Broken
Toys
Random comments about
games and tractors
SOE
Everquest II Joins The Free-To-Play Brigade
Jul 27th
…with a new service called Everquest II Extended – a free-to-play version that will run alongside their subscription servers.
Extended is not a replacement to the live subscription service and while the game content is the same, access and restrictions are different between the two. Extended is a gameplay option targeted towards certain players who are willing to play within a limited feature-set service with additional content purchase and upgrade options, rather than pay for the full service via a standard monthly subscription. The live $15 EQII subscription service is unrestricted full access to the game world for those accounts in good standing, a valuable service, just as it has always been. The EverQuest II Extended service has restrictions based on your membership level. Limited access to the EQII Extended world and certain content is free, while other content, access, and items are available only for purchase.
Definitely seems to be a bandwagon effect happening.
Oh Come On, It’s Been Five Years
Jun 1st
SOE Reboots Tomorrow
Apr 27th
Years ago, John Smedley gave a keynote address at AGDC, which amounted to, in so many words, “the future of the MMO market is in Asia. And I’m going to bring it to America.” Tomorrow, the culmination of that launches, as Freerealms moves swiftly from open beta to release.
Have no idea what Freerealms is? Too busy getting your Noblegarden bunny ears or wiping in Ulduar? You’d probably better catch up. SOE is going all-in on Freerealms, and it shows. From a Disney-reminiscent friendly art style, to forgiving yet complex class-based gameplay systems, and even including a Pokemon-style CCG – Freerealms not only has younger teens bracketed with laser-beam accuracy, but is also polished to such a high degree, in both technology and design, that older players are raving about the game as well.
It’s a bet that’s likely to *hugely* pay off for SOE, and bring them back into contention as a top-tier MMO studio. Which is good not just for the folks at SOE, but for the MMO industry as a whole. Competition is a good thing, and to date every MMO that has launched into the teeth of Blizzard has been chewed up. Freerealms looks set to not only break that trend, but *shatter* it. And that is a very good thing, indeed.
SCEI ‘Acquires’ SOE In Sony Reshuffle
Mar 13th
Hard to call it an ‘acquisition’ since both have Sony in their name. SCEI, for those not familiar with the console industry, are the Playstation folks. Obviously, the official line states nothing is changing, and only time will see the truth of that.
Meanwhile, in other SOE news, what happens when your community leaders turn on you? Drama, of course. (Hat tip: Jeff Freeman)
Recent Comments