No Neverwinter Nights 2 'til October

Atari confirms the long-awaited sequel to the popular D&D-inspired role-playing game has been slightly delayed.

During its publicity buildup to E3 this year, Atari announced that Neverwinter Nights 2, the sequel to its popular PC role-playing game, would ship worldwide in September 2006. The news was welcome to fans who had long awaited the sequel to the BioWare-developed, Dungeons & Dragons-inspired Neverwinter Nights. This time around, development duties were being handled by Obsidian Entertainment, the independent studio founded by a group of former Interplay and Black Isle notables, including Feargus Urquhart (Fallout 2, Icewind Dale).

Today, though, Atari announced that Neverwinter Nights 2 will be missing its September ship date--slightly. "Given the sheer size and scope of Neverwinter Nights 2 and its 50 to 60-hour single player campaign, it was decided to move the global release date of Neverwinter Nights 2 out a month to late October," the France-based publisher said in a statement. "This extra time is invaluable as it allows fine tuning and polishing of both the single and multiplayer experiences."

Neverwinter Nights 2 aims to both emulate and expand upon the original, which offered a huge single-player adventure, online capability, and tools to create levels. The new toolkit will include all-new texture sets for new environment types, as well as implementation of the SpeedTree middleware, which lets the game render large clumps of trees and other vegetation quickly. The game itself will include a new party system that will let players build a bona fide adventuring party with up to four characters. GameSpot's previous coverage has more details on the game.

68 Comments

  • DarkWraith72

    Posted Aug 29, 2006 7:27 am PT

    I find this to be reassuring news. The longer it takes, the less likely it'll be as flawed as KoToR II (which was flawed somewhat by an apparent rushed-release by publisher lucasarts), but just as enjoyable, if not more so.

    I'm all for it taking as long as it has to.

  • delam

    Posted Aug 27, 2006 3:09 pm PT

    Man this game could not be comming out at a worse time, I have to Study for My Microsoft 70-282 test, to finnish up my MCSE. As soon as this game comes out I won't be able to do anything else. I am excited to finnish my module in the new toolset. I started one a few years ago but stoppeed because of the limitations the aurora tool set. At last all my friends will be able to expierence The city of doors and ravenloft the way it was supposed to (at the very least the way I invision it.) Currently I have a little over 40 hours of gameplay when it is all done and tested I will upload it to a server so all you can enjoy it as well.

  • redvodka

    Posted Aug 3, 2006 10:16 am PT

    I'm not surprised that it is delayed. WoW delays their shipping date to make their MMORPG right, and Atari and Obsidian should similarly do the same if we are to get a great game such as Neverwinter Nights 2.

    I can't wait for the game!

  • Telran

    Posted Jul 26, 2006 2:55 am PT

    I'm not holding my breath, personally... they said June, it didn't happen, they said September, it didn't happen... I'll believe it when I see it. At least it gives me time to save up for the upgrades I'm going to need to do to my pc just to run the blasted thing! It struggles with the graphics on NWN1!

    But I've seen the list of spells for a sorcerer.... I CANNOT WAIT!!!!! I may go into seclusion for a month, just to play it!

  • markmccartney

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 6:00 am PT

    I'll be happy just as long as they include a sorry note & a coupon for some free doughnuts... or maybe HMV £30 vouchers..

  • friky00

    Posted Jul 22, 2006 1:19 am PT

    NNOOO¡

    Ahh, well the wait for NWN 1 was worst.

  • SuperHero687

    Posted Jul 20, 2006 5:01 pm PT

    I'd rather they release it a month later and in a more polished state than in mid september followed by a patch in october for all the stuff they missed.

    If they were planning on a september release, I'm sure the extra time will be well spent on lots of little fine tuning adjustments. That kind of polish will hopefully make the game just that much better!

    *crosses fingers*

    P.S. Go Obsidian, and sweet gods of gaming goodness, for the love of all that is holy and digital, bring us Fallout 3!!!

    P.P.S. Don't bother flaming me, I'm fully aware that the wonderful people at Bethesda are the ones developing the game.

  • chic-warmer

    Posted Jul 20, 2006 2:52 am PT

    Its stupid! i've bin waitin for an era till 'neverwinter nights 2' came out and they delay it further!!!

  • CripticChaos

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 10:25 pm PT

    Why do they torture me with their delays

  • Illeagle34

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 9:02 pm PT

    As much as I am dying for this game to come out (NWN is perhaps my all-time fave game), I don't have a problem with them polishing up the game. Anything that makes the finished product better is welcome to a delay.

  • Elfin

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 5:00 pm PT

    Although I'm sorry it aint comin out sooner, At least maybe I can finish Oblivion first.

    I am excited for it to come out though. NWN 1 was one of my all time favorite RPG's. Both single and multi-player.

  • ningasniper

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 4:52 pm PT

    I Hope They Don`t made limte for the Player Level and made it tall game

  • jasonxes26

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 4:09 pm PT

    waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.....NWN2.....
    How long must we wait???

  • Darin

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 3:51 pm PT

    Yeah...I really don't care...as long as it is coming...I'm satisfied!

