The Neverwinter brand contracted and grew in different mediums across a variety of media when Wizards of the Coast settled its lawsuit with Atari over the Dungeons & Dragons brand on the same day that Heroes of Neverwinter launched in beta on Facebook. The Neverwinter launch includes R.A. Salvatore's fiction, comics, tabletop role-playing, a cooperative online role-playing game (CORPG) and social media.
Heroes of Neverwinter, created by Atari and Liquid Entertainment, is 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons' an evolution of the persistent browser-based role-playing game (PBBRPG). It features the basic Dungeons & Dragons races and classes, but unlike Dungeons & Dragons: Tiny Adventures, it goes beyond the solo experience to reproduce the feel of an adventuring party. The game uses tactical maps, character movement, and initiative just like its tabletop counterpart and players can recruit up to four party members to participate in the adventure with them. The beta quickly filled up but new slots are opening all the time. You can join at http://apps.facebook.com/neverwinterheroes/ or become a fan of the Facebook page for updates.
The same day Wizards of the Coast, through Hasbro, settled a two-year old dispute with Atari over digital licensing rights of the Dungeons & Dragons brand. Digital licensing rights have been returned to Hasbro, but Atari will continue to develop and market several games under license from Hasbro and Wizards, including the #1 Xbox LIVE® hit Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale and the upcoming Heroes of Neverwinter for Facebook.
Things look uncertain for the Neverwinter CORPG, the first to feature the 4th Edition rules. The acquisition of Cryptic Studios by Perfect World Entertainment Inc. from Atari in July 2011 has delayed the Neverwinter PC Game scheduled for release later this year. Perfect World will be "investing in a more immersive experience" for release in late 2012.
Comments