''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' is a

massively multiplayer online role-playing game A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game. As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...

(MMORPG) developed by

Turbine A turbine ( or ) (from the Greek , ''tyrbē'', or Latin ''turbo'', meaning vortex) is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced can be used for generating electrical ...

for

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

and

OS X macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...

. The game was originally marketed as ''Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach''. Upon switching to a hybrid free-to-play model it was renamed ''Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited''. The game was rebranded ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'', with the introduction of

Forgotten Realms ''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...

-related content. Turbine developed ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' as an online adaptation of ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

'' (''D&D''), originally based loosely on the ''D&D'' 3.5 rule set. The game is set on the unexplored continent of

Xen'drik Eberron is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') role-playing game. The game is set primarily on the continent of Khorvaire following a vast destructive war. Eberron is designed to accommodate traditional ''D&D'' elements an ...

within the

Eberron Eberron is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') role-playing game. The game is set primarily on the continent of Khorvaire following a vast destructive war. Eberron is designed to accommodate traditional ''D&D'' elements an ...

campaign setting A campaign setting is a setting for a tabletop role-playing game or wargame campaign. Most campaign settings are fictional worlds; however, some are historical or contemporary real-world locations. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adve ...

, and in the Kingdom of Cormyr within the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

Gameplay

Quests are narrated by a Dungeon Master, and some of the early voiceover work was done by ''Dungeons & Dragon'' co-creators

Gary Gygax Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering tabletop role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson. In the 1960s, Gygax creat ...

and

Dave Arneson David Lance Arneson (; October 1, 1947 – April 7, 2009) was an American game designer best known for co-developing the first published role-playing game (RPG), ''Dungeons & Dragons'', with Gary Gygax, in the early 1970s. Arneson's fundamental ...

Development

''Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach'' was developed by

over two years. The initial prototype and concept were created by Jason Booth, Dan Ogles, Cardell Kerr, Ken Troop, and Michael Sheidow, in coordination with

Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...

, the publisher of ''Dungeons & Dragons''. Gary Gygax provided some narration before his death.

Release

After testing was complete, a special head start event began on February 24 for those who pre-ordered, with the game opening to the public on February 28. As of April 2008, there were less than 100,000 subscribers for the game. In June 2009, ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' reopened beta testing, in preparation for their new free-to-play subscription structure. The free-to-play business model was introduced with the Eberron Unlimited upgrade in the summer of 2009. After the game went free-to-play, the company said subscriptions increased 40 percent by October 13 of the same year. ''

Engadget Engadget ( ) is a technology news, reviews and analysis website offering daily coverage of gadgets, consumer electronics, video games, gaming hardware, apps, social media, streaming, AI, space, robotics, electric vehicles and other potentially ...

'' noted pros and cons from a player's perspective with the change. A

beta Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; or ) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Ancient Greek, beta represented the voiced bilabial plosive . In Modern Greek, it represe ...

of the

version was released on December 17, 2012. In 2025, the game will open new 64-bit servers and offer free migration for players from old 32-bit servers.

Post-release modules

By June 2009, ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' was converted to a subscriptionless "free to play" game for players in North America, under the new name ''Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited''. The level cap was increased to level 20 and free users had access to the majority of game content; some features have to be purchased with ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' points or unlocked through play. There is a VIP access with additional features available, as well as free DDO points. Closed beta registration opened on June 9. The game and contents were free to download on September 1 for VIP members and September 9 for the general North American public. By December 2016,

was no longer developing the game, and a new studio was formed under the name Standing Stone Games, the staff of whom would be ex-Turbine. The publishing of the game was transferred from

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Warner Bros. Games (formerly Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) is an American video game publisher based in Burbank, California. The publisher was founded as a division of Warner Bros. on January 14, 2004, as well as the WB Games brand. ...

Daybreak Game Company Daybreak Game Company LLC is an American video game developer based in San Diego. The company was founded in December 1997 as Sony Online Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment, but was spun off to an independent investor in ...

. While a reason was not given for the transition, it was assured that the game would continue with new development.

Expansions

# Turbine released its first Menace of the Underdark expansion in June 2012. The expansion increased the maximum character level and added the druid class. # The Shadowfell Conspiracy was released in August 2013. It increased the maximum character level to 28, added 4 new races (iconic heroes) and new adventure pack located in Cormyr. # With the Mists of Ravenloft, released in December 2017, players venture to the lands of

Barovia Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a '' pocket dimension'' or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land pieces ...

and ultimately fight

Strahd von Zarovich Count Strahd von Zarovich is a fictional character originally appearing as the feature villain in the highly popular ''Advanced Dungeons and Dragons'' adventure module I6: ''Ravenloft''. Later, this character and his world would be explored in f ...

