Neverwinter Coming To Xbox One First, PS4 To Follow

**Update**  Neverwinter will be coming to XBox One on March 31st, 2015

Back in December of 2013, we reported that free-to-play MMORPG publishing giant Perfect World Entertainment intended to bring their MMO titles to consoles. Proving good on their word, this past week, they have finally revealed that Cryptic Studio’s Neverwinter will be coming to consoles in the first half of 2015. The popular MMORPG will be available first on Xbox One and will be free-to-play for anyone with an Xbox Live Gold membership. This will mark the first console MMO to debut for Microsoft’s next-gen platform.

Speaking on the transition from PC to console, Perfect World Entertainment CEO, Alan Chen said:

Neverwinter is our premier title to bring to console players. Consoles are a perfect fit for action-oriented MMORPGs like Neverwinter, and we are thrilled to be one of the first publishers to bring premium free-to-play titles to leading next-gen platforms. Being able to bring Neverwinter to the Xbox One is a critical achievement for Perfect World. It is our first step taking our games beyond the PC Market.

Suspiciously absent from the press release was any mention of Sony’s console juggernaut, the Playstation 4. The system has been outselling the Xbox One significantly since their releases in November and sports an ecosystem more acclimated to the MMORPG genre, having seen several MMO releases between the PS3 and PS4 generations. Despite the exclusion, the not-so-subtle use of the plural word ‘consoles’ and the phrase ‘first on Xbox One’ would seem imply that it will arrive, just at a later date.

Neverwinter is based in the popular Dungeons & Dragons universe and features authentic narratives and gameplay opportunities. Launching in the summer of 2013, the game was received to mixed reviews, with the brunt of the negativity aimed at the game’s auction house exploits and pay-to-win cash shop — something that has become synonymous with the free-to-play MMORPG genre.

The PC version of the game is entering its fourth module on August 14, 2014 with Tyranny of Dragons. Players are also able to create their own quests using the in-game Foundry and integrate them seamlessly into the game, providing potential for endless content. All features will be making their way to the console counterpart, with only minor exceptions being made. For continued coverage, make sure to keep it here at MMO ATK.