ArenaNet has announced that Guild Wars 2‘s January content will be releasing next week, titled Flame and Frost: Prelude.

This content sets the stage for a massive narrative that will bring “big changes to Guild Wars 2 in the months to come,” according to the developer. The new features include:

• Temple of the Silent Storm Week: From January 28—February 4 the regular eight-team/three-round paid tournaments will be replaced by two-team/single-round paid tournaments in the Temple of the Silent Storm map. After the week is over, we’ll add Temple of the Silent Storm to the regular rotation of both free and paid tournaments.
• Improved Achievement System: We’re adding a new rotation of daily achievements to add variety and encourage you to explore the open world. You’ll get different achievements every day of the week and a new achievement tracker in the UI to make it easier to track your progress.
• New Achievement Laurels: You’ll earn these brand-new laurels as a reward for daily and monthly achievements. Redeem these laurels for rewards like the new Ascended gear and Infusions.
• Guesting: With the new guesting system, you can play with friends on other worlds in the same region (North America, Europe) without changing your homeworld. Guesting is free, but going forward there will be a gem fee for transferring home worlds, so make sure you’re on the home world you want to permanently play on before 28 January.
• New Utility Infusions and Ascended Amulets: We’re adding a wide range of new gear that can be purchased with the new laurels. With 5 new Utility Infusions and 30 Ascended Amulets to choose from, there’s something for every style of player.
• More Upgrades and Improvements: We’re making a ton of other improvements to the game this month, such as enhanced performance in WvW, adjustments to side-kicking balancing, and UI improvements, which will be detailed in our release notes.
• New Items in the Gem Store: It’s a new year, which means all-new items and a redesigned favorite in the Gem Store. From Baby Quaggan Backpacks to Riding Brooms to the revamped Box o’ Fun, you’ll find it all in the Gem Store.