SAN DIEGO, Calif. – FEBRUARY 16, 2010 - Gamers worldwide can now log-in and immerse themselves in EverQuest® II Sentinel’s FateTM, the latest expansion from the massively multiplayer online game by Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE). Sentinel’s Fate is the sixth expansion for the groundbreaking EverQuest II franchise. This all-in-one compilation pack will be available at select retail stores on February 16, 2010 for the suggested retail price of $39.99 USD plus applicable tax and via digital download at http://www.everquest2.com/ beginning February 23, 2010.

EQII Sentinel’s Fate Station CashTM Purchase (Available for purchase February 23, 2010 through the EQII in-game Marketplace)
Coveted Guarding of the Learned armor* to provide extra protection on your journey
Legends of NorrathTM The Fall of Erudin scenario
500 Station CashTM to spend on virtual items
30-day subscription included for new accounts
*In-game item: Limit one (1) per character. Non-transferable. No cash value.

Tis the Season to stay home, shop and play MMO’s. Sony Online Entertainment has announced that the yearly holiday festivities are live across their games.

In MMO’s the holidays always guarantees an update that includes items, decorations, quests and other content that will only be available for a limited time. The following are the events that are live across SOE’s library of titles.

EverQuest®: The annual Frostfell event runs from Dec. 10, to Jan. 7 in EverQuest. In the Plane of Knowledge, the Frostfell celebrations have been spoiled by a state of thievery, and it is up to the players to save the celebration. Many families have been awakened by ruffians and monsters breaking into their homes and carrying off presents intended for the children of the Realm. Players are needed to help track down the monsters that committed these crimes and return the missing presents. Players should also visit the Marketplace to check out the all the new Frostfell items.
For detailed information, please visit http://www.eqplayers.com/.

EverQuest® II: Frostfell, the Norrathian festival of kinship and giving, has returned to EverQuest II. Players can join in the celebration scheduled from Dec. 10, to Jan. 7. Gardy, the ex-giftgiving Frostfell elf, is offering a new quest. Santa Glug has several brand new gifts to give out to one and all. The merchants in the Frostfell Wonderland Village have new holiday goodies for purchase and tradeskillers can make several brand new items. Players should also be aware that this year, fruitcake really is the gift that keeps on giving! Hitting a friend with a throwable fruitcake will spawn one in their inventory for them to throw back.
For detailed information, please visit http://eq2players.com/.

Legends of Norrath®: From Dec. 18 to Jan. 4, Legends of Norrath is offering a Holiday Bundle pack including 25 booster packs of the Travelers expansion. Each bundle pack will contain one of four mounts from the retired Oathbound expansion. Players will receive an EverQuest or EverQuest II mount depending upon their settings in the Legends of Norrath client. Legends of Norrath also offers players a second way to celebrate this holiday season with on-demand tournaments. Eight players can start a tournament at anytime between Dec. 24 at 2 p.m. PST and Jan. 4 at 10 a.m. PST. For just five Event Passes, players gain entry into the Holiday tournament and a special Sleigh-ers Stash pack!
For detailed information, please visit http://www.legendsofnorrath.com/

Free RealmsTM: Snow Days, the Free Realms winter holiday celebration, has transformed Snowhill into a winter wonderland filled with food, fun, and, of course, presents! Snow Days is scheduled to begin on Dec. 16 and conclude on Jan. 21. Players can visit Candi Ivy near the Gifting Tree in Snowhill to help protect the presents from a wicked gang of Robgoblins and the abominable snowmen. Those who follow the holiday quest line might just get a chance to try all of her neat holiday sweets. Pelt friends with snowballs from behind the ice barriers in the Snowhill snowball fighting area. The Free Realms Trading Card Game is offering a special Holiday Bundle pack which will include ten booster packs of the Shattered Past expansion, a Duelist on Demand Print Voucher and an exclusive holiday item redeemable within Free Realms! The Holiday Bundle pack is slated to be available Dec. 23 through Jan. 3. Players can also check out the Marketplace for new holiday clothes, costumes and items!
For detailed information, please visit http://www.freerealms.com/.

