eq goes free to play

Raghaul · Post by **Raghaul** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 5:43 am

Cut and paste from http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/news_ ... nth=012012

/Tell Norrathians INCOMING BUFFS!

Hello everyone - I hope you all are doing well early on in the New Year! With an exciting Veil of Alaris expansion just released in November, we're thrilled to announce the next big adventure for EverQuest®. After listening to your feedback and suggestions over the past few years, I'm happy to announce that in early March 2012, EverQuest will be going free-to-play.

We're excited to be expanding the EverQuest experience by making the game more accessible to every type of player so that you can choose to play the game in a way that suits you best. Anyone who wishes to start, return or continue to play one of the "Best Games of All-Time" can simply download and play EverQuest on their terms – think of it as Free to Play, Your Way. Recurring subscriptions, non-recurring subscriptions, Silver or Free memberships, item unlockers, and more. The game will now be setup to be flexible so that *you* can decide how much to pay, based on how much fun you're having.

EverQuest players are some of the most loyal, long-standing players of any MMO in existence. With the gaming landscape changing every day, we want to ensure we continue to evolve the game to keep players engaged and bring in even more new players to further expand the community. With no up-front costs or required membership, we might see a new player or two along the way, and more people is always a good thing!

Once we go free-to-play, here are some of the upcoming features and events you can expect:

On Friday, March 16th, EverQuest becomes a teenager: 13 years old!!! We will be having some extra added events in the game starting that week leading up to that Friday and we're introducing some new items within POK to let you know what's in store.
With the free-to-play launch, a renovated everquest.com website will be unveiled and after that, we will bring you upgraded EQPlayers pages.
We have improved the functionality of our Map system! Some improvements include being able to view appropriate level content for your character on the map, allowing you to find zone lines much easier; and also showing you your wisps on the map to help navigate to where you want to go!

Also at the free-to-play launch, all players will receive a Welcome Pack containing items to add to your gameplay experience. You'll be able to summon a unique Mercenary to fight by your side and we're including some Bayle Marks to help pay for the services of your newly summoned Mercenary. A couple of Experience Potions are also included to help you increase your experience gained while adventuring. For all the collectors that like to show off all the great wares to your friends, we're giving you an item to display in your home and add to your collection. And finally, you'll be able to customize the appearance of one of your weapons with a Weapon Ornamentation - also included in the Welcome Pack. So be sure to check the claim window for your free gifts.

We, the EverQuest dev team, are very excited about this new flexible system. Free-To-Play is the best fit for EverQuest and we are looking forward to supporting the game and our dedicated fans for years to come. This is a great year for everyone associated with EverQuest and SOE. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what's coming in 2012.

One last note, we will be doing a Community Webcast on Thursday February 2, 2012 covering all of the exciting free-to-play details. Please be sure to send in any questions you might have via the Facebook page or Twitter so we can respond with answers during the Webcast.

See you in game very soon!

Thom Terrazas

EverQuest Producer
AKA "Phathom"

For more information on the transition to free-to-play please visit the FAQ and free-to-play matrix.

Post by **Thoraf** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 7:30 am

well at least my yearly subscription only lasts til july or something.. wonder if they'll cancel my account or bill me when it lapses hehe.

varutia · Post by **varutia** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 8:09 am

This likely goes exactly same as the EQ2, which isn't bad for subscriber I think. Subscriber are guaranteed money, so I don't see them letting you go that easily, Thor.

Increase in number of stuffs in market will logically follow as well. I do see this is the only real way to get some fresh new blood in. What will be interesting is what will happen to all the old accounts.

Artreth · Post by **Artreth** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 8:19 am

I wonder if they gonna continue charging for player xfers. Reason I am wondering, is I would love to get my war on another acct, but don't have the money for it yet =P. Been planning on that for some time, but now it seems to be a possibility.

