope for your own sake that you've been able to get some time in-game in the last few days. A lot has been going on -- there've been scavenger hunts, dark tales unfolding, spectral energy levels rising, maddening races up clock towers, and so much more!

Have you been missing out? Trying to decide how best to spend your precious holiday time in-game? Let's take a look at some of the big changes that have been creeping in with the shadow of the Mad King.

The Mad King hasn't been seen in Tyria for 250 years, which means it's about time for a reappearance! Guild Wars 2 is on the verge of its first major content update, and ArenaNet just shared a schedule for the Halloween story. Act one will begin on October 22nd, with the subsequent acts following on the 26th, 28th, and 31st. To whet your appetite for this spooky update, there's also a new video with a content tease, so head on over to the content page or check it out past the break.

If Guild Wars is more your speed, remember that traditional Halloween festivities will be commencing Friday, October 19th.