Neverwinter: How good is the MMORPG 7 years after release

The MMORPG Neverwinter was released in 2013 and continues to receive regular updates and expansions even now, seven years later. The latest is Avernus. MeinMMO author Andreas Bertits introduces you to the online role-playing game and has also spoken with Randy Mosiondz, Bill Yeats, and Jared Sears from Cryptic Studios.

Neverwinter is fundamentally based on the father of role-playing games, Dungeons & Dragons. Epic adventures in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms are at the center. Neverwinter relies on typical D&D elements such as adventure modules that guide you through the story and the game world, as well as diverse classes and team play. Because in D&D it is primarily about overcoming challenges as a group of different characters.

Neverwinter may not look as modern today as perhaps Black Desert Online, but it offers a lot of content for newcomers and also endgame content for veterans. All of this should keep not only D&D fans but RPG enthusiasts engaged for a long time.

So how does Neverwinter play these days? After all, it has gone through many changes over the years.

This is Neverwinter

What does the MMORPG offer? Neverwinter is based on the fourth edition of the pen-and-paper rulebook Dungeons & Dragons. Typically for an MMORPG, you first create a hero from eight classes and 14 races. Traditionally, you decide whether you want to be a tank, damage dealer, or healer. Each race offers you advantages and disadvantages as well as special bonuses.

Then your adventure begins in the besieged city of Neverwinter. But you will not stay there forever, as the adventures take you across the Forgotten Realms and even beyond. You will explore the icy Icewind Dale, the humid jungles of Chult, and even be taken to the horror dimension of Ravenloft. Everywhere you will face numerous challenges, exciting stories, action-packed fights against monsters, and plenty of loot.

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• PvE plays the central role in Neverwinter.
• PvP is possible in special areas like Gauntlgrym. There are also battles for strongholds and a PvP campaign.
• Skirmishes and dungeons offer special PvE challenges for groups.
• The trials represent PvE instances that offer you special rewards.
• Crafting such as gem crafting, armor and weapon smithing, and alchemy plays a role.
• You can form guilds.

Action-packed yet tactical combat

Basically, the MMORPG Neverwinter is based on the D&D rules of the 4th edition – with some adjustments to make the game also enjoyable as an MMORPG. This includes the combat. While it is turn-based in the pen-and-paper version, in Neverwinter, you engage in action-packed and fast-paced real-time battles against the monsters.

You have to actively dodge, aim, and strike. You don’t just click skills in the hotbar like you might in some other MMORPGs. This makes the fights dynamic and exciting. Nevertheless, there is an action bar where you can place special skills and execute them in the encounters.

Especially the fights against the many boss opponents become exciting and tactical challenges that you should only face as a group. You must recognize and exploit the weaknesses of the bosses in order to defeat them. This is often far from easy. Together as a team, victories over the boss monsters are always something very special.

What’s the catch with Neverwinter? Neverwinter isn’t the most modern game anymore, as you can tell by the graphics and the many zones into which it is divided. There is no open world. The game areas are sometimes larger and sometimes smaller.

Furthermore, grinding is definitely to be expected. Especially those who want to face the adventures solo will have to level up their character between quests. Those who find grinding tedious will have to bite the bullet here.

In addition, Neverwinter offers PvP elements, but these are not the focus of the gaming experience despite constant improvements. So those looking for a PvP MMORPG might not be happy with Neverwinter.

However, you can expect plenty of PvE content. You will be busy for months playing through the stories of the now 19 adventure modules. Furthermore, Neverwinter simply offers that special D&D atmosphere. If you love Dungeons & Dragons and might have grown up with the pen-and-paper game and the novels, you’ll surely feel right at home.

Randy Mosiondz, Lead Designer of Neverwinter, revealed how the developers keep the game interesting even seven years after release:

It is mainly thanks to listening to our players. We wouldn’t have the long-term success we have now, if we didn’t recognize the value of the player experience. When we release updates that the players like, they will let us know, and we provide even more such experiences. If they don’t like it, we work to remove the elements they don’t like.

Randy Mosiondz, Lead Designer for Neverwinter

How does PvP work?

PvP does not take center stage in Neverwinter. Everyone should be aware of this. There are several PvP options.

• Domination: On a special map, you fight in 5v5 battles for control of points that you must capture and hold.
• Gauntlgrym: Gauntlgrym is a very large PvP zone where 10 players fight against 10 opponents. The goal is to achieve 2,000 team points through battles.
• Fortress: Guilds receive their own fortresses that they can expand. In 20v20 battles, sieges around these “strongholds” take place.
• Open PvP: In Icewind Dale, there is a special area where every player can be attacked. Anyone who enters this zone to collect the valuable resource black ice will have to compete with other players.

So there are some interesting PvP options in Neverwinter, yet the focus remains on completing quests in PvE and experiencing the story.

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What about microtransactions?

Neverwinter is a free-to-play MMORPG and therefore finances itself through microtransactions. The Zen marketplace allows you to purchase epic companions or additional inventory slots with the in-game currency “Zen.” You acquire this currency with real money.

