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Cryptic Studios turns 20 with Neverwinter & Star Trek Online updates

Cryptic Studios is turning 20 years old and is celebrating this milestone birthday with updates for two of its biggest games.

Ozzie Mejia

June 30, 2020 10:00 AM

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It's not often that a game developer manages to make it 20 years in this business. That makes Cryptic Studios something of a rarity in the gaming world. And they certainly have a lot to celebrate making it this long, so they've put together some major updates for two of its biggest games: Neverwinter and Star Trek Online.

Today sees the latest update for Neverwinter, titled Avernus. As the title implies, adventurers wander through the Wastes of Avernus and explore the first layer of the Nine Hells. Players will run into Archdevil Zariel's old companion, Lulu, who can assist with a locked infernal puzzle box. That is, assuming that she can get her memory back. So take a stroll through Avernus in an effort to jog Lulu's memory and get back to opening that puzzle box. It's not as easy as it sounds and, in fact, it'll prove so difficult that Makos and Mahadi will need to come along for the ride.

House Divided is the newest update for Star Trek Online. It gives returning players the chance to experience an epic Klingon-centric war story alongside Martok from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. After accidentally sending herself and players through time with stolen Federation technology, J’Ula, sister of T’Kuvma from Star Trek Discovery, finds herself at war as the modern Klingon Empire has done the unthinkable and allied themselves with the Federation. J’Ula and her lieutenant Aakar (Grandfather of Gowron) have taken it upon themselves to right this wrong, and call their true Klingon brethren to arms. It’s now up to the player to quell this rebellion alongside Martok and maintain the newly founded peace within the Federation.

While both Neverwinter and Star Trek Online are free-to-play, players can find special 20th Anniversary giveaway bundles for each game. The Neverwinter bundle is available now through July 6 and can be claimed by talking to an in-game Rewards Agent. The STO bundle can be picked up in 1 MT in Mudd's Market in the Zen Store.

For more on Neverwinter's Avernus update, check out the Neverwinter website. More information on the House Divided update can be found on the Star Trek Online website. Both are up and running right now.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?