ArenaNet continues to beef up their security for Guild Wars 2 allowing players to attach a mobile two-factor authenticator to their iOS, Android, or Windows smartphone. This feature utilizes a free app (Google Authenticator for iPhones and Android and Windows Authenticator for Windows Phones) to generate a six-digit code that needs to be entered when logging into the game. Hackers cannot access your account without also having access to your phone, but neither can you. So keep your phone close and charged if you want to keep up the fight against the forces of Zhaitan. ArenaNet mentions that the mobile authenticator is still in beta and using it is “at your own risk”. There are two major improvements they are already looking to add to the feature in the future:
- To increase security of your account, unlinking the Mobile Authenticator will require additional six-digit codes.
- We will be introducing an option to “remember my current network” so that you will not have to authenticate every login from trusted environments.
The network retention option will be a must-have for many gamers who don’t want to have a constant extra login step. It’s great to see improvements to account security being rolled out and I’m eager to see what the feedback is on this feature. For complete instructions on how to set this up, visit the Guild Wars 2 forums. What do you think the mobile authenticator? Are you going to grab the app now or wait until the beta phase is over? Let us know in the comments below.
