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When Neverwinter was released in 2013, many MMORPG players deemed it a World of Warcraft killer. Initially, the game looked incredibly promising. Being the second MMO title to adopt the extremely popular RPG tabletop game Dungeons and Dragons, Neverwinter had successfully brewed the perfect concoction to lure millions of fantasy lovers from all over the world.
During its release year, the game had gained quite a following in the RPG gaming communities. But as time went on, it caught the Elder Scrolls Online disease. With aggressively pushing monetizations and some seemingly "shady" tactics to make the players spend real money, the question arose. Is Neverwinter pay to win in 2024? And unfortunately, the answer is yes.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
Why Neverwinter is pay to win in 2024
Neverwinter offers a free base game and modules, with optional purchases available through Zen currency. While it is possible to obtain almost everything in the game without spending money, acquiring certain items, such as loot boxes and keys, through the Zen store can be seen as a little too iffy. These items aren’t necessarily vital for playing the game, but it will highly incentivize you to get them.
Playing Neverwinter, it is certain that you will receive a lot of loot boxes, and sooner or later, you will be intrigued to open them. But here’s the catch: the loot boxes may be plenty in the game, but the keys needed to open them aren’t.
It’s an extremely clever and psychological way for the game to make you want to buy resources such as the keys or the diamonds. Sadly, if you decide to buy keys and open the loot boxes, you will only be disappointed, as the loot boxes rarely have anything worthwhile.
What does the community say about Neverwinter’s monetization system?
Players' experiences with the game's monetization model vary. Some argue that the ability to exchange Zen for Astral Diamonds, the main currency used in the Auction House, blurs the line between free to play and pay to win. This system allows players to acquire various in-game assets by purchasing Zen, which gives an edge to the paying players compared to the ones who are solely grinding for resources.
One of the most influential online content creators in the MMORPG scene, Josh Strife Hayes, also denounced Neverwinter, alleging that this game is all about money. This is extremely sad because, in the same video, Josh shared that Neverwinter used to be his favorite MMORPG for a long time, and it has helped him go through many ups and downs in his life.
In the end, going through all these factors, it is clear that Neverwinter is not completely free to play in 2024. Surely, you can try to play it without paying, but your progression and experience will be much slower and agonizing than that of the players who opted to pay for microtransactions in the game. While games like Baldur’s Gate 3 are taking game adaptations of DnD to unfathomable heights, it is only depressing seeing the fall of one of its most promising MMORPG adaptations.
If you are looking for more games based on Dungeons and Dragons, check out our list of video games based in the Dungeons and Dragons universe.