. Additional features include the Aasimar race in two flavors,

Vistani The Vistani are a nomadic ethnic group in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. They are based on depictions of the Romani people, and over time this depiction has been criticized as overly stereotyped and pejorative, and subject t ...

knife fighter, or

Sentient weapon A sentience, sentient weapon is a common plot device in many works of fantasy, mythology, and science fiction, and is related to the classic motif of the magic sword. Sentient weapons may be human, robotic, or Magic (fantasy), magical (as is the ...

s. # The Masterminds of Sharn, released in May 2019, sends players to

Sharn Eberron is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') role-playing game. The game is set primarily on the continent of Khorvaire following a vast destructive war. Eberron is designed to accommodate traditional ''D&D'' elements an ...

, the City of Towers. It introduced two variants of the

Tiefling The tiefling ( ) is a fictional humanoid race in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy roleplaying game. Originally introduced in the ''Planescape'' campaign setting in the second edition of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' as a player cha ...

race and a new fighting style: dual wielding crossbows. # In the Fables of the Feywild, released in November 2020, players travel into the mystical plane of the

Feywild The planes of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game constitute the multiverse in which the game takes place. Each plane is a universe with its own rules with regard to gravity, geography, magic and morality. There have been various offi ...

. Apart from new adventures among the fey, the update also introduces two variants of the Shifter race,

unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since Classical antiquity, antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn (anatomy), horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unico ...

mounts, and a universal enhancement tree: the Feydark Illusionist. # In the mini-expansion released in August 2021 players uncover The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. The update also includes the Horizon Walker enhancement tree, granting new options to bow users. #

The Isle of Dread ''The Isle of Dread'' is an adventure for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. The adventure, module code ''X1'', was originally published in 1981. Written by David "Zeb" Cook and Tom Moldvay, it is among the most widely circulated of al ...

, released in June 2022, increases the level cap to 32 and introduces two variants of the feline Tabaxi race. # In Vecna Unleashed, released in August 2023, players help Morgrave University neutralize the threat posed by

Vecna Vecna ( ) is a fictional character appearing in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Vecna has been named one of the greatest villains in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' franchise. Originally appearing in the ''Greyhawk'' campaign ...

. The mini-expansion brings balance adjustments to several classes and introduces the Machrotechnic epic destiny. # The 2024 expansion takes players to the ruins of Myth Drannor to interfere with the plans of the Red Wizards. # In the Lamordia expansion planned for summer 2025, players return to Ravenloft to investigate the Dark Lords. The expansion also introduces the

Dhampir In Balkan folklore, a dhampir () is a mythical creature that is the result of a union between a vampire and a human. This union was usually between male vampires and female humans, with stories of female vampires mating with male humans being rar ...

playable race.

Reception

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

'' ranked ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' No. 11 on their list of "The Top 11 Dungeons & Dragons Games of All Time" in 2014. The magazine described as the "first MMORPG to prove that free-to-play payment plans were viable alternatives to the then-dominant subscription model". Robert Hold of the

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

gave it a positive review, although he said some of the exposition seemed obvious.

Awards

* Freebie Award: Best Free-to-play-MMORPG (2009) – RPGLand.com RPGs of the Year 2009 * Best Free to Play MMO (2009) – MMORPG.com 2009 Awards * Best Free to Play Game (2009) – Tentonhammer.com Best of 2009 Awards * Best Multiplayer Game – 2006 British Academy Video Games Awards * Most Anticipated Game – 2005 MMORPG.COM Reader's Choice Awards * Best Persistent World Game – IGN.com Best of 2006 Awards * Nominee – Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year –

10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards The ''10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards'' was the 10th edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry during 2006. The awards were arranged by the Academy of ...

* Third Prize, Best Graphics (Les JOL d'Or 2006) * Third Prize – Public's Award (Les JOL d'Or 2006)

Lawsuits

On August 24, 2009, Turbine, Inc. filed a lawsuit against Atari claiming a breach of a licensing agreement for ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The suit alleged six counts over six years, including consistent breaches of contract, a lack of promotion and distribution, and attempting to gain additional money from Turbine's licensing of the D&D properties. Furthermore, Turbine claimed that many of the maneuvers by Atari were designed to either undercut the upcoming launch of ''Dungeons & Dragons: Eberron Unlimited'' or help Atari launch its own competing MMO.

Atari Atari () is a brand name that has been owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by French holding company Atari SA (formerly Infogrames) and its focus is on "video games, consumer hardware, licensing and bl ...

filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, and also filed a separate complaint to recover money owed to Atari resulting from an independent third party audit of Turbine. The case was settled out of court in 2011. Ontario-based web services company Treehouse Avatar Technologies Inc. filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Turbine, Inc., which claimed ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' had violated United States Patent No. 8,180,858 (Method And System For Presenting Data Over A Network Based On Network User Choices And Collecting Real-Time Data Related To Said Choices), which was awarded on May 15, 2012 to Treehouse's parent company WiLAN. Turbine settled the lawsuit by licensing WiLAN's technology.

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dungeons and Dragons Online 2006 video games Atari games British Academy Games Award for Multiplayer winners Codemasters games Dungeons & Dragons video games Eberron Fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing games Free-to-play video games MacOS games Video games developed in the United States Video games using Havok WB Games Boston games Windows games