Today marks the official launch of Guild Wars, ArenaNet's free-to-play MMORPG:

Thursday 28 April 2005/... ArenaNet®, creators of the highly anticipated online roleplaying game Guild Wars®, and NCsoft® Corporation, the world's leading developer and publisher of online computer games, today announced that Guild Wars is available at retail in Europe, North America and Australia.

Guild Wars is the ultimate global online RPG, a transporting experience that transcends the boundaries of geography, technology and language. Play with anyone, anywhere, at any time and there's no subscription fee required. Guild Wars immerses players in a colorful, robust and detailed online fantasy world where success is determined by player skill, not by the time spent playing.

"By bringing together the best elements of action, roleplaying and massively multiplayer games we have created a unique gameplay experience that appeals to casual and core players alike," Mike O'Brien, ArenaNet co-founder said. "Players throughout Europe, North America and Australia will now be able to compete in the Guild Wars world together."

Players must select eight of the more than 450 available skills to build competitive characters for each battle. Challenging gameplay forces players to use their heads and make good decisions in a brains-over-brawn battlefield. Dramatic guild challenges, tournament play and arena combat provide a unique game experience each time players log on.