  • jekyll

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 3:14 pm PT

    For how long we've been waiting, a month isn't terrible.

  • tashpool

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 2:56 pm PT

    Now when is my OpenGL Mac/Linux based NWN2 coming out Atari?

  • HectorIssac

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 12:26 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • rawgutts

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 9:56 am PT

    I just want find a host who will run the game for me, I want it on a beast of a server farm for folks to play and a crap load of bandwidth to boot so everyone can have fun with it..

  • Mawryk

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 9:07 am PT

    Well, one or two less patches that have to be downloaded. And hopefully this means no content is cut out. Luckily there are tons of NWN1 mods that I can play in the mean-time and in between time!

  • idan25

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 8:55 am PT

    First of all, a month is not THAT bad.
    I think it's better to wait a month and get a better game.
    During development, you find new ideas to implement and that takes time. So if you have a good development team, you are bound to take more time because of good ideas.

    (let's hope it's that and not that someone messed up a whole batch of code)

  • Veretax

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 8:39 am PT

    Not much of a story here. with what I've seen so far Obsidian is doing a Smash up job with NWN2. I have no doubt that I'll not regret shelling out fifty clams to purchase it provided I can run it on my system that is. There really is no need to get upset about a delay, just as long as they don't keep saying its a month away I'm fine with it.

  • Inv_Machine

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 5:02 am PT

    Man, I like my games well developed. But whatever Atari, just get it done this year. =P

  • Treesong

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 12:35 am PT

    Are we allowed to see the sky this time around? Looking at the screenshots, I'd say yes!

  • ymcop

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 12:32 am PT

    I like this game, even I have never played it! Why? because it's never come to the right time. usually late and late!

  • beh64

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 9:15 pm PT

    and how many times have we heard the 'ol b.s. line about "fine tuning and polishing" and the game would still be riddled with bugs.

  • beh64

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 9:11 pm PT

    nwn 1 single player sucked, plain and simple.

  • FronzenShock987

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:55 pm PT

    Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've waited for nothing!!!

  • patobuck

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:36 pm PT

    I only want the release, nothing more

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:35 pm PT

    NOOOOOO!!!!!! Why do you toy with us Atari? Oh, well. Just make it good.

  • Destroyeron13

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 7:47 pm PT

    One month isn't that bad.

  • antispimmer

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 6:56 pm PT

    Tough news to take, but probably better in the end.

  • Moptop

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 6:26 pm PT

    Bullocks!

  • grey-flood

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 6:21 pm PT

    you all had to see my face when i see this damn news

  • Kenito93

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 5:35 pm PT

    A delay! Nooo! Oh well. I need to upgrade my graphics card for NWN2, and I'll only be able to do both on Xmas. This just means I have less to catch up to with the other fans.

  • Shinoto

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 5:35 pm PT

    I can Wait, I played the first one for months

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:49 pm PT

    thats ok

  • zub1

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:44 pm PT

    I'm getting tired of all the game delays. Developers need to work harder to make there date. The same thing goes for when I turn in my essays. But then again...I guess it is better for the game. Hmm...

  • Maui00

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:30 pm PT

    aahhh. that's too bad

  • umbrae

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:28 pm PT

    Noooooooooo.... *echoes off into the distance*

  • Najikill

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:25 pm PT

    ARw.. Bloody.. Doh! Can't.. WAIT!

  • ShotGunBunny

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:19 pm PT

    DAMN! I'm a huge fan of NWN1 and just couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel, especially since the toolset has been greatly improved.

    Strange though, just a few hours ago I was thinking about NWN2, and this random thought just floated by like "they might still delay it", and guess what!

    Hmm, at least I'll have more time to finish up my project for NWN1, not that I needed any.

  • Fallout_red

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:11 pm PT

    Kant wait!!! but this is good for us all, since they can make a more polished game now. I hate Bioware and SW: KOTOR but Obsidian's sequel to that game is one of my favorties (Im a long time Fallout and Black Isle fan... ). NWN2 shall rule... hopefully.

  • n-phreak

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 4:10 pm PT

    i hated nwk1

  • hemakm3

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 3:49 pm PT

    would rather wait if game is improved by delay.

  • honk_sm

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 3:22 pm PT

    Finally, some of the studios doing it right. I am so sick of games that are pushed out fast just to meet some deadline or money issue. If the game is not good enough, then delay. I think that we would all rather have that happen than end up with a product that requires a dozen patches that could have been avoided with an extra month of work. Thank you.

  • XXJGeneration

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 3:21 pm PT

    I'm actually glad it was delayed... considering what happened with Obsidian's last title, KotOR 2 and all it's cut content.

    Polish is good.

  • XNbuck

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 3:20 pm PT

    Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo0!

  • Dana2503

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 3:16 pm PT

    Come on, people, what is going on? I bought new RAM memory only because of this game!!!

  • dim_33

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 3:01 pm PT

    Yo I live in Russia so Im gonna get this game in september and buy it for like 5$ or something so though luck for you all guys )))

  • runstalker

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 2:56 pm PT

    Ideally this is being done to ramp up the marketing on the title. It's been rather hush-hush, especially during Atari's recent re-shuffle. It needs a higher profile.

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