Wizardry Online is a planned online installment in the classic Wizardry series of role-playing games, announces Japanese MMOG publisher Gamepot Inc. (not to be confused with GameSpot or GameStop), saying the game will launch for North American and European audiences next year. Here's word:

“Wizardry Online hearkens back to the original allure of the groundbreaking Wizardry RPG series, but brings an updated flare for modern gamers,” said Shuhei Ueda, president of Gamepot. “Now, for the first time ever, players around the world can step into the impressive action and captivating lore of this world in a free-to-play, online format. We’re confident the return to hardcore role-playing elements will be a shot in the arm for gamers looking for a new challenge in the genre.”

Developed in conjunction with Japanese game studio Headlock Inc., Wizardry Online will offer multiplayer features new to the Wizardry series such as party play and player versus player (PvP) combat, while maintaining the classic style that the series is known for. Hardcore gamers will revel in the return of the complex dungeons that punctuated earlier iterations, and soon will find that the game is fraught with significant peril: Wizardry Online features permanent death, in which player characters can be removed from the game upon dying, creating a more immersive experience.