FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:

NCsoft and ArenaNet have launched Guild Wars: Eye of the North, the first expansion to the Guild Wars franchise of subscription-free online role-playing games. Guild Wars players who purchase the expansion can access Eye of the North content through Guild Wars, Guild Wars: Factions or Guild Wars: Nightfall. The expansion also includes an innovative feature that allows players to take achievements they have earned over the years with them into the forthcoming Guild Wars 2.

Guild Wars: Eye of the North, continues the subscription-free business model pioneered by ArenaNet. The expansion is now available at www.guildwars.ph as well as from retailers nationwide.

Advancing the story told in the original Guild Wars campaign, Eye of the North is set in the unexplored area of the continent of Tyria. One of the highlights of the expansion is the Hall of Monuments, which allows players to preserve armor sets, pets, Heroes and titles earned while playing Guild Wars, Factions, Nightfall and Eye of the North, and take those accomplishments with them into Guild Wars 2.

The expansion also contains a host of new features that will appeal directly to veteran Guild Wars players, including 18 multi-level dungeons, 150 new skills across all 10 Guild Wars professions, 10 new Heroes to aid them in their adventures, 40 new armor sets, and more items, weapons and titles.

“We think fans will find a lot to love in Guild Wars: Eye of the North,” said Mike O’Brien, co-founder of ArenaNet. “Not only do we go back to the original Guild Wars lands and stories to wrap up plots and themes fans have clamored to learn more about, but we’ve also built a bridge to the future through the Hall of Monuments. This will give loyal players a way to preserve what they’ve accomplished in Guild Wars over the past two years and reclaim the legacy of their favorite characters in Guild Wars 2.”

The Guild Wars franchise recently surpassed four million units sold and is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed online role-playing game series of all time. Guild Wars 2 is expected to go into public beta in the second half of 2008. For more information, visit the Guild Wars website at www.guildwars.ph or www.guildwars.com.