EverQuest
News, coverage and analysis tracking EverQuest across the outlets.- Betawatch: Palworld’s launch, EverQuest Legends’ monetizationThis week's Betawatch covers the official launch of Palworld and ongoing discussions surrounding the monetization strategies of EverQuest Legends and Aion 2. The article also highlights various games in different testing phases, including EVE Vanguard's open alpha and updates for titles like Scars of Honor and Bitcraft.
- EverQuest explains the ‘personal loot’ ruleset for its August progression server, LetharDaybreak Game Company has detailed the 'personal loot' ruleset for its upcoming EverQuest progression server, Lethar, launching August 26th. This system aims to encourage group play by distributing loot directly to players within a group or raid, with amounts varying based on group size. Lethar will also feature a phased expansion unlock schedule and a legacy character perk for experience gain.
- EverQuest Legends attempts to quell uproar over pre-order beta’s slashed inventory availabilityGame Jawn project director Eda Spause addressed player concerns regarding reduced inventory availability and paywalled features in EverQuest Legends' pre-order beta. She confirmed that loadout unlocks will be available through gameplay and that achievements will grant rewards like increased tradeskill depot space. Spause also clarified that the inventory space in the closed beta was larger than intended and that the pre-order beta inventory is closer to the final product.
- EverQuest Legends’ reduced inventories in pre-order beta raise fears of over-monetizationPlayers are expressing concerns about perceived over-monetization in EverQuest Legends' pre-order beta, citing reduced inventory slots and convenience features. Developers Daybreak Game Company and Game Jawn have acknowledged that some of these features will be tied to the cash shop or achievements, with executive producer David Youssefi stating this monetization model was decided upon long ago.
- MMO Week in Review: EverQuest risingThis week's MMO news roundup highlights the resurgence of the EverQuest franchise with EverQuest Legends entering paid beta and expansions teased for EverQuest and EverQuest II. Other major stories include the implosion of DreamWorld, potential layoffs at Blizzard and Bethesda, and Sony's shutdown of PS3 and PS Vita storefronts. The article also covers updates and news from various other MMOs like Elder Scrolls Online, Conan Exiles, and Valheim.
- Betawatch: EverQuest Legends begins paid beta, Project Fantasy goes poofEverQuest Legends has launched its paid beta, offering a familiar EverQuest experience with quality-of-life improvements. Meanwhile, IO Interactive's Project Fantasy faces funding issues after Xbox pulled support, leading to layoffs, though the studio insists development continues. Other games like Dreamworld and Cinder City are also mentioned in the context of ongoing testing and development.
- EverQuest II’s Jenn Chan teases personas, GU132 Revelations of Malice, and the 2026 expansionDaybreak Game Company's head of studio, Jenn Chan, has revealed details about upcoming content for EverQuest II. A beta for the new 'Personas' feature, allowing players to level alternate class personas on a single character, will begin in late July or early August. GU132, Revelations of Malice, will enter beta on August 11th and includes UI scaling and increased mount/item caps. The 2026 expansion, hinted to be titled 'Descent', will feature a new lore-heavy storyline involving the threat of 'The Consumer'.
- Massively Overthinking: Unbundling the MMORPG genre, 12 years laterIndustry figures like Raph Koster discuss the 'unbundling' of the MMORPG genre, where its core components like live services and subscription models have been adopted by other game genres. The article explores what truly defines an MMORPG in the current landscape, with contributors suggesting elements like persistent virtual worlds, community, and a unique 'glue' holding disparate game elements together, rather than just player count.
- EverQuest announces new TLE progression server Lethar while teasing its 2026 expansionDaybreak has announced a new Time-Locked Expansion server for EverQuest called Lethar, set to launch on August 26th. This server will feature Personal Loot and include expansions up to The Serpent's Spine. The studio also teased its 2026 expansion with hints about fate and fortune.
