Random House's online 'narrative gaming experience' Black Crown launches today

Black Crown, the "narrative gaming experience" penned by Robert Sherman which marks book publisher Random House's entry into video games, launched today through the game's free-to-play web portal.

The game, which is played entirely through the Black Crown Project site, casts players as a clerk in the mysterious Widsith Institute, a facility dedicated to the research of "bespoke diseases." By cataloging and reading the diaries of the Institute's many world explorers, players will learn more about the Miasma Eremite, a character central to the lore of Black Crown, and encounter a number of shady characters occupying the Institute.

Today's launch marks the beginning of "stage one" for the title, which will run for one month before more narrative content is added to the game. Anyone curious about what the Widswith Institute is hiding can sign up for a free account.