<s>
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
is	O
a	O
free-to-play	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
developed	O
by	O
Cryptic	O
Studios	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
in	O
2013	O
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
in	O
2015	O
,	O
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
in	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Based	O
on	O
the	O
fictional	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
city	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
from	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
,	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
is	O
a	O
standalone	O
game	O
and	O
not	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
Neverwinter	B-Operating_System
Nights	I-Operating_System
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
was	O
originally	O
based	O
on	O
a	O
modified	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
4th	O
edition	O
rules	O
set	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
5	O
,	O
2011	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
gameplay	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
would	O
be	O
re-structured	O
into	O
a	O
free-to-play	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
with	O
extra	O
items	O
and	O
other	O
advantages	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
for	O
a	O
fee	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
setting	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
takes	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
time	O
when	O
the	O
eponymous	O
city	O
is	O
plunged	O
into	O
chaos	O
after	O
the	O
disappearance	O
of	O
the	O
last	O
Lord	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
aftermath	O
of	O
the	O
Spellplague	O
and	O
a	O
Primordial	O
Fire	O
Elemental	O
's	O
almost	O
destroying	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
as	O
seen	O
in	O
the	O
novel	O
Gauntlgrym	O
,	O
the	O
remaining	O
citizens	O
form	O
factions	O
and	O
struggle	O
for	O
dominance	O
over	O
the	O
populace	O
as	O
the	O
dead	O
begin	O
to	O
rise	O
and	O
attack	O
"	O
the	O
city	O
they	O
once	O
called	O
home.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
is	O
investigating	O
the	O
Sect	O
Crown	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
and	O
trying	O
to	O
figure	O
out	O
what	O
the	O
skeletons	O
and	O
another	O
mysterious	O
group	O
are	O
looking	O
for	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
included	O
locations	O
are	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
novels	O
Gauntlgrym	O
,	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
and	O
Charon	O
's	O
Claw	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Briefly	O
assuming	O
her	O
pre-lich	O
appearance	O
,	O
the	O
Lich	O
Queen	O
Valindra	O
attacks	O
the	O
soldiers	O
of	O
New	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
as	O
new	O
grounds	O
are	O
being	O
built	O
outside	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
city	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
being	O
repaired	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
their	O
ship	O
is	O
sunk	O
by	O
a	O
dracolich	O
,	O
adventurers	O
help	O
a	O
nearby	O
militia	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
against	O
Valindra	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
Ashmadai	O
active	O
in	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
the	O
Heroes	O
raid	O
the	O
fortress	O
,	O
defeat	O
Rohini	O
and	O
slay	O
her	O
green	O
dragon	O
Chartilifax	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
their	O
strength	O
grown	O
,	O
the	O
Heroes	O
of	O
the	O
Sleeping	O
Bridge	O
decide	O
to	O
end	O
the	O
destructive	O
conflict	O
between	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
and	O
Thay	O
by	O
targeting	O
Valindra	O
Shadowmantle	O
directly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
comes	O
under	O
a	O
death	O
curse	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lich	O
Queen	O
Valindra	O
,	O
having	O
restored	O
herself	O
after	O
her	O
defeat	O
at	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
attempts	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
Mythal	O
,	O
an	O
incredibly	O
powerful	O
form	O
of	O
ritual	O
magic	O
,	O
that	O
will	O
turn	O
every	O
dragon	O
in	O
Faerun	O
into	O
a	O
dracolich	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
late	O
August	O
2010	O
,	O
Atari	O
announced	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
to	O
be	O
developed	O
by	O
Cryptic	O
Studios	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
release	O
scheduled	O
for	O
late	O
2011	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
coincide	O
with	O
a	O
multi-media	O
event	O
revolving	O
around	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
including	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
four	O
books	O
(	O
one	O
already	O
in	O
stores	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
co-operative	O
board	O
game	O
and	O
a	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
role-playing	O
game	O
being	O
released	O
to	O
promote	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
the	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2011	O
,	O
Atari	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
selling	O
Cryptic	O
Studios	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
development	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
would	O
continue	O
as	O
normal	O
,	O
but	O
only	O
for	O
the	O
time	O
being	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Laura	O
Tommervik	O
(	O
Wizards	O
of	O
the	O
Coast	O
marketing	O
team	O
)	O
explained	O
the	O
approach	O
:	O
"	O
We	O
use	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
as	O
the	O
connective	O
tissue	O
across	O
multiple	O
product	O
categories	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
Cryptic	O
's	O
acquisition	O
by	O
Perfect	O
World	O
Entertainment	O
,	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
was	O
delayed	O
to	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Perfect	O
World	O
announced	O
that	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
had	O
shifted	O
from	O
the	O
co-operative	O
multiplayer	O
game	O
that	O
was	O
announced	O
the	O
previous	O
year	O
into	O
a	O
free-to-play	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
on	O
October	O
5	O
,	O
2011	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Perfect	O
World	O
would	O