However, it is actually not necessary to engage with the Zen marketplace, as you can earn almost everything and also experience the story without spending a dime. While it is possible to progress faster through real money investment, those who are not interested in becoming the best player quickly can completely avoid the Zen marketplace.

You can also buy almost any item at the auction house with collected astral diamonds. One could say that the microtransactions in Neverwinter only serve convenience and are interesting for those who want to save time or compare themselves with others by reaching certain achievements faster. If you just want to experience the story, you don’t need to worry about microtransactions.

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How has Neverwinter evolved?

In the seven years that Neverwinter has been on the market, 19 adventure modules have been released, bringing plenty of new features, improvements, and changes.

Module Name	Release Date	Contents
Fury of the Feywild	22.08.2013	New campaign, salvaging feature, upgrading companions, weapon crafting and handiwork
Shadowmantle	05.12.2013	New campaign, ranger as a class, additional paragon path for existing classes, artifacts
Curse of Icewind Dale	13.05.2014	New campaign, PvP campaigns, keys for dungeon chests, class artifacts; paragon path for rangers
Tyranny of Dragons	14.08.2014	New campaign, artifact equipment, warlock as an additional class, race change, armor enhancement
Rise of Tiamat	18.11.2014	Extension of the last campaign, paragon path for warlocks, gem cutting, artifact off-hands and cloaks
Elemental Evil	07.04.2015	Paladin as an additional class, level increase to level 70
Strongholds	11.08.2015 with PvP extension on 15.09.2015	Guild fortresses and guild PvP
Underdark	17.11.2015	New campaign, Mantol-Derith as a new area
The Maze Engine	15.03.2016	New campaign
Storm King’s Thunder	16.08.2016	Additional areas in Icewind Dale
The Cloaked Ascendancy	21.02.2017	New campaign and River District area – expanded on May 2 with the Shroud of Souls update
Tomb of Annihilation	25.07.2017	New campaign and new area Chult – expanded on 24.10.2017 with the Swords of Chult update
Lost City of Omu	27.02.2018	Completion of the last campaign with a new area Omu and powerful items
Ravenloft	26.06.2018	New campaign in the new area Barovia
The Heart of Fire	06.11.2018	New, humorous campaign
Undermountain	23.04.2019	New campaign with additional area Undermountain
Uprising	13.08.2019	New campaign with new area Star Harbor
Infernal Descent	21.01.2020	New campaign with a new area, additional equipment, balancing update for DPS classes
Avernus	30.06.2020	Continuation of the last campaign, adjustments to the scaling system

Especially regarding scaling, that is, the adjustment of the difficulty level to the players’ level, which the new expansion Avernus addresses, Jared Sears, Lead System Designer for Neverwinter, told us more:

With Undermountain, we introduced the first scaling in Neverwinter. Since the original game setup did not have a backend scaling setup that would work with our combat and evaluation system, this was quite a large undertaking. The initial results were not quite what we ideally wanted or how the players wanted it to work.

We continued to work on scaling, including building more infrastructure so we could improve and develop the system further. Avernus is the module where we felt ready to release the next step in scaling, which brought it to a proportional style that many in the community desired.

But that’s not enough, as it’s still not as seamless and precise as we’d like it to be. Work on the next development is already underway and will be another big step in scaling for Neverwinter.

Jared Sears, Lead System Designer for Neverwinter

What does the new expansion Avernus bring?

With Avernus, the now 19th expansion of the MMORPG Neverwinter has been released, which according to Bill Yeats, Art Director for Neverwinter, was in development for six months. Since June 30, you descend into the first layer of the Nine Hells. Avernus is one big battlefield. There, devils fight against demons in what is called the Blood War. In the D&D lore, both monster races are at odds over which form of “being evil” is the “right” one.

Already in module 18, Infernal Descent, which serves as a prehistory to the RPG Baldur’s Gate 3, you experienced the beginnings of this new story and got a taste of the Nine Hells when the estate of the Vallenhas family was drawn into this fiery dimension and you were to save hundreds of innocent souls. Now the situation is escalating.

Over the years, we have explored many different locations on the Sword Coast and beyond. Bringing experienced adventurers into the first layer of the Nine Hells seemed to us a good choice to offer players new challenges.

A lot is happening in Avernus. We conclude the Vallenhas storyline that began with Infernal Descent and move on to a confrontation with Zariel herself, the ruler of Avernus.

We have a huge new adventure zone (where you can even drive an infernal war machine) a new “Path of the Fallen” campaign, new top-tier weapon sets, and a new trial known as “Zariel’s Challenge.” As the story progresses and the follow-up episodes are released, there will be more gameplay and rewards.

Randy Mosiondz, Lead Designer for Neverwinter

You must uncover the secret of the arch-devil Zariel. To do this, you use the so-called infernal machines, vehicles that somewhat resemble Mad Max films, and with which you move from quest to quest while demons and devils pursue you.

• You explore a large new game area full of dangers
• You experience the continuation of the great Avernus storyline
• The expansion brings a change in scaling. In this case, your item level, which determines your hero’s strength, is compared to the maximum of the map. The difference is then adjusted to character stats, damage, and hit points. This means that the difficulty level of an area is better matched to your character. Thus, even high-level players will always have a challenge, and for example, they won’t be able to farm areas that have become too easy for them.