Are these the 100 most influential games of all time?Kitfox Games CEO Tanya Short discusses a list of the 100 most influential video games of all time, compiled by professional game designers. The list, assembled through the Polaris game design retreat, aims to serve as a tool for designers to improve their craft and create influential games.- OG EverQuest sets the sky on fire with the Scorched Sky Celebration eventThe MMORPG EverQuest is currently hosting its Scorched Sky Celebration event, which is thematically appropriate given the current heatwave in much of the continental USA. Players can participate in quests involving changing lava and pyrotechnics, with the event running until July 12th.
- EverQuest Legends begins paid beta for preorder folks this afternoon, let’s goooooEverQuest Legends, a reimagining of the classic MMORPG by Game Jawn and Daybreak Game Company, has launched its paid preorder beta on July 1, 2026. The game costs $20 for the initial box and one month of play, with a $10 monthly subscription thereafter. Executive producer David Youssefi cautioned players about potential server delays and noted that the beta will be used for balance passes, feature completion, and bug fixing, with a post-launch roadmap to follow.
- The Daily Grind: What concepts do MMORPGs keep trying to reinvent for a new generation?This article discusses how MMORPG developers often reintroduce older game design concepts as if they are new innovations. A ZeniMax Online Studios developer's comment about a new dungeon type is used as an example, highlighting how open dungeons were common in early MMOs like Ultima Online and EverQuest before becoming less prevalent after World of Warcraft.
- Massively OP Podcast Episode 570: Card Wars 3The Massively OP Podcast episode 570 covers various MMO industry news, including Guild Wars' card game, a potential ArcheAge revival, and Richard Garriott's interest in Ultima. Discussions also touch on World of Warcraft's upcoming patch, Dungeons and Dragons Online's new race, and EverQuest Legends pre-orders.
- EverQuest Legends confirms the addition of EQ2’s Nektropos Castle as a high-level group zoneEverQuest Legends is adding Nektropos Castle from EverQuest 2 as a high-level group zone for characters between levels 35-50. The zone is expected to launch in October as post-launch content and will feature intact city structures and factions from before the Shattering. The developers also addressed player questions regarding item and spell upgrades, melee class nerfs, gear balancing, a potential mentor system, and denied the addition of player-made dungeons.
- The Daily Grind: Have you ever designed an MMO quest?This article discusses the concept of player-designed quests in MMORPGs, referencing older titles like Star Wars Galaxies and City of Heroes that featured systems allowing players to create content. It also touches upon how players in games like Ultima Online and EverQuest would manually create quests using in-game resources and guildmates.
- MMO Week in Review: ArcheAge’s revival, Guild Wars’ CCGThis week's MMO news roundup covers a variety of topics including Guild Wars receiving a CCG in China, ArcheAge's revival, and Richard Garriott's efforts to regain Ultima copyright. It also features updates on Tomo Endless Blue's Kickstarter success, Embers of the Uncrowned, and Diablo Immortal's new Warlock patch.
- Betawatch: EverQuest Legends’ preorders, ArcheAge’s rebootThis week's Betawatch covers several MMORPGs, including EverQuest Legends opening preorders for its July 28th launch and ArcheAge receiving a reboot for Chinese players. The article also highlights ongoing beta tests and demos for games like Embers of the Uncrowned and RF Online Next, while noting delays for Outward 2 and providing updates on Guild Wars 3's business model.
- Massively Overthinking: Is the era of the themepark MMORPG over?Industry veterans discuss the sustainability of themepark MMORPGs, with Raph Koster suggesting rising development costs are making the model unsustainable. While some argue that modern themeparks incorporate sandbox elements to survive, others believe the dichotomy is false and that innovation from both styles is key. The discussion highlights the challenges of content creation speed versus player consumption and the evolving player base's preferences.
- EverQuest Legends tweaks spell and weapon upgrades as OG EverQuest makes its 2023 expansion F2PEverQuest Legends is introducing a new Spell Upgrade System during its beta phase, allowing players to invest motes to enhance spell scaling for mana costs, cast times, damage, and more. The weapon upgrade system will be reverted, and some Berserker Stance functionality will be restored. Separately, the original EverQuest has made its 2023 Laurion's Song expansion free-to-play.