REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Perfect World Entertainment Inc. and Cryptic Studios are excited to announce that the most anticipated and already widely-acclaimed free action MMORPG Neverwinter, set in the Dungeons & Dragons® Forgotten Realms^® universe from Wizards of the Coast, concludes Open Beta Testing and launches on June 20, 2013. The launch day also marks the live release of Gauntlgrym, Neverwinter's free level 60 PvE and PvP content for veteran players. Additionally, the first free content expansion to Neverwinter, entitled Fury of the Feywild^™, has been revealed.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120524/SF12225LOGO)

"Boy, we have a lot going on. But then that was the plan from the very beginning," said Cryptic Studios Executive Producer and COO, Craig Zinkievich. "The feedback from players has been incredible. With their help during our Beta Test periods and our accumulated experience from having launched five MMOs, we're confident we've worked out all the major kinks and can sustain the world of Neverwinter without the Beta safety net. I personally thank our Open Beta players for providing an enormous amount of valuable feedback and supporting us during every single step of the development process. As a token of that appreciation, we're running an in-game promotional event near the end of Open Beta. Of course, alongside the launch day comes the release of Gauntlgrym, which adds more end-game content. And, we just announced Fury of the Feywild, our first content expansion for Neverwinter, which will all be, in classic D&D^® fashion, Modules. Yeah, there is a lot going on. But we wouldn't have it any other way. The game is doing great and we love working on it."

"We have been thrilled with the work that Cryptic Studios and Perfect World have done on Neverwinter, and the tremendous response from the fans," said Nathan Stewart, Brand Director for Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast. "This is one of the Forgotten Realms' most iconic cities and we are excited for the millions of fans that will create their own stories in Neverwinter."

Neverwinter entered Open Beta on April 30, which allowed all players unrestricted access to the game world. Those who participate in Open Beta will see their entire game progress rolled over to launch on June 20, after a short maintenance.

The Gauntlgrym end-game content referred to features a massive PvE and PvP battleground where players fight for the greatest treasures hidden deep in the ancient Dwarven city.

Fury of the Feywild, the first Module for Neverwinter, is a free content expansion due this summer that chronicles an attempt by Fomorian Giants to seize the Elven city of Sharandar. More details about Fury of the Feywild are scheduled to be added to the Module's microsite (now just a teaser) as it closes in on its summer launch: http://nw.perfectworld.com/module1

Neverwinter is a free action MMORPG that features fast-paced action combat with epic dungeons. Players explore the vast city of Neverwinter and surrounding countryside, learning the vivid history of the iconic city and battling its many enemies. In Neverwinter, players can create their own quests and campaigns with the Foundry, a user-generated content tool. Foundry quests and stories can then be seamlessly integrated into the live game world.

For more information about Neverwinter, the end of beta event, and to begin playing now for free, please visit the official website: http://www.PlayNeverwinter.com

Perfect World Entertainment has also unveiled the trailer of Gauntlgrym. To download the trailer and new screenshots, please visit: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/o8egzo51cjatntk/MWVQ0XG3wE

ABOUT PERFECT WORLD ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Perfect World Entertainment is a leading North American online games publisher specializing in immersive free-to-play MMORPGs. Founded in 2008, Perfect World Entertainment has published many popular titles, including Blacklight Retribution, Forsaken World, Perfect World International and Star Trek Online. The company works closely with its American development teams and partners such as Cryptic Studios, developer of the highly acclaimed MMORPG Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter, and Runic Games, developer of the hit Torchlight series, to provide unparalleled quality of service and game experiences to its players. A subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), Perfect World Entertainment is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. For more information, please visit: www.perfectworld.com

ABOUT CRYPTIC STUDIOS, INC.
Cryptic Studios, Inc. is a leading developer of online games committed to delivering the next level of gameplay. Cryptic Studios, Inc. develops AAA titles for PC and is rapidly diversifying its portfolio of games to expand beyond the traditional MMORPG genre. In addition to its successfully launched "Champions Online: Free for All" and "Star Trek Online", Cryptic Studios, Inc. is now developing "Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter" and other unannounced projects. Cryptic Studios, Inc., a subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), is located in Los Gatos, CA.

ABOUT WIZARDS OF THE COAST
Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), is the leader in entertaining the lifestyle gamer. Wizards' players and fans are members of a global community bound together by their love of both digital gaming and in-person play. The company brings to market a range of gaming experiences under powerful brand names such as MAGIC: THE GATHERING, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and KAIJUDO. Wizards is also a publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information about our world renowned brands, visit the Wizards of the Coast Web site at www.wizards.com.

Dungeons & Dragons, Neverwinter, their respective logos, Forgotten Realms, Fury of the Feywild, Magic: The Gathering, and all character names are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. All rights reserved. Kaijudo is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast/Shogakukan/Mitsui-Kids.

CONTACT:
Derick Thomas
Perfect World Entertainment Inc.
(925) 487-3796
derick.thomas@perfectworld.com

SOURCE Perfect World Entertainment