Turbine is releasing the latest expansion for Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO) this week with Menace of the Underdark. We had first been told of the expansion and its setting with the last content update, update 13, but this time we had a walkthrough with Executive Producer Fernando Paiz and a chance to view a lot of the content that is to be released on Monday. Interested in seeing what surprises await players in the Forgotten Realms? Read on!

A month back during PAX East, I got the opportunity to interview Turbine's Fernando Paiz on Dungeons & Dragons Online's Menace of the Underdark (MotU) expansion, set to launch June 25th, 2012. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance for some hands-on experience with the content so, when guided developer tours were being set up, I made sure to get in line. Joining me for this particular tour was DDO's Senior Producer Eric Boyer, as well as Design Director Ian Currie, so read on for my first experiences with DDO's Menace of the Underdark!

Turbine confirmed a lot of things for excited DDO players today. Not only is the beta taking off May 10th, but it's exclusively to people who pre-ordered. That gives you who haven't less than a week to catch up. It's okay - I'll wait. Just hurry up.

The Menace of the Underdark expansion wouldn't be very menacing without monsters, so here you go - a gallery full of them. Meet the Monsters! The dire bear, the Green Dragon, the draegloth, the drider, the bebilith, the purple worm, and the werewolf!

ZAM is also having a small twitter contest to give away Winter Wolf Pup Pet Codes! Just tweet / follow @ZAMOfficial or @Pwyff with why you should have a Winter Wolf Pup, and we'll select some lucky winners throughout today! You may enter once per twitter account for a total of two entries! Be sure to follow us, or we can't directly message you with your winning code!

If you win a Winter Wolf Pup code, just go to myaccount.turbine.com, and enter the code we give you. Then, log into the DDO game client and receive an item in your character inventory. You can then redeem this in-game item to Caypenn Drop-Axe near the Leaky Dinghy in the Stormreach Harbor to receive your swag bag and Winter Wolf Pup!

While the Turbine booth - a subset of the WB Games booth - at PAX East 2012 was a little understated in comparison to the huge, sprawling behemoths of other developer booths (I'm looking at you, 2K Games), the content they were showcasing was anything but. In focus this time around was, of course, the Dungeons & Dragons Online team with their Menace of the Underdark expansion set to launch June 25th, 2012. While my interview with Fernando Paiz covers most of the big features coming in Menace of the Underdark, I can't stress enough how great these graphical additions are looking in the game. After my interview with Fernando, I sat down for a brief guided tour through Eveningstar and the King's Forest, and I can easily say this is an expansion done right. Not only is the DDO team pursuing new concepts and themes with Forgotten Realms, but the whole thing just looks sharp. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what the DDO team can do with Forgotten Realms. Now on with the interview!

Turbine has released a brand new behind-the-scenes trailer for their first expansion, Menace of the Underdark, in Dungeons & Dragons Online. With players leaving Eberron and making their way to the Forgotten Realms universe, we can expect some new gameplay themes, new mobs, new graphics, and a whole slew of new zones to explore. We got the chance to check out DDO's Menace of the Underdark at PAX East, so be sure to tune in next week for our preview article!

Heading over to PAX East this weekend? Enjoy getting free stuff? Then you’re in luck, as the good folks over at Turbine have you covered!

Throughout the weekend you’ll be able to catch up with Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO) developers on the show floor, as well as pre-purchase the upcoming expansion Menace of the Underdark. You’ll also be able to pick up an in-game swag bag which includes a server-wide Winter Wolf Creature Companion! A lifetime VIP membership is also up for grabs by entering the Lolth tournament at the DDO demo stations, with entrants getting a Drow miniature figurine just for taking part! 

You can find more information on the DDO official forums, but be sure to head down to the WB Games booth (#424) before the swag runs dry!

For those of you still making plans for your PAX East Evening Entertainment, Turbine has an invite-only event available to fans of their games! In order to celebrate 5 years of Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO), the DDO expansion pack, and 13 years of Asheron’s Call, the studio is holding One Turbine Party to rule them all! The event is the evening of Saturday April 7, but invites are limited and restricted to those 21 years or older. 

There’s more information on the event on the official LOTRO site, with even more exclusive swag up for grabs! You can get in by finding a member of the Turbine Community Team and asking nicely for an invite. And remember: first come, first served!

Well lookit that! The new expansion for Dungeons and Dragons Online, dubbed Menace of the Underdark, looks pretty great.

We've compiled a bunch of screenshots for the new expansion that you can find right here!

It's not much of a video, but Turbine left the announcement to the frontpage - the Druid, a long overlooked DND class, is joining Dungeons and Dragons Online.

The Menace of the Underdark expansion is on its way, and with it comes the Druid. Those who pre-order the anticipated expansion get in-game cosmetic bonuses, like a helmet, a wolf cub pet or - in a subtle shoutout to fan-favorite Drizzt Do'Urden - an onyx panther Figurine of Wondrous Power and an onyx panther cub. Sure, it's not Faerun in Dungeons and Dragons Online, but at least Drizzt doesn't make an appearance! 

Menace of the Underdark launches June 25th. 

Come Monday the 27^th, Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO) will release its newest content update. Titled “Web of Chaos,” the free update will set the stage for the expansion pack that is to be released later this year. We had the chance to chat with Fernando Paiz, the Executive Producer of DDO, who gave us the inside scoop not only of what to expect this week… but also what will be unveiled in the expansion pack! That information is under embargo until later this week so, for now, we’ll focus on update 13.