Pirates of the Burning SeaTM: Junkanoo is the holiday of choice in these waters, and there is much revelry to be had! Players can carol door to door and exchange gifts in a quest to unlock the festive holiday hat and title. Users who complete the new holiday mission to protect Junkanoo from shadowy forces or join King John Konnu in re-enacting the siege of the Bradenburg Fort, will receive a rat shoulder pet as a reward.
For detailed information, please visit http://www.burningsea.com/.

Star Wars GalaxiesTM: Wookiee Life Day returns to Star Wars Galaxies this year with fun holiday activities, new rewards and a new badge that are sure to lift your holiday spirits to galactic proportions! The festivities begin December 15th, and conclude on January 12th in the cities of Dearic, Wayfar and Doaba Guerfel. Players can sign up for the seasonal festivities by visiting the Trandoshan Traders or the Wookiee Freedom Fighters. By spreading holiday cheer or fear, players will receive Life Day Tokens to redeem for gifts when they visit the Wroshyr Tree. Get ready to munch Wookiee Ookiees, drink some eggnog and open gifts including a new holiday ornament for your house! In the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, look for on-demand tournaments in celebration of Life Day. Eight players can start a tournament at anytime between Dec. 24 at 2 p.m. PST and Jan. 4 at 10 a.m. PST. For just five Event Passes, players get entry into the Holiday tournament and a Life Day pack!
For detailed information, please visit http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/ and http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/tradingcardgame/.

Vanguard Saga of Heroes®: The Festival of Gloriann returns to the world of Telon this holiday season. Once a year during the wintery months, towering trees adorned with lights can be seen glittering within the cities of Telon. Players can cover their homes and Guild Halls with special festive decorations, try on their new illusion costume or view the rooftops of Telon from the back of Randolph, the flying reindeer mount. Get ready to reach new heights this year with the citizens of Telon as we celebrate together the Festival of Gloriann!
For detailed information, please visit http://www.vgplayers.com/.

In a move that should surprise no one, SOE and DC have announced that Dick Grayson will be making an appearance in DCU Online. The massively multiplayer online game featuring DC icons, helmed by Jim Lee will be a PC and PS3 exclusive.

Second only to those of Batman, Nightwing’s fighting skills and detective abilities are a definite advantage for a hero who also has gas pellets, smoke capsules, and an acetylene torch.

Here’s something you don’t see everyday. SOE is giving fans a chance to animate their favorite heroes and villains for the upcoming DC Universe Online MMO. All you have to do is head over to the DCUO fan page on Facebook starting December 7, 2009. All the tools needed to make your own animations can be found there as well a way to view and vote on the entries submitted by others.

“The DCUO/Mass Animation contest takes a part of the game out of the development studio and puts it in the hands of fans, an empowering opportunity for our community,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “Players will have a chance through qualified contest submissions to be involved with the game’s development at a deeper level than ever before by animating actions for in-game heroes and villains.”

All the tools that animators will need to collaborate on this project, including a special edition of Autodesk Maya 3D Animation software, storyboards, designs and fully-rigged 3-D models will be provided to contest entrants and accessed through the Mass Animation application on the DCUO Facebook fan page. Participating animators will upload their contest submissions back to the application for viewing, voting and sharing with their friends. New to the contest this year will be the Mass Animation iPhone app, which gives people a new way to view and vote on submissions. Qualified contest winners will receive cash or other prizes. Each week, voters and a panel of judges will help determine what shots qualify as the “best” and will be eligible for voter prizes.

While this may seem like a no-brainer to most on the outside since they are two Sony companies in the videogame industry, the truth of the matter is that until now SOE and SCE have been like Crypts and Bloods. Due to SOE being under the Sony Pictures Entertainment family and SCEI being under the music entertainment group before going independant, the companies never had any overlap as far as corporate structure was concerned. We even witnessed a head of PR at SOE trying to get into an SCEA function at a game convention and being turned away at the door even after breaking out her SOE employee ID badge and showing her business card confirming her rank and position.

It will be interesting to see how this alignment will affect operations and overall product quality from both companies.