Neverwinter Online Coming to Xbox One in 2015 Following Chinese Release

Neverwinter Online Coming to Xbox One in 2015 Following Chinese Release

21
Richard Walker

Neverwinter Online is set to deliver free-to-play Dungeons & Dragons merriment to Xbox One in China on September 23rd, included in the box with every console. It'll be followed by a worldwide release on Xbox One during the first half of 2015, according to Lead Producer, Andy Velasquez.

The MMORPG will include "all the same races, all the same classes, all the same maps. The content will be there, with some minor exceptions," on Xbox One, Velasquez assures, noting that additional content from the PC version and a new interface will also be incorporated.

"Since we launched on PC we've added some bits to the endgame, and then we added another module which had another campaign at the endgame. So we'll probably stagger those releases [in the console version]," he said, also noting that the controls will be refined for the console version.

Abilities will be mapped to face buttons, for instance, while holding LB will enable you to swap them our for less frequently used abilities. There will also be a "tray" of commands listed in controller formation at the foot of the screen, presumably in a similar manner to the console version of Diablo III.

"From the beginning, we always received feedback that this would be great with a controller, and we even have a bunch of PC users who, using just a 360 controller, have come up with keybind files," Velasquez notes. "I basically just plugged a controller into my PC and messed around with different configurations. At this point now, I can't stand playing our game with a mouse and keyboard. I actually like playing it with a controller; it just feels better."

There's no cross-platform support planned, and in-game friends lists will be linked to Xbox Live rather than being tied to Neverwinter's own friends list. Neverwinter Online will be coming to China on September 23rd before releasing worldwide in 2015.

[Via IGN]

Comments
21
  • Never played this one...or heard of it for that matter...anyone know if it is any fun?
  • It's about time we started getting some MMOs. Elder Scrolls Online being pushed back felt like a kick in the teeth. Shame the rest of us outside of China have to wait so long :(
  • @2 not if you import it? ;) Remember the Xbox one is region free! This is obviously under the assumption that the game won't be region locked online to just china.
  • I might check this out depending on what's out at the time. It's a good idea to NOT release it in the west at the same time though with all those big hitters coming in and around Oct.
  • This could be good actually... I played it for a few hours not long ago and it's pretty good for a free MMORPG
  • So the 6 months Xbox One timed exclusivity for this title is actually a 6 month Chinese exclusive? I understand the big push dor the untapped Chinese market, but why alienate the rest of your consumer base on a region free console
  • @1 - yeah it's not bad at all for a f2p MMO. You can certainly get through it and enjoy the game without spending money. Unless it's changed since I last played I don't recall any paywalls.
  • I've not played the PC version so not sure how it's approached but can I assume that US and EU Xbox One players will not be able to play against/with Chinese players (similar to the region lock employed by Defiance at the beginning)? Because, unlike console exclusives where there is no cross platform play, regional exclusives on the same platform where regions can interact will just cause massive disadvantages, at least in the beginning.
  • Ok are the Dark Elves going to placed behind a paywall again? Or do you guys think they will be available from the start?
  • @3 I'm sure it's going to be a digital title since it's free to play. Might be hard to import
  • @9 I imagine that anything that is chargeable on the PC will still be chargeable on the console.
  • @3 and 10 if you change the region on your console to China and enter your card details with a random Chinese address then you will be able to download it and can still use it even after swithing the console region back to your standard one (it's what i did for Nutjitsu when it was released in the US 2 weeks before UK) However i have no idea whether you'd be able to access any servers or how bad the lag would be as you won't be in China. Still worth a shot though as its free to play
  • @12 he is referring to region online locking not disc locking look at monster hunter on 360 for a example where even if you bought a Japanese xbox and the game you couldn't play it unless you were on a japan internet provided
  • @3/10/12 Or you could just wait a few months for it to release else where...
  • Watched some vids of this. The game looks great. I definitely look forward to it on the One!
  • MMOs don't work on console : .. Anyway, Neverwinter is an epic series, you'll love it for sure!
  • @7 Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
  • I absolutely LOVED the original Neverwinter Nights. I'm hoping this follows that same vein? If so, we're in for a treat!
  • As long as it doesn't have monthly subscription fee (lookin' at you Elder Scrolls) I'll play it. Loved the other ones on PC.
  • Never even know a Neverwinter was coming to Xbox One, those games have been going on the pc for what feels like forever. Could be quite appealing actually - will keep an eye on things for next year in regards to that.
  • @19: Trust me, you want an online subscription fee more than you want the free-to-play model they used on the PC version. No matter how much you spent it always wanted another $10. The things you could buy felt extremely unsatisfying. As good as the game was it was basically just a test to see how much money you'd put into a game before you quit.
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