Guild Wars 2’s End of Dragons is officially live today – check out the new trailer!

It’s official: As of noon EST, Guild Wars 2’s End of Dragons expansion is finally live, sending players back into Cantha 16 years after the region was first introduced in Classic Guild Wars. Frankly, we can hardly believe it’s really happening, and we expect the game’s 16M lifetime players can’t either.

“End of Dragons will feature an all-new story set in Cantha, a multi-cultural land of magic and intrigue that was first seen in 2006’s Guild Wars Factions. This lush region dotted by islands and exotic architecture has been closed off and isolated from the rest of Tyria but will open its borders for the first time in over 200 years as players get the opportunity to discover its secrets. Thanks to a vast store of magical energy provided by the material known as dragonjade, Canthan technological achievements have transformed its tranquil beaches and temples into a mechanized center of industry. But the dragon cycle that has sustained the power of magic while blighting Tyria for ages is collapsing, and the secrets of the elder dragons will come full circle as players race to prevent a dire threat from destroying everything that Cantha has built.”

As we’ve been covering since last year, the expansion includes four new maps, new voiced characters, the siege turtle co-op mount, skiffs, fishing, adorable jade bots, new strike missions, new guild hall, and of course nine elite specs, one for each class, which we got to preview last fall. Guild Wars 2 is technically free-to-play, but expansions are still paid; the cheapest buy-in for this expansion all by itself is $29.99, with packs running up to $79.99 for extra goodies. [Edit: You can also get the big bundle with Heart of Thorns, Path of Fire, and End of Dragons for $49.99-$99.99 if you’re missing the earlier expansions.]

Happy launch day folks! If you’re stuck at work and can’t play just yet, have a look through some of our previews and guides, especially our guide for returning players – plus check out the brand-new trailer!