Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO) is gearing up for a year-long celebration to commemorate the iconic roleplaying IP’s 50th anniversary, coinciding with the Lunar Year of the Dragon in 2024. It’s almost like this was planned from the start!
In a recent announcement, the DDO team revealed a series of monthly promotions under the banner of ‘Year of the Dragon‘, featuring free dragon-themed gifts, archetypes, mounts, and more. That initial teaser has now materialized into a comprehensive promotion that mirrors the festivities of its Wizards of the Coast tabletop counterpart.
DDO enthusiasts can anticipate a continuous stream of monthly giveaways, enriching their gaming experience with exclusive in-game items, special cosmetics, and surprises that promise to infuse a ‘draconic’ edge into their adventures.
The festivities started with the release of a special code that DDO players can redeem to get a ton of the existing adventure packs. This code (FREEDDO2024) can be entered in the DDO in-game store and the deadline was extended an extra week, making it available until February 18.
We are celebrating 50 Years of Dungeons & Dragons in the Year of the Dragon! Read up on our upcoming free monthly gifts on https://t.co/GnxzXgfRWV: https://t.co/QHmDeOIF7k #DDO pic.twitter.com/xVrlSkoTho
— DDO Unlimited (@DDOUnlimited) February 11, 2024
Standing Stone Games, the team behind Dungeons & Dragons Online shared insights into the rewards in store for the players of the MMO. “In celebration of Dungeons and Dragons’ 50th anniversary, DDO is launching the Year of the Dragon, featuring a monthly giveaway of FREE dragon-themed gifts!” the team stated. Starting on the last Wednesday of every month, new drops will be released and will remain available to redeem for free only until the next offering debuts.
The Year of the Dragon promotion commences on February 28th, marking the release of the Dragon Lord archetype as the first in a series of monthly freebies. Fans who are familiar with the D&D TTRPG will recognize this as being based on the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition Prestige Class.
To provide a glimpse into the forthcoming monthly giveaways, the development team has outlined a roadmap for the Year of the Dragon. The release schedule spans thirteen months, covering February 2024 to February 2025. While the specifics for each month remain a surprise, DDO players may be able to speculate what they are with the indicators provided, as follows:
- March 2024 – Gift of the Silver Dragon (Free New Adventure Pack). VIP players will also get Daily Gold Rolls for the entirety of March.
- April 2024 – Curate your Expansion Pack (Xpack) Cache to get an Elixir of Discovery.
- May 2024 – Ground Bound Green Dragon Mount
- June 2024 – Dragon Hatchling Pet
- July 2024 – Blue Draconic Wings
- August 2024 – Draconic Raiders Reward Box
- September 2024 – Prismatic Dragon Outfit
- October 2024 – Horde of Discovery (Selector Box)
- November 2024 – Pick of the Dragons Lair (Selector Box
- December 2024 – Dragon Path Aura Footprints
- January 2025 – Armor of the Dragon Cult
- February 2025 – Dragon Disciple Archetype
Aside from the freebies, a major expansion set in the Forgotten Realms’ legendary Myth Drannor location is expected to be released some time in the middle of the year. Returning to Faerun is a sound strategy to tap into the new D&D fans brought in by the massive success of Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3.
There is also the yet-to-be-named event that will be held in place of a Hardcore Season. However, there has been some pushback from Dungeons & Dragons Online players regarding this decision. A section of the MMO’s player base only plays during Hardcore Seasons for the limited-time rewards and having their achievements recorded on the leaderboards.
Once the Year of the Dragon rewards begin cycling, Dungeons & Dragons Online players will have until the next drop arrives to claim the current month’s free gift. If unclaimed within that period, the reward may later become available as a premium purchase through the DDO store.
