Dark Alliance is an exciting, action-driven, hack-and-slash adventure filled with iconic monsters, legendary characters, and epic loot. Frost giants and vengeful dragons roam unchecked through Icewind Dale as invading armies of evil grow stronger every day. Now four heroes - Drizzt, Cattie-brie, Bruenor, and Wulfgar - must beat back the onslaught of unstoppable creatures and defend against the dark!

A spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance series featuring popular characters created by best-selling fantasy author R.A. Salvatore, the new Dark Alliance combines the pulse-pounding action of a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler with the progression and loot systems of a role-playing game.

Dark Alliance brings the Forgotten Realms to life in an explosive action RPG filled with real-time combat and dynamic co-op. Choose your hero—a fighter, rogue, barbarian, or ranger—as you beat back an onslaught of legendary monsters that have invaded Icewind Dale in search of a powerful artifact: the Crystal Shard. Explore the frigid world of Icewind Dale as you vanquish unstoppable bosses, earn powerful gear, and unlock new abilities to take on even bigger challenges.

Featuring couch or online co-op for up to four people, fans can play as scimitar-wielding hero Drizzt Do'Urden or one of his unique companions Catti-Brie, Bruenor, or Wulfgar as they set out on an action-packed adventure in the icy tundra of Icewind Dale.

“Dark Alliance marks an important milestone for us as the first Dungeons & Dragons video game to be published by Wizards of the Coast,” said Chris Cocks, President, Wizards of the Coast. “We’re excited to expand beyond the tabletop and deliver brand new type of D&D experience to long-time fans and new audiences when the game launches this June.”

Starting today, fans can pre-order the Digital Edition for $39.99 / €39.99 / £33.49 online via the official website or the standard edition and retail-exclusive Steelbook edition for $59.99 / €59.99 / £49.99 at select retailers. 

The Steelbook edition includes a Steelbook case, a printed art book, a downloadable Dungeons & Dragons soundtrack, a Beholder and Lich weapon set, and the forthcoming expansion “Echoes of the Blood War”. Fans can also opt to pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition for $59.99 / €59.99 / £49.99 that includes the upcoming expansion “Echoes of the Blood War” and the Lich weapon set. All pre-orders – regardless of edition or platform – will receive an exclusive in-game Beholder weapon set at launch.

“Dungeons & Dragons is the reason I became a game developer; it’s a lifelong dream realized to be able to create something that is fun to play over and over again with your friends,” said Jeff Hattem, studio head, Tuque Games. “Since announcing the game, we’ve worked to bring these iconic characters and monsters to life in a stunningly beautiful and fully realized world that makes you feel like you’re in the middle of combat encounters in D&D.”

Wizards of the Coast is making it easy to assemble your party. Players who purchase Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance  on PS4 will receive a free digital download code so that they can upgrade to the PS5, and vice versa. Players who pre-order on Xbox One Consoles or Xbox Series X|S will only have to buy the game once and receive it on both platforms through Smart Delivery.

We like to say that Dark Alliance is D&D after everyone has rolled for initiative. Our game is focused on combat. Each playable character has more than 50 combat abilities to master, giving you a lot of tools at your disposal.

That can also be a lot to remember. Which is why we’ve added something to our combat system we like to call Emergent Combat. We want you to feel powerful in combat from the start. But we’ve also set up plenty to master as you learn the strengths and weaknesses of each of your attacks, abilities, and combos. Our systems allows for button-mashers to do just fine and see their hero mow down enemies in epic fashion. But for players who want a more refined experience, the control is there to do specific guard breaks, executions, team attacks, giving them a sense of the depth of our system.

Our game is even better when you play with friends. We put the power of progression in the hands of the player, allowing you to largely choose in what order you complete the Dark Alliance missions. This makes it easier for you to jump into your favorite missions with friends without restriction and take down the big bads you want whenever you want.

Exploration is encouraged. Sometimes you might find a secret room or a puzzle that grants you new loot. Replaying levels is encouraged too. Up a mission’s Challenge Rating and take on harder enemies to get better loot.

So, who will you be fighting in Dark Alliance? Let’s cover two of those armies you’ll need to take on…

Introducing the Verbeeg of Dark Alliance

One of the most feared monsters of Icewind Dale is the verbeeg. These creatures were featured in the R.A. Salvatore novel, “The Crystal Shard.” Dark Alliance reintroduces verbeeg into the world of D&D; ogre-sized giant-kin, with a layer of bulk and blubber to keep them insulated against the frigid winds of the north. We also worked with the D&D TRPG studio to bring Verbeeg into the recent D&D sourcebook “Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden.”

