Not to start a rush, but I recently read the current news at Everquest II Players–wow. An ambitious release is in the works, and I must say I am excited. An excerpt from the release:
With Echoes of Faydwer, we had hoped that people would enjoy a return to a more traditional MMO starting experience, and were pleased with the results. We got a lot of positive reaction by introducing the starting city of Kelethin inside of Greater Faydark, as well as a new race, the Fae.
Later this month, we’ll be releasing the largest free content addition that EQ2 has ever seen. The complement to that experience: The city of Neriak, the large outdoor zone of Darklight Wood, and a new playable race, the Arasai, one of the races who will be able to start there.
These zones are another collaboration with our SOGA studio in Taiwan, the same studio that developed the characters and environments for The Fallen Dynasty. Their artists working in conjunction with our designers and artists have really brought Neriak back to life.
Later this month? Good deal. I hate a wait. I wonder how the Vanguard pundits will spin this–does SOE’s continued release and development of EQ2 forbode ill tidings for Vanguard, should it come into their fold?
Other highlights: a new playable race. I have no clue what an “Arasai” looks like, but should be interesting. According to one source, they will be the evil Fae with bat-like wings. Also will have the new zone “Darklight Wood,” which is where the Arasai will have their hometown–obviously they feel decentralizing starting cities is a positive move, and it seems to be a step towards (notice I did not say backwards) the old EQ1 paradigm.
Now for the conspiracy theory–coincidence that Station Access prices are going up and a new race is going into the game? Perhaps not–most established players have their 6 toons, I’m quite sure. If your attached to them, there are only two options to getting more slots–Station Access or two accounts.
I am aware all of the above is obvious, but I just want to ensure no one thinks I am an elaborate script myself.
Read the entire release here: Producers Letter May 2007
Trot Line 
I’ll pundit you!
Vanguard has it’s own development team and belongs to a different company at the moment, so no comment on that.
Now SOE has announced that EQ expansions will be on the once-a-year time frame, if I read their announcement correctly. While SOE spins that as a way to improve quality and content of expansions, which may be true enough given their lukewarm reaction to The Buried Sea compared to the raves for EoF, does this also contain the hint of a shift further away from EQ and towards EQ2?
Oh nice. Unfortunately I cant read the original post from work, so I will have to wait til I get home tonight.
I will be excited to see if it is going to be end game or directed at different levels of the game. I will have to roll a toon with the new race on a UK server cos I have no space left to make it on a US server. But the good thing is there will be a new influx of low level toons so some of the lower level weapons and armour I have crafted might sell:)
I mentioned the development aspect because, and I cannot recall where, someone had raised the possibility of SOE bailing out Sigil not just financially, but also with development–so it was in the spirit of a future possibility, not a current one.
But things certainly look good for EQ2, and that is my main point. I think I have finally, perhaps, found something that rivals my MUD days for fun.
Oh man…I gotta delete another toon of mine so I can make an arasai? *groan* I already have TWO full accounts. *grumbles* Time to figure out who is getting chopped.
But wow….I’m excited. I guess Ogre bear was right with the info he posted on his blog a few days ago…and he says the new content is on Test Server today guys….woohoo! I think I will be logging in one of my evil toons on test to check it out.