The Guild Wars franchise - consisting of Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, and Guild Wars: Eye of the North - has reached the 5 million units sold mark in Europe, North America, and Asia. The first game was released in ‘05, so the 5mil mark was reached within three years.

No doubt one of the reasons the game has become so popular is the lack of WoW-like monthly fees.

NCsoft’s CEO Taek Jin Kim said Guild Wars is a proven success and that it has set a new standard for online RPG’s with its unique business model and “superior playability.”

ArenaNet co-founder Mike O’Brien adds that the 5mil mark is “extremely gratifying” for them and that it shows the hard work and dedication has resonated with the fans. “We are committed to supporting all of our Guild Wars players, and at the same time, we’re extremely excited to work on the game’s evolution. Certainly the future of Guild Wars is as bright as its past and present,” he added.

Guild Wars 2 has been in development for quite a while now, the game was announced last March. No hints on a release date yet, although a beta is expected around mid-2008.