Editing Guild Wars (section)

{{Short description|Series of online 3D fantasy role-playing video games}}
{{For|the first game in the series|Guild Wars (video game)}}
 
{{Infobox video game series
| title                  = Guild Wars
| image                  = Guild Wars logo.png
| caption                = Original ''Guild Wars'' logo
| developer              = [[ArenaNet]]
| publisher              = {{Video game release|class=nowrap|WW|[[ArenaNet]]|WW|[[NCSoft]]|BR|[[Level Up! Games]]|CN|[[Tencent Games]]|CN|[[Kongzhong]] <small>(formerly)</small>}}
| platforms              = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| first release version  = ''[[Guild Wars (video game)|Guild Wars Prophecies]]''
| first release date     = April 28, 2005
| latest release version = ''[[Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds]]''
| latest release date    = August 20, 2024
| genre                  = [[ORPG]], [[MMORPG]]
}}

'''''Guild Wars''''' is an [[online role-playing game]] franchise developed by [[ArenaNet]] and published by [[NCSoft]]. The games were critically well received<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/guildwars|title=Guild Wars (pc: 2005): Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=2007-09-13|archive-date=2010-04-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405232127/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/guildwars|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/guildwarsfactions|title=Guild Wars Factions (pc: 2006): Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=2007-09-13|archive-date=2010-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504150216/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/guildwarsfactions|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Guild Wars Nightfall (pc: 2006): Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/guildwarsnightfall|access-date=2007-09-13|archive-date=2010-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503135724/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/guildwarsnightfall|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Game Rankings&nbsp;— Search&nbsp;— Guild Wars|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/itemsearch.asp?itemname=Guild%20Wars|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026085144/http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/itemsearch.asp?itemname=Guild%20Wars|archive-date=2007-10-26}}</ref> and won many editor's choice awards, as well as awards such as "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Role-Playing Game of the Year|Massively Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year]]" by the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/images/press_release/AIAS-PressRelease-021006.pdf |title=9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Winners Announced by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |publisher=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] |access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref> as well as Best Value, Best [[Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game]] (MMORPG), and Best Game.<ref>{{cite web|title=Press: Awards|url=http://www.guildwars.com/events/press/awards/}}</ref> ''Guild Wars'' was noted for being the "first major [[Massively multiplayer online game|MMO]] to adopt a business model not based on monthly [[subscription business model|subscription fees]]",<ref>{{cite magazine| last = Cavalli | first = Earnest | url = https://www.wired.com/2008/02/guild-wars-brea/ | title = Guild Wars Hits 5 Million units Sold | magazine = [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] | date = February 26, 2008 | access-date = August 7, 2018 }}</ref> its [[instance dungeon|instanced]] approach to gameplay,<ref>{{cite web |title=Guild Wars|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=59083|publisher=[[Eurogamer]]|first=Kieron|last=Gillen|date=2005-05-16|access-date=2007-10-08}}</ref> and the quality of the graphics and play for computers with low specifications.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guild Wars|url=http://au.pc.gamespy.com/pc/guild-wars/613203p4.html|publisher=[[GameSpy]]|author=Dave Kosak and Miguel Lopez|date=2005-04-26|access-date=2007-10-08}}</ref> In April 2009, NCSoft announced that 6 million units of games in the ''Guild Wars'' series had been sold.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guildwars.com Press Release, Guild Wars Surpasses Six Million Units Sold|url=http://www.guildwars.com/events/press/releases/pressrelease-2009-04-24.php}}. Note that units sold does not equate to number of players, and, because ''Guild Wars'' accounts never expire, there is no notion of "active account" as used by other MMORPG companies.</ref> The sequel and fourth major entry into the series, ''[[Guild Wars 2]]'', was announced in March 2007 and released on August 28, 2012. It features updated graphics and gameplay mechanics, and continues the original ''Guild Wars'' tradition of no subscription fees.<ref name="eurogamer_iview">{{cite web
| title = The best things in life are free
| publisher = [[Eurogamer]]
| author = Purchese, Rob
| url = http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75018
| date = April 6, 2007
| access-date = 2007-04-17}}</ref> The ''Guild Wars'' series had sold 11.5 million copies by August 2015
<ref>https://www.engadget.com/2010/08/31/guild-wars-surpasses-6-5-million-sales-sequel-will-be-released/ GW1: 6.5M</ref><ref>[https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-08-27-arenanet-explains-guild-wars-2-going-free-and-the-addition-of-raids] GW2: 5M</ref>