Neverwinter Nights MMO Rumour

[vagabundo]

It seems Variety has posted a rumour that there is a Neverwinter Nights MMO in the works:

A couple of weeks ago, we posted word that recent Atari acquisition Cryptic Studios was working on breathing life into several Atari legacy titles. Now we’ve got a few more details to share.

Sources tell us that the developer is working on a massively multiplayer online (MMO) version of “Neverwinter Nights” with an eyed 2011 release.Neverwinternights-logo

Details about the project are unavailable, naturally, as it is an unannounced title. But this reportedly was the primary reason Atari was interested in acquiring Cryptic late last year. (The developer is currently working on “Champions Online” and “Star Trek Online”.)

Based on the third edition Dungeon and Dragons rules, “NWN” is a well-loved franchise. The first installment of the role-playing game was developed by fan-favorite Bioware in 2002. A sequel, developed by Obsidian Entertainment, came out in 2006 to slightly less favorable, but still solid, reviews.

Part of what made the game unique was its robust multiplayer component. Many players built persistent worlds, capable of hosting up to 75 players – in essence, mini MMOs of their own.

The new game represents a very big bet for Atari – perhaps as big as the company’s continued existence.

MMOs take a lot of time to develop properly and cost a lot of money to create. And Atari’s cashflow problems are well known. The company could currently be financing the game with the recent sale of its of a sales, marketing and retail distribution business to Namco Bandai.

Once it’s finished, though, things get even harder, as the “Neverwinter Nights” MMO will face some stiff competition.

“World of Warcraft” holds the dominant position in the MMO genre by a country mile, with over 10 million subscribers. The MMO graveyard is filled with titles that have tried to go up against it (see “The Matrix Online,” “Tabula Rasa,” etc.)

Additionally, with Bioware now owned by Electronic Arts, the company will not have any hand in the game’s creation, which could cause doubt among the franchise’s fans.

What say you? Does a “Neverwinter Nights” MMO hold appeal for you? And does Bioware’s lack of involvement make you wary? Sound off in the comments below.

Source: Rumor: Cryptic Making A Neverwinter Nights MMO - NeoGAF

 

[Banshee16]

It could be neat....but, without Bioware, I'm not sure how likely they are to succeed. Has Atari successfully pulled off a D&D game?

To say nothing of the fact that's going directly against WoW at this point (if the rumor is true).

Banshee

 

[Mad Mac]

Hmmm..only a rumour, but interesting. I have to say I truly don't understand the move lately to make everything an MMO. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems like MMORPG's is a hyper competitive niche with far more losers than winners.

That said, IF they are using Cryptic to create a NWN MMO, that does free up Obsidian to work on a single-player RPG, like a Baldur's Gate sequel.

Has Atari successfully pulled off a D&D game?

Atari is the publisher with the D&D license, they don't make games themselves, but all the D&D games over the last 10 years were published by them. They published a lot of 3rd edition videogames, but most of them were flops. NWN 2 though, was done by Obsidian, not Bioware and was a decent-ish success.

Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance was also a decent selling game, but I don't think they can get SnowBlind Studios back at this point.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Hmmm..only a rumour, but interesting. I have to say I truly don't understand the move lately to make everything an MMO. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems like MMORPG's is a hyper competitive niche with far more losers than winners.

Maybe it just a perception thing? How many "normal" games are considered successful?

I suppose everyone dreams of a success like WoW, but what many get is still sufficient.



I am not sure. Just like with the new Star Wars Old Republic MMORPG - my problem is I don't really want to play an MMO. I want to play offline, in my dark room, listening to dialogues exposing a complex and surprising storyline and tactically managing my party or my PC.

 

[Shemeska]

Interesting.

Two possible stumbling blocks for me though:

I've yet to be impressed by anything Atari has come out with as far as D&D associated games. For instance, while I enjoyed the game, I have yet to finish ToEE they made without spectacular, game killing crashes in the program.

Depends on if they set it in the 4e / post-Spellplague Realms. If they do, I'm simply not interested (literally any other Realms time period and they have my money though). And wasn't Neverwinter destroyed completely in 4e?

 

[Mournblade94]

This is a dumb move...

You have KNights of the Old Republic in 2011, by bioware. You then have WOW. The only thing that will compete with WOW is KotoR.

On top of that for 2011 you will most likely have a popular RPG coming out as an online as well (not made public, can't name my source, but he's working on it now, one of the bigger stand alone video game names.) there is a gamut of games coming out as MMO. I would love for some of these games to come out as regular games.

A good Superhero game in the mode of Kotor would be awesome. Also just a good fantasy RPG would be nice, instead of making everything online. I like to game at my own pace.

 

[vagabundo]

Interesting.



I've yet to be impressed by anything Atari has come out with as far as D&D associated games. For instance, while I enjoyed the game, I have yet to finish ToEE they made without spectacular, game killing crashes in the program.

Troika Games really did a good job on the interface and the engine for this game, it was a real shame it was rushed out by Atari - I believe the money ran out on it or something and they wanted a few more months to polish it.

TOEE has the best DnD engine/interface of any computer game.

 

[Jadeite]

Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance was also a decent selling game, but I don't think they can get SnowBlind Studios back at this point.

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance I and II were published by Interplay and the second part, which was a vast improvement in my opinion, was developed by Black Isle.

 

[avin]

The only thing that will compete with WOW is KotoR.

There has been what? Five MMOs that would compete with Wow and are dead by now.

The only thing will compete with Wow is the announced Blizzard's new franchise MMORPG.

 

[Mournblade94]

There has been what? Five MMOs that would compete with Wow and are dead by now.

The only thing will compete with Wow is the announced Blizzard's new franchise MMORPG.

Unless you are a proven company (BIOWARE), with a popular liscence (Star Wars), and doing it right; then you will give WOW some competition. I would not sell bioware short. They are not Sony doing Galaxies. No mmorpg thus released had a chance of being a competitor like this one does.