Neverwinter delayed until late 2012

Hasbro and Atari today announced a settlement to a legal dispute launched in December of 2009 over the rights to use the Dungeons & Dragons license for the upcoming multiplayer RPG, Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter. The settlement notes that Hasbro will keep the digital licensing rights to the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, though Atari will also be able to develop and sell a "selection of games" under the license. The Facebook game Heroes of Neverwinter and downloadable Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale are two such examples. Sadly, that resolution hasn't kept Neverwinter from being delayed.

Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter

The decision to push the release isn't due to the prior dispute. Rather, it's the delay is described as a side-effect of Atari's recent sale of Cryptic Studios to Perfect World Entertainment, according to a report on GameSpot.

The initial information about the game revealed a co-operative focus, allowing players to select from traditional D&D character classes and team up with up to four other players online for the requisite questing and looting. A single-player component with AI companions is also still planned, as far as we know.

Dungeons and Dragons: Neverwinter is now planned for a "late 2012" release.