Fifth Expansion for Critically Acclaimed Video Game Arrives

Video game players around the world are powering up their PCs as the new EverQuest® II expansion, The Shadow Odyssey™, is scheduled to launch worldwide tomorrow. The Shadow Odyssey is the fifth expansion for the critically acclaimed EQII franchise developed by Sony Online Entertainment LLC. This all-in-one compilation pack will be available at select retail stores and via digital download at www.station.com for the suggested retail price of $39.99 US.

“The storyline of The Shadow Odyssey allows players to explore uncharted regions in the virtual world of Norrath while experiencing nostalgic areas made famous in the original EverQuest almost 10 years ago,” said Bruce Ferguson, senior producer, Sony Online Entertainment. “This expansion comes on the heels of the highest selling expansion to date, Rise of Kunark™, and the incredibly successful Living Legacy program, which ran over the summer months and attracted large numbers of new and returning players who are ready for exciting new adventures.”

About EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey

In an age long passed, a band of extraordinary heroes embarked on a journey to free Norrath from the clutches of a shrouded threat. Their quest would take them to the far reaches of the globe, delving deep into the most dangerous dungeons and undertaking many daunting trials. This was the Shadow Odyssey, and the heroes were known as the Ethernauts. In their time, this epic quest came to an end, and Norrath was saved. But now, history is repeating itself. It is time for a new generation of Ethernauts to retrace the steps of their honored predecessors through the ruined, unforgiving and twisting regions of Norrath to rid the world of the invading scourge and destroy the renewed evil of the Shadowmen.

Feature Set:

· More than 20 new zones, including the new overland zone, Innothule.
· Experience nostalgic EverQuest dungeon themes, such as Najena, Mistmoore and The Sebilisian Empire, and adventure through more than 18 goal-based dungeons, such as Ruins of Guk and Befallen.
· The Achievement Point level cap will be increased to 200 to offer new achievements for class-specific lines.
· A new Dungeon Delving mission system for players to replay content with new and different experiences.
· Five (5) new Heritage Quests with unique rewards being added.
· A new, mysterious group of erudites with powerful new armor and equipment will barter for void shards earned during your encounters.
· Epic tales of the odyssey are told through battles with dozens of new creatures and hundreds of new quests.
· Two new deities have been introduced into Norrath, Rodcet Nife and Anashti Sul.
· Includes Desert of FlamesTM, Kingdom of SkyTM, Echoes of FaydwerTM and Rise of KunarkTM expansion packs, and The Bloodline ChroniclesTM, The Splitpaw SagaTM and The Fallen DynastyTM adventure packs.
· Also includes Legends of NorrathTM strategic online trading card game, digital starter deck and booster pack.

For more expansion information from EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey and a free trial of EverQuest II, visit www.everquest2.com.

Online Titles to Host Variety of In-Game Halloween Events Including EverQuest II ’s Nights of the Dead and First-Ever Star Wars Galaxies Galactic Moon Festival

WHAT: Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) conjures ghosts, ghouls and goblins for the gamer community in a variety of in-game events themed around Halloween. This October, EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Star Wars Galaxies, Legends of Norrath™, Vanguard Saga of Heroes™, EverQuest® Online Adventures and The Matrix Online players can celebrate All Hallows Eve by participating in themed quests, donning avatar costumes and masks, and trick-or-treating for loot and candy!

see all the in-game events after the jump

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Fifth Expansion Can Be Pre-Ordered Digitally or Through Select Retailers

Players can now pre-order to receive the fifth expansion for the critically acclaimed EverQuest® II franchise. EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey™ is an all-in-one compilation pack featuring five expansion packs and three adventure packs. The Shadow Odyssey propels the EverQuest II world into a new era of excitement and adventure. This expansion provides new content for players levels 50-80, including more than 20 new zones and an achievement point increase to 200.

Digital Download Pre-Order Bonus Items:
Void Beast Pet

Legends of Norrath Loot Card

Retail Pre-Order Bonus Items:
Retail box pack includes in-game Dire Bear mount, Legends of Norrath Ethernauts loot card and collectible poster.
Collectible Pewter Figurine

Dire Bear Mount and Pet

Legends of Norrath Loot Card

EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey is now available for preorder. The expansion is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Players can pre-order the expansion at http://everquest2.station.sony.com/buyNow.vm.

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EverQuest® II and Star Wars Galaxies™ Go Live With Free Voice Chat,
EverQuest® to Follow Suit Soon
 

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – July 31, 2008 – Station Voice™, a service powered by Vivox® that allows players to talk to each other in online games, is now available in the role-playing games EverQuest® II and Star Wars Galaxies™, Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), announced today. Station Voice, which is scheduled to be available next month in EverQuest, is available for players at no additional cost with their current subscription plan.

“In-game voice chat is an enhanced new feature gamers of all levels can enjoy. Now, SOE’s players can easily talk to one another and better enjoy the online gaming experience,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “The integration of Station Voice into these initial games was seamless, and we look forward to incorporating this added gaming experience into other SOE titles, as well as implementing the next phase of features to come soon.”

The initial launch of Station Voice will allow players to:
· Talk person-to-person in game with any microphone and headset combo
· Chat with their party, guild or any other group in game
· Play and communicate without worry of a significant increase in game lag
· Manage group/user participation with moderator controls
· Individually mute and set volume per user
· Set up easily without the need for separate software, accounts or registration

“SOE’s commitment to the player experience and their game communities is unrivalled and presents an incredible opportunity to demonstrate the power of voice,” said Rob Seaver, CEO of Vivox. “Through a magnificent implementation, SOE has delivered high quality voice chat, seamless access, instant groups, intuitive controls and a fantastic and immersive experience for their players.”

In addition to these current features, SOE is planning to implement other Vivox services into Station Voice later this year, such as voice fonts and the ability to connect to games from Station Launcher. SOE’s plan to integrate the service with Station Launcher should allow anyone who uses the Station Launcher, even if he or she doesn’t otherwise subscribe to an SOE game, to take advantage of these powerful voice chat capabilities. These features, which are intended to support hundreds of players in a channel, are also slated to be extended to other current and future SOE titles, such as The Agency™.

For specific details and tips on how to use Station Voice in each game, log onto www.station.sony.com/stationvoice/

SAN DIEGO, CA – June 2, 2008 – The EverQuest ^® franchise, the groundbreaking, award-winning fantasy series that redefined massively multiplayer online (MMO) video games for a generation of gamers around the globe, is bringing a near decade of success back to millions of fans with a new Living Legacy program from Sony Online Entertainment LLC, which will feature in-game events, promotions, game updates and more.

Living Legacy, announced today, is a brand-new initiative aimed at the millions of players who have experienced the vast, engaging online worlds of EverQuest ^® (EQ) and EverQuest^® II (EQII) since the original EQ game was launched in 1999. The celebration starts today and continues through the end of September. As part of the promotion, both EQ and EQII subscribers with inactive accounts who left in good standing will be able to log back in to the games and play for free until the end of July.

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