Neverwinter open beta starts April 30

An open beta for free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game Neverwinter will begin April 30, Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios announced today.

Cryptic and Perfect World have big ambitions for Neverwinter, saying the game is "proof that Western free-to-play games, when built from the ground up, can compete with even the biggest boxed subscription titles."

Not all gamers will need to wait until April 30 to jump into Neverwinter. A fourth closed beta period will begin April 12, allowing Founders to try out the game's professions: Leadership, Mailsmithing, Platesmithing, and Leatherworking.

This weekend beta period will last 60 hours.

Gamers can still become Founders by prepurchasing the game at Neverwinter's website. Those who buy the $60 Guardian of Neverwinter Pack or $200 Hero Of The North Founder's Pack are guaranteed access to all closed beta period.