I just read from the official Guild Wars 2 FAQ:

“to allow players the freedom to play together even if their friends are at a much higher (or lower) level, we are planning to implement a strong sidekick system, similar to that used in City of Heroes”

I skipped the original Guild Wars after trying Beta: The jump from town to instance was jarring and the initial westernized anime look didn’t appeal to me either. It’s grown in ways I hadn’t expected though, graphically evolved into a look I appreciate more and so much content too. The single-purchase cost is certainly attractive.

I became sold on the sequel once I heard it would be more of an open world. Sidekick is a bonus I can’t ignore. I know my guildmates reading this will perk up at this news too. This will cement my preorder.

Still have to wait awhile though, they don’t have a solid release date yet.