Another reason why we decided to place players deeper into Avernus is the continuation of the storyline that we started with the Infernal Descent module (which was inspired by the Dungeons & Dragons campaign book Descent into Avernus).

Bill Yeats, Art Director for Neverwinter

Very interesting about the Avernus module is the ability to drive with the infernal machines, vehicles that seem somewhat unusual for a fantasy scenario. In this regard, Jared Sears, Lead System Designer for Neverwinter, explains:

I don’t think it’s fair to say that there’s any innovation in this module that constitutes a premiere for an MMORPG. With the majority of updates, it’s difficult for an MMO to say this. We never focus on doing something new for the sake of being new; our aim is always to find what would be a great addition for our audience and what serves them best.

For this module, it’s the first time players can drive vehicles in a zone that can also run over enemies. This wasn’t just an idea we had for something new to add to the game; it came from exploring what we could do to ensure that the hellish landscape of Avernus felt unique, vivid, and exciting. Hopefully, our players will feel the same excitement as when we first jumped into a rusty apocalyptic death machine and roared through the war-torn landscape.

Jared Sears, Lead System Designer for Neverwinter

Neverwinter and the future

How is Neverwinter doing approximately 7 years after release? Neverwinter has its loyal community and is playable on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. The exact player count cannot be determined, as no numbers have been disclosed for the own PC launcher or the console versions. Only Steamcharts indicates that an average of 3,190 players were online at peak times over the past 30 days. The ratings on Steam for the past 30 days stand at 82%.

Neverwinter is thus basically doing well. This is also evident from the fact that the developers continue to add new content in the form of large expansions.

Neverwinter has a Steam rating of 81%, but what are the developers planning to do to increase its success?

It is really an ongoing process. We have been working to build a strong relationship with our community through initiatives like the Collaborative Development Program (CDP). This provides us with a good relationship and a closer connection to our player base. Internally, we focus on improving the quality of our releases by addressing long-standing issues and enhancing the player experience.

Randy Mosiondz

What’s next for the MMORPG? There are still many adventures to tell in the fantasy scenario of D&D. D&D consists of more than just the Forgotten Realms. With Avernus and Ravenloft, we have already received two scenarios that take place in other planes/dimensions. But there are more worlds and dimensions.

Even the Forgotten Realms themselves have more to offer. For example, the land of Maztica far to the west or the desert kingdom of Zakhara to the south. And in the east lie the realms of Kara-Tur. So you would still have plenty to explore.

Our game focuses on the Forgotten Realms, primarily Neverwinter and the Sword Coast, and the associated planes that are part of Faerûn’s cosmology. While I am a big fan of all D&D locations (especially Dark Sun), if we were to visit these other locations, we would have to discuss with Wizards of the Coast to ensure that we can do well there.

Randy Mosiondz

Regarding graphical improvements, Bill Yeats and Randy Mosiondz explain:

Bill Yeats: As for the artistic side of things, I would love to upgrade the entire game to a PBR renderer (physically based rendering). That would be amazing for both me and the players.

Randy Mosiondz: We are always looking for updates to the Cryptic engine that would provide us with new and interesting gameplay. The nice thing about a shared engine for all our games is that innovations made in one game can sometimes be transferred quite easily to another game.

Bill Yeats and Randy Mosiondz

If a player wants to return to Neverwinter after 5 years: What development would you like to talk about that you are particularly proud of and that has changed the game for the better?

I think one of the biggest things is that we are over seven years old and still going strong. We are still free-to-play, we have a great community, regular updates with a lot of content, and we are available on both PC and consoles.

As MMORPGs gained popularity and the player base grew, I believe there was a trend toward action combat games and quick engagement. Fortunately, Neverwinter has these elements, so we just had to focus on offering more of the type of content that our player base enjoys.

Randy Mosiondz

For whom is Neverwinter interesting?

The MMORPG is particularly worthwhile for those who like D&D. You get the right atmosphere here, along with the Forgotten Realms providing the appropriate scenario. Furthermore, Neverwinter is interesting for those who enjoy PvE and stories in an online role-playing game.

Neverwinter is also worthwhile for console owners, as the controller controls are intuitive and work without issues. In addition, some quests can be completed in a relatively short time. So if you don’t have much time but still want to experience a mini-adventure, you will surely have fun with Neverwinter.

Is it worth getting started in 2020? Neverwinter has an enormous amount of content to offer. This may seem overwhelming at first glance. So take it easy. Start with the main story and slowly work your way through the modules. You will surely find players to support you, whether newcomers or veterans who can lend a helping hand.

In addition, there are always guilds looking for new members, which can also offer you help.

New players and those who want to check back in should take the following from Randy Mosiondz:

One of the major changes is the streamlining or simplification of much of the combat systems. The earlier systems were fine, but there were a number of balancing issues. Players could easily end up in a situation where, if they made certain decisions, they could end up having a bad player experience. After we made our combat revisions, this led to a better player experience for more players.

Randy Mosiondz