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SOE to bring back Station Cash subscription purchases -- for a week
We reported this morning that SOE had quietly removed the option to purchase non-recurring subscriptions in its MMOs with Station Cash. SOE President John Smedley arrived on the EverQuest II forums to apologize for how it was handled and assure players that this purchase option would return for a limited time so that last-minute partakers could take advantage of it: "I'm sorry we didn't do a good job of messaging this. It was handled while we were at E3 and that was bad. Very simply put, we pulled the non-recurring subscriptions because we want a closer look at the numbers and how our overall pricing of subscriptions is impacted by it. I don't want anyone thinking they were pulled because of double SC promotions or anything like that. "We're trying to figure out the right balance of things that make our customers feel great about our pricing and balance that against our customer base as a whole. We aren't saying they are going away for good. We're just looking carefully at the data right now and how we do this right. Please be patient while we figure this out. These non-recurring subscriptions are something we're still working through and we want to make sure we do this right. Obviously as a business we have to make sure the decisions we're making good for our players, and I assure you that's what we're trying to do. "I've asked the team to put them back up for a week to let people buy them with existing SC. I'm not sure when it will be back up. Maybe today or maybe Monday (a lot of our team went to E3)."
EverQuest II adds dungeon finder, double Station Cash weekend on tap for Europe
Love it or loathe it, the increasingly popular dungeon finder mechanic has finally made its way to Norrath. Today's EverQuest II patch features a variation on the random grouping tool initially made famous in World of Warcraft. Adventurers can queue solo or as a group by clicking the dungeon finder icon on their EQII menus, and it's worth noting that signing up for a random dungeon will net you a 25% XP boost. Other patch details worth mentioning include a, ahem, rebalance of the Dirge mythical effect as well as a Troubador revamp. Finally, European EQII fans should be pleased to know that this weekend features a double Station Cash promotion to celebrate the availability of pre-paid SOE game cards at retailers throughout the region.
EverQuest II offers 10 houses per character, double XP and Station Cash this Saturday
Player housing. Say it with me, folks. Plaaaaaayer housssssssing. Yes, some games still have it. More importantly, some players still want it. EverQuest II is one of a dwindling number of games that does it right (or at all really, if we're talking about recent MMOs), and yesterday's update expanded Norrath's housing functionality even further. Players can now own up to 10 separate homes (yes, 10), provided they meet the in-game and/or account-related prerequisites in each case. There's also a spiffy new fast-travel functionality associated with the housing boom. In a nutshell, players can place portals in any house or guild hall to which they have trustee access, enabling all sorts of nifty networking opportunities between Norrath's various cities. When coupled with the newly introduced prestige house offerings, domestically inclined EQII buffs should have plenty to do for awhile. In case you need a break from all the furniture-making and decorating, Sony Online Entertainment is throwing a 24-hour double Station Cash (and double XP) bash tomorrow. The event runs from 12:01 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on April 30th.
Free Realms celebrates 12 million registered players
Free Realms, the family-themed virtual world from Sony Online Entertainment, has just announced its 12 millionth registered user in a press release. Yes, we know that's not 12 million players, and your guess is as good as ours as to the actual number of individuals logging in. Regardless, a lot of people have tried the free-to-play title, and this news comes as SOE's Summer Camp promotion is in full swing. "Our players wanted a summer of fun in Free Realms, so that's what we've provided. With new items, jobs and quests being added to the virtual world, there are more ways than ever to explore Free Realms," said SOE president John Smedley. "Our continued innovation and consistent player engagement have built an incredible forward momentum to take Free Realms into its second year, and beyond." In addition to the ongoing Summer Camp festivities, SOE is also running a double Station Cash weekend to celebrate July 4th. Station Cash cards can be purchased from local retailers and redeemed from Friday, July 2nd to Monday, July 5th for double their original value. Finally, SOE is offering free trial memberships for the duration of the holiday weekend. You can check out all the details at the official website.
