Neverwinter confirmed for 2011

A new Neverwinter game is in the works for PC and is expected to hit store shelves in Q4 2011.

The title – known simply as Neverwinter – is in development at Cryptic Studios which has worked on MMOs City of Heroes, Champions Online and Star Trek Online. It will be published by Atari.

In the game a ‘spellplague’ has taken a high toll on the population and is causing an army of evil minions to rise from the dead. Players will be able to choose from one of five Dungeons & Dragons classes and team up with others online to clean up the land of Neverwinter.

We’re beyond thrilled to develop a brand new version of Neverwinter,” said Cryptic Studios COO Jack Emmert.

It’s been years since the original became a gaming icon and we’re honored to work with such a great franchise.”

To accompany the PC game’s release there will be a book trilogy launched by New York Times best-seller author R.A. Salvatore and a table-top roleplaying game from Wizards of the Coast.

Liz Schuh, brand director for Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast added: We’re excited to invite millions of fans back to Neverwinter and we’re excited about the prospects for great digital gaming experiences based on this epic world.”

The original Neverwinter Nights was released in 2002 by BioWare and a sequel arrived in 2006, developed by Obsidian. A number of expansion packs have since been released for both titles.