Yay for chance of saving around $60 a month on eq subs =P

Artreth · Post by **Artreth** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 8:29 am

Looking at This

Free/Silver Sub's, have very limited things. Max 1k aa's, 2/4 Char Slots, Only rk1 spells on Silver/Free etc.

What is going to happen to the active sub's (gold) who decide to downgrade their sub. Or Free/Silver Sub's that raid. Will they lose aa's, will they lose all their rk2 spells etc, and more so, will they lose any raid gear.

By the looks of things, Free/Silver Sub's will have no use raiding, as they can't get the higher spells, they can't get Prestige Items (raid gear I assume), they can't get many aa's ... so I think what SoE is trying to do, is get players back, and then force them to go gold if they want anything of worth from the game.

Melodionxxx · Post by **Melodionxxx** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 8:34 am

Useful for bazbots and merc holders I guess.

Personally I dread freeps, there will be an influx of 4chan trolls training and griefing and saying 'LAWLWTFZMOMGUPWNTHISGAMESUXXXOOORRZZZ' On Lotro the only way to find a decent community was to stick to subscriber only zones, otherwise it was just depressing.

Internet scum inc!

MeloxXx

Saburo · Post by **Saburo** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 9:04 am

Everquest Free-2-Play Terms & Conditions

Any player with a recurring membership will receive 500 Station Cash per month as long as they stay on an auto-renew payment plan. If you have a recurring membership but you cancel or purchase a non-recurring membership, you will no longer be on an auto-renew payment plan and you will immediately stop receiving the monthly Station Cash bonus even if you have time left on your existing membership.

If you are on a recurring subscription at the time of transition to Free to Play, you will receive 500 Station Cash on the date of the transition and for each subsequent month of your recurring membership (as long as you stay on an auto-renew payment plan). You will not receive any Station Cash for prior months.

SOE reserves the right to end or amend the terms of this promotion at any time in its sole and absolute discretion. If SOE ends this promotion you will continue to receive the monthly Station Cash bonus until your recurring membership expires or is cancelled or your auto-renew payment plan ends.

1.EverQuest requires an internet connection (which you are responsible for) in order to play. The FREE access requires payment if you wish to upgrade your membership or make purchases in the in-game Marketplace. The Silver Membership can be purchased via a onetime Station Cash transaction (Silver Pack Item) available for $5.00 USD or 500SC in-game. Gold membership is available for $14.99 USD per month.

2.All membership levels are granted full access to game world through the EverQuest House of Thule expansion. The Veil of Alaris™ expansion must be purchased separately.

3.The four free races included with FREE and Silver Memberships are: Human, Erudite, Barbarian and Gnome.

4.The four free classes included with FREE and Silver Memberships are: Warrior, Cleric, Wizard, and Rogue.

5.Levels are limited by the expansions owned. The House of Thule expansion will allow for a maximum level of 90. Level 91 to 95 requires the purchase of the Veil of Alaris expansion.

6.Subject to content unlock. (Mercenaries)

7.FREE and Silver Membership accounts will receive customer service to resolve real money transaction-based issues only. Support for other gameplay and performance issues is available at the online knowledge base.

Katzane · Post by **Katzane** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 9:09 am

According to the FAQ gold members who downgrade don't lose any AA's but can't gain more if over cap. Rank 2 & 3 spells remain but are cast at a Rank 1 level. Existing coin if over cap remains but none extra can be earned.

Overall it sounds interesting but as Melo states, beware those new incomings.

varutia · Post by **varutia** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 9:10 am

Most of restriction isn't that bad but the item one is big, you can not wear prestige items unless you are on a gold membership which is subscription. Prestige item is SoD and above drops, plus whatever they decided to mark. So you can pretty much forget using free to play toons to do anything meaningful.

If you downgrade, you keep all the spells and AA I think, you just not able to make anymore aa. The items however you can not use them unless you got the subscription.

The restrictions are all fairly meaningless until you hit 70+ at which point you will want to consider dole out some cash to continue playing.

