Guild Wars 2 was facing a problem. The devs of ArenaNet wanted to show off the Jade Sea area to their players, but the area is also apparently a major part of the End of Dragons story to the point that even seeing monsters and NPCs there would be a spoiler. So what fans are getting is a zone tour that basically focuses on the zone itself, so those fans can watch with confidence.
The reason the Jade Sea had to be shown without any life in it is because it’s effectively a step forward in time in the EOD story – a place where the effects of what happens in the main narrative are seen. That doesn’t mean that players can’t visit the Jade Sea ahead of time, but if players do try to get past that barrier, there will be a popup warning of spoilers. That said, players can still enter the zone early if they really want to.
And they may want to; the Jade Sea is a gorgeous location with a massive monastery, a temple where players could learn about a mini-dungeon in the Jade Sea, an area where players can take on a map event involving bringing baby siege turtles to hatchling pools, and areas where players can hop into their skiff and putt around. It’s an understandably vague but still interesting watch for those hungry for more EOD previews.
