The new Game of Thrones video game Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms, is based closely on George RR Martin's eternally unfinished book series and the cult-like HBO series of the same name. The above trailer, which is a HuffPost exclusive and will also be shown at the Dark Horse book during Comic-Con, certainly looks pretty special, especially for a browser-based game.
The game is primarily aimed at existing fans. After all, who else could understand a description that reads:
“[The game] begins after the deaths of King Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark. The Starks of the north declare war on the south and Baratheon’s two brothers both make claims to the throne."
However, that doesn't mean that it won't be a fun ride for anyone willing to click and play.
Here's what we know about it: the game has been developed by HBO and German developer BigPoint, who built Battlestar Galactica Online.
Unlike the previous A Game of Thrones: Genesis game, it'll be free to play, and browser-based, so both Mac and PC compatible (though not Linux at launch), and is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG).
Players choose to ally themselves with one of three houses, Lannister, Baratheon or Stark. They then form alliances to try and take control of Westeros (the kingdom where most of the TV show takes place) through Player vs Player combat and multiplayer sieges; combat will use keyboard and mouse combinations to launch attacks.
At launch, players can only be human-sized characters, but playable dwarves and giants will be included later on. The weather and time of day will also change in-world - so expect both ice and fire.
There will also apparently be less violence than the TV show - and a lot less sex and nudity.
We've yet to play the game, which will be released sometime in 2013, but from what we've seen in the above clip, it promises drama aplenty for those desperate for more action during the long wait for the sixth book to appear.
Clarification: The post has been edited to clarify that HBO had no role in developing Battlestar Galactica Online.