later	O
again	O
delay	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
into	O
early	O
2013	O
to	O
better	O
polish	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
releasing	O
major	O
details	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Perfect	O
World	O
launched	O
a	O
viral	O
marketing	O
campaign	O
called	O
the	O
Siege	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
featuring	O
videos	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
at	O
Penny	O
Arcade	O
Expo	O
(	O
Pax	O
)	O
East	O
2012	O
,	O
where	O
it	O
was	O
awarded	O
Best	O
of	O
Show	O
by	O
MMORPG.com	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shannon	O
Appelcline	O
,	O
author	O
of	O
the	O
Designers	O
&	O
Dragons	O
series	O
,	O
wrote	O
the	O
"	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
Campaign	O
Setting	O
was	O
launched	O
as	O
4e	O
's	O
first	O
major	O
multimedia	O
release	O
—	O
a	O
marketing	O
approach	O
that	O
Wizards	O
would	O
regularly	O
use	O
in	O
later	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
 [ ... ] 	O
Two	O
more	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
computer	O
games	O
were	O
appearing	O
thanks	O
to	O
Wizards	O
 '	O
'	O
transmedia	O
 '	O
campaign	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
simply	O
called	O
"	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
"	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
center	O
of	O
the	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
rollout	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
 [ ... ] 	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
(	O
2013	O
)	O
finally	O
appear	O
only	O
after	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
The	O
near	O
18	O
million	O
players	O
amount	O
to	O
775	O
times	O
the	O
population	O
of	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
acquisition	O
,	O
Perfect	O
World	O
Entertainment	O
was	O
dissolved	O
into	O
Gearbox	O
Publishing	O
and	O
renamed	O
as	O
Gearbox	O
Publishing	O
SF	O
(	O
San	O
Francisco	O
)	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
now	O
the	O
current	O
publisher	O
for	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
,	O
while	O
Cryptic	O
will	O
continue	O
operations	O
as	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
The	O
Gearbox	O
Entertainment	O
Company	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
has	O
released	O
multiple	O
updates	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
called	O
modules	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
Northdark	O
Reaches	O
,	O
the	O
modules	O
were	O
released	O
simultaneously	O
on	O
PC	O
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
,	O
and	O
PlayStation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
has	O
attained	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
74/100	O
from	O
aggregate	O
review	O
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2013	O
,	O
Daniel	O
Tack	O
of	O
Forbes	O
wrote	O
:	O
"	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
offers	O
experiences	O
for	O
players	O
that	O
normally	O
would	O
n't	O
play	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
,	O
and	O
also	O
provides	O
a	O
framework	O
for	O
core	O
genre	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Looking	O
for	O
action	O
and	O
adventure	O
in	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
?	O
</s>
<s>
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
delivers.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Stephanie	O
Carmichael	O
,	O
for	O
VentureBeat	O
in	O
2013	O
,	O
wrote	O
"	O
It	O
may	O
have	O
its	O
flaws	O
,	O
but	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
is	O
highly	O
enjoyable	O
and	O
accessible	O
to	O
veteran	O
,	O
beginner	O
,	O
and	O
casual	O
players	O
alike	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2015	O
,	O
the	O
Polygon	O
review	O
reported	O
that	O
"	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
manages	O
to	O
map	O
your	O
heroes	O
 '	O
abilities	O
effortlessly	O
across	O
the	O
controller	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
scheme	O
that	O
feels	O
great	O
both	O
in	O
and	O
out	O
of	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unfortunately	O
,	O
other	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
port	O
totally	O
miss	O
the	O
mark	O
;	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
performance	O
,	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
can	O
really	O
take	O
a	O
dive	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2015	O
,	O
Boston	O
Blake	O
,	O
for	O
GameRant	O
,	O
wrote	O
"	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
is	O
the	O
first	O
true	O
MMO	B-Application
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
it	O
delivers	O
well	O
on	O
that	O
premise.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
And	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
Despite	O
its	O
PvP	O
shortcomings	O
and	O
current	O
framrate	O
issues	O
,	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
proves	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
solid	O
MMO	B-Application
for	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
owners	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
it	O
's	O
certainly	O
not	O
a	O
hardcore	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
,	O
it	O
's	O
a	O
fantastic	O
starting	O
point	O
for	O
console	O
gamers	O
or	O
those	O
who	O
have	O
little	O
experience	O
in	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2016	O
,	O
Ryan	O
Winslett	O
,	O
for	O
CinemaBlend	O
,	O
wrote	O
"[S]ince	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
has	O
proven	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
solid	O
action	O
MMO	B-Application
,	O
you	O
really	O
have	O
nothing	O
to	O
lose	O
by	O
giving	O
it	O
a	O
shot	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2016	O
,	O
Jason	O
Bohn	O
,	O
for	O
Hardcore	O
Gamer	O
,	O
wrote	O
"	O
Taking	O
on	O
a	O
review	O
of	O
a	O
title	O
the	O
size	O
and	O
scope	O
of	O
Cryptic	O
Studio	O
's	O
Neverwinter	B-Protocol
is	O
a	O
daunting	O
process	O
,	O
to	O
put	O
it	O
mildly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
and	O
that	O
"	O
For	O
no	O
cost	O
(	O
not	O
even	O
a	O
PlayStation	O
Plus	O
subscription	O
is	O
required	O
)	O
,	O
players	O
can	O
jump	O
in	O
and	O
play	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
available	O
on	O
the	O
market	O
at	O
any	O
price	O
point	O
today	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