Verbeeg sound almost friendly to hear them talk, but their ‘down home’ charm belies a vicious appetite for fresh meat. Their preference is for dwarves – the lobster of the verbeeg diet, given that they come in a shell (i.e. armor). But verbeeg will eat anything that walks or crawls.

Their raw size makes them an imposing force on the battlefield and their tactics are those of a hunter/trapper. They spend much of their time figuring out the best way to cook and prepare whatever, or whoever, it is they’re about to eat.

You will run into a variety of Verbeeg during your missions. Let’s cover their tactics so you can be prepared to face them in battle.

• Skewer: The weapon of choice for verbeeg is the harpoon. They like to try to skewer their enemies when they’re up close and personal.
• Throw: Verbeeg have skilled aim to throw their harpoon at you if you try to keep your distance.
• Reel In: If a verbeeg’s harpoon connects, they will reel you in like a fish on a hook – best prepare for a good thumping before they come in for a taste.
• Slam: Verbeeg can use their large stature to slam into the ground, dealing damage to anything nearby.
• Spew: Sometimes the things verbeeg eat don’t agree with them. The Spewer archetype will vomit up a puddle of poisonous goo that will sicken anyone who treads through it.
• Flesh Totem: The Butcher archetype carry a chunk of rotten flesh on their spear. When they slam it to the ground, the smell can be so overwhelming that it drains your stamina.
• Steel Trap: The Trapper archetype will toss out large steel traps that will snap closed on the unsuspecting, grappling you in place. Until you can force your way free of the trap, you’re easy picking.

Introducing the Goblins of Dark Alliance

There are more than 30 different enemy types you’ll pulverize in Dark Alliance. The most common are the goblins. The hills of Icewind Dale are riddled with goblin holes, which can be any divot or hollow where a goblin found shelter.

Goblins are easy targets one-on-one. They find strength in numbers. Understanding their own weaknesses helps them exploit weakness in others. They travel in deadly packs that together can take on and overwhelm the most hardened hero if you’re not careful.

Let’s meet the five types of goblins you’ll be slicing, smashing, hacking, and piercing in Dark Alliance.

• Goblin Warriors: The front-liners that fight with makeshift weapons and armor. They will try to surround and distract you for their heavier-hitting buddies to set up more devastating attacks.
• Goblin Defenders: The tanks of the goblin horde. Their metal armor and shields absorb most attacks and they can counter your attacks with shield bashes. But if you can break their guard and get through their armor, they’re as weak as any other goblin.
• Goblin Archers: These ranged attackers like to keep their distance from you. Along with basic arrow attacks, they can fire volleys of arrows into the sky to rain down on the battlefield. Sometimes their arrows can even be imbued with elemental energies.
• Goblin Booyahgs: The magic users of the goblin horde. They will send a lot of ranged elemental damage your way with the magic they wield or they will buff their allies with a globe of invulnerability.
• Goblin Captains: Every pack needs its leader. The Goblin Captains are the toughest fighters. They can deal more damage than the other goblin enemies and issue orders that make their troops work together more effectively. The banner they wear makes them stand out in the battlefield. It can inspire all the goblins present to keep fighting to the end. But if you can kill the Goblin Captain first, nearby goblin warriors will lose their will to fight and flee.

Key Features

• Conquer Unstoppable Monsters: Dark Alliance pits Drizzt Do’Urden and his legendary companions – Catti-brie, Bruenor, and Wulfgar – against some of the most iconic monsters from the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Frost Giants, Beholders, White Dragons—muster the strength to defeat them all against insurmountable odds.
• Fight Alongside Your Friends: Four friends can join online and fight together in a dynamic co-op experience with explosive real-time combat. Unleash devastating combos, and team-up moves as you topple unstoppable monsters. Bring your friends; take on impossible challenges.
• Choose Your Hero: Play as one of four distinct heroes, each with their own unique playstyle and customizable abilities. Complete missions and vanquish bosses to unlock new character specific skills and earn powerful gear, allowing players to take on even bigger challenges.
• Brave the Frozen Landscape: Dark Alliance brings the Forgotten Realms to life like never before – an action-packed adventure in the icy tundra of Icewind Dale. Explore the frigid and dangerous world of Icewind Dale as you defend your homeland from armies of abominable monsters.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on June 22, 2021.