ArenaNet and NCSoft has announced that their upcoming expansion to Guild Wars, entitled Guild Wars Factions will launch on April 28, 2006.

Factions will take place on the new Asian-inspired continent of Cantha, where players will fight a great evil and save a war-torn empire. Large-scale alliance battles will allow players to capture territory and change the battle lines.

"Guild Wars Factions is an exceptional game that invites players to immerse themselves in a truly epic adventure unlike any they have seen," says Patrick Wyatt, a co-founder of ArenaNet. "The four new mission types create a unique experience that will engage both the roleplaying and competitive gamer in cooperative conquest of territories and strategic battles. Set against the landscapes of the visually stunning, Asian-themed continent of Cantha, and with two new characters to choose from - Assassin and Ritualist - Guild Wars Factions will redefine the online RPG experience."

Guild Wars is considered unique in the current MMORPG market due to its lack of subscription fees. Players who pre-order Factions will be able to enter the beta for the expansion.