14 DAY TRIAL // What we know: Neverwinter is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Cryptic Studios and published by Perfect World Entertainment, which aims to transport players to one of the best-known cities from the Dungeons & Dragons universe.
Gamers will be able to take on a number of roles and then proceed to perform quests in and around the city of Neverwinter, which is still feeling the effects of the cataclysmic Spellplague that has affected the entire Faerun.
A dangerous rift is constantly spewing monsters that attack the city and players will also have to deal with internal corruption.
The developers want to put together a complex storyline that immerses players in the history and the present of the city.
The game system will be based on fourth-edition Dungeons & Dragons rules, modified in order to accommodate MMO requirements.
Cryptic is also planning a complex content creation system called The Foundry, which will allow players themselves to create game content, including their own complex dungeons and stories.
Neverwinter will use a free-to-play business model on launch and will allow players to purchase additional gear, both useful and cosmetic, with real-world money using a yet undetailed store system.
The MMO will be offered exclusively on the PC during the first half of 2013.
Why it matters: Neverwinter is yet another MMO that has moved from the subscription model towards free-to-play during the development process, mimicking an industry-wide trend.
The game is special because it uses Neverwinter as a setting, which will draw the attention of Dungeons & Dragons enthusiasts, and because The Foundry will give players an unprecedented amount of freedom to create and distribute their own content.
Neverwinter will have to have strong competition from the ZeniMax Online-developed The Elder Scrolls Online.
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