- Incredibly Successful EverQuest(R) Franchise Sees New Directions
While PlanetSide Prepares for Launch -
SAN DIEGO, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a
worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, introduced several
new video games and provided details on soon-to-be-released titles during the
2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The new games announced include Lords
of EverQuest(TM), a real-time strategy (RTS) game for the PC and EverQuest(R)
Online Adventures: Frontiers(TM), an expansion for North America's only
massively multiplayer online (MMO) game for the PlayStation(R)2 computer
entertainment system. Additionally, SOE provided new information for upcoming
titles PlanetSide, the first massively multiplayer action game set in a
persistent world and EverQuest II, the parallel universe to the original
EverQuest PC MMO role-playing game (RPG).
(Logo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011203/LAM002 )
"The coming year is going to be huge for us," said John Smedley,
president, Sony Online Entertainment. "The launch of PlanetSide is happening
within days of E3 and the reactions to the game during Beta have been
incredibly strong. EverQuest II will be happening later this year, with a
whole new universe for both those new to MMOGs and hardcore EQ fans to
explore. We're also taking the EQ brand in new directions, both on the
PlayStation 2 and on the PC."
Sony Online Entertainment is located at Booth 846 in the South Hall of the
Los Angeles Convention Center during E3 from May 14-16.
A brief synopsis of each title follows:
PlanetSide
Release: May 19, 2003 Platform: PC Genre: MMO Action Game
PlanetSide(TM) will make history when it launches on May 19, as the
world's first massively multiplayer online first-person action game. The
groundbreaking game will allow hundreds of thousands of players to fight
online in an all-hours-of-the-day massive war. Characters gain experience
with every conflict, and can become one of the best in more than 30 combat
specialties, including infantry, sniper, stealth commando, engineer, hacker,
medic, pilot, driver and more. The company also announced that it will partner
with Team Sound to add squad-based voice chat functionality to PlanetSide,
further enhancing the experience of fighting together with your squad and
growing as a team.
EverQuest II
Release: Winter 2003 Platform: PC Genre: MMORPG
Scheduled to launch in Winter 2003, EverQuest II is a parallel online
universe to the hugely successful gaming phenomenon EverQuest. Featuring
breathtaking graphics and a vast, beautiful game world to explore, EverQuest
II sets new standards in graphical realism as players are immersed in the
game's powerful epic storyline with thousands of players online. Not only will
current EQ fans enjoy the new game, but players new to both the world of
Norrath and MMO games will find the game much easier to navigate and play.
Based 500 years after EverQuest, EverQuest II is a new and different game
experience in a changed world marred by a fantastic life changing event.
Players enter this world by creating their own unique character from 16 races
and 48 classes and using a powerful facial customization system for
unprecedented player individuality.
Lords of EverQuest
Release: Fall '03 Platform: PC Genre: Real-Time Strategy (RTS)
Lords of EverQuest is the next-generation of real-time strategy game.
Inspired by the lore of the online gaming phenomenon EverQuest, Lords of
EverQuest features an enthralling storyline drawing you into the world of
Norrath to change the fate of the world. Take command of one of 15 Lords from
the dawn of Norrath and lead an army against your enemies in a race to claim a
lost artifact. Featuring three different unique factions with which to do
battle, and a beautiful game world filled with breathtaking environments, you
are able to command more than a hundred troops comprised of Humans, Elves,
Dwarves, Fiends and even Dragons! After the story is over, the game has just
begun as players take the game online and play via SOE's upcoming matchmaking
service.
EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers
Release: Fall '03 Platform: PlayStation(R)2 Genre: MMORPG
EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers expands the rich, vibrant fantasy
world of Norrath with uncharted territories to explore, new items and spells
to acquire, fierce creatures to battle, and a new playable race, ogres. The
game also adds graphically enhanced player models and armor, allowing for
greater character customization than ever before. Using the Network Adaptor
for the PlayStation 2, EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers connects
seamlessly via modem or broadband to the Internet, directing players to
dedicated EverQuest Online Adventures servers. Gamers simply insert the disc
and the adventures of Tunaria are just a few button pushes away.
EverQuest: Evolution
Release: Fall '03 Platform: PC Genre: MMORPG
EverQuest: Evolution is the perfect starting point for players new to the
world of EverQuest. This boxed collection gathers everything a gamer needs to
enter the world of Norrath in a single package. The original EverQuest and the
first five expansions, The Ruins of Kunark, The Scars of Velious, The Shadows
of Luclin, The Planes of Power, and The Legacy of Ykesha, are gathered
together, along with two maps of the various continents.
About EverQuest
Developed and published by Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), EverQuest
launched in 1999 and has since become both a gaming and cultural phenomenon.
The game has sold more than 2 million copies while continuing to grow with
award-winning expansions The Ruins of Kunark(R), The Scars of Velious(R), The
Shadows of Luclin(TM), The Planes of Power(TM), and The Legacy of Ykesha(TM),
making it the largest online 3D fantasy world ever created. During peak
periods, more than 118,000 simultaneous adventurers have explored the fully
detailed world of Norrath, filled with monsters, magic, adventure and more.
The active global EverQuest subscriber base of more than 430,000 players is
comprised of people from 40 different countries including North America,
Europe, Asia and Australia. Sony Online Entertainment is committed to
bringing EverQuest to various entertainment platforms, releasing titles such
as EverQuest(R) Online Adventures(TM) for the PlayStation(R)2 computer
entertainment system, EverQuest for the Pocket PC and EverQuest: Hero's Call
for wireless phones. This Fall, SOE will launch the highly-anticipated
sequel, EverQuest(R) II, on PCs around the globe.
About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a subsidiary of Sony Pictures
Digital Inc., is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online
games. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the
personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its
blockbuster franchise, EverQuest(R), SOE continues to redefine the business of
online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing
new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA,
with additional development studios in Austin, TX and St. Louis, MO, SOE has
an array of cutting-edge online games in development such as PlanetSide(TM),
Star Wars Galaxies(TM) and the highly anticipated EverQuest(R) II.
EverQuest is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America
Inc. SOE and the SOE logo are registered trademarks and PlanetSide is a
trademark of Sony Online Entertainment Inc.
SOURCE Sony Online Entertainment Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.station.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011203/LAM002
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840
CONTACT:
Chris Kramer, +1-858-577-3481,
ckramer@soe.sony.com, or Sean Kauppinen, +1-858-577-3387,
seank@soe.sony.com, or Tamara Sanderson, +1-858-577-3362,
tsanderson@soe.sony.com, or Christy Fritts, +1-858-442-9570,
cfritts@soe.sony.com, all of Sony Online Entertainment Inc.
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