This isn't a bad attempt to lure in new and old players, a healthy and active low level community will in turn feed more players into the higher end.

Post by **Jarinu** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 10:55 am

Shits me if they nuke my 6th anniversary subscriptions however - If they keep letting you be on gold under existing plans thats fine but its a kick in the teeth if they do not.

Post by **Thoraf** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 11:24 am

Yeah I'm the same.. not really interested in a price hike to play (substantial increase in price per month)

currently 3 acounts x $99 a year = $297 a year

which would change to 3 accounts by $14.95 a month x 12 = $538.20 a year

sure not a huge spend, but still a kick in the teeth if that's the go.

Saburo · Post by **Saburo** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 11:34 am

Thoraf wrote:Yeah I'm the same.. not really interested in a price hike to play (substantial increase in price per month)

currently 3 acounts x $99 a year = $297 a year

which would change to 3 accounts by $14.95 a month x 12 = $538.20 a year

sure not a huge spend, but still a kick in the teeth if that's the go.

Yowsers! There would be no way I'd return with all 6 of my accounts. Hell to the no!

6 accounts at $14.95/month x 12 = $1076.40. The wife would lose the plot.

Nekrha · Post by **Nekrha** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 12:01 pm

Smedley has finally killed EQ.

I suspect that it's the step to intentionally drive subscriber numbers down to justify the full closure of EQ to force players to their upcoming product EQNext.

Competition for the new product has to be eliminated eventually.

varutia · Post by **varutia** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 12:01 pm

There will be multi month subscription that is cheaper than 14.95, how much they have not said yet.

Also you get 500 station cash per month, which pretty much means free expansions. So overall, this probably works out to be about the same or slightly more expensive compare to if you are on the anniversary thing.

Unless you don't plan to buy the new expansions which I don't see most of us doing if we still playing this game actively.

curtis · Post by **curtis** » Tue 31 Jan, 2012 11:05 pm

There will be reduced pricing plans for multiple month re-occuring subs.

-Piestro
EverQuest Community Manager

Still no say if we can just roll over existing plans, but I am betting we can just continue as if nothing has changed...which it hasn't.

Despite what Chicken Little up there has to say. (Nekrha)

varutia · Post by **varutia** » Wed 01 Feb, 2012 8:01 am

I don't think you can roll over from the same plan, the new pricing plan is not that bad.

Now looking back, they probably decided to go for f2p a while back but just waiting to see the numbers in EQ2 to see if it works out. They cancelled two year subscription plan a while back, which is a good indication of what was planned.

To be honest, if nothing is done EQ is just going into a long term decline and die, at the minimum this will give it a chance to keep the game going with a somewhat healthy population. If EQ's f2p went as well as the EQ2 one, we are likely to see a significant increase in player numbers.

varutia · Post by **varutia** » Wed 01 Feb, 2012 9:06 am

Wade pass pages of useless crap about RAF people talking back and forth on the eqlive forum and finally got bits of information your guys would be interested in.

The Anniversary subscriptions would be grandfathered in, so you will still pay the same and most likely get SC to pay for the expansions. I can not see a better deal price wise compare to that.

Post by **Jarinu** » Wed 01 Feb, 2012 11:27 am

Fair call then

varutia · Post by **varutia** » Thu 02 Feb, 2012 11:28 am

I been visiting eqlive forum fairly often since the announcement about EQ going f2p and looks like it at least prod fair number of people coming back or starting the game. The newbie section new posting count went from 1 to 2 a day to about 15 for today. I dearly hope this f2p thing works out and breath some new life into EQ.

Adun · Post by **Adun** » Fri 03 Feb, 2012 11:35 am

You keep your Anniversary Rates as long as you do not lapse or cancel.

It was clarified during the Live Twitch interview today with the SOE developers.

Tenam · Post by **Tenam** » Fri 03 Feb, 2012 12:00 pm

Hell, even I may come back.

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