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SOE Live 2014 News Recap

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SOE Live

Sony Online Entertainment’s 15th annual fan event, SOE Live, was once again packed with big announcements and reveals for SOE’s title roster: DC Universe Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II, EverQuest Next, H1Z1, Landmark and PlanetSide 2. Here’s a quick recap of the news coming out of SOE Live:

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE

Currently the #1 revenue generating free-to-play title on PSN (with the PS3 and PS4 SKUs combined), DC Universe Online continues to grow. As of May 2014, more than 15% of PS4’s installed base had downloaded DCUO. Big updates from SOE Live include:

  • NEW DLC CADENCE: Rather than continuing to deliver big DLC expansions tied to a particular storyline, the DCUO team will start delivering more regular small updates throughout the year.
  • UPCOMING CONTENT:
    • LEGENDS PvE: Players will be able to play certain missions as their favorite iconic characters, including Batman, Superman and Hal Jordan.
    • SKIMMING: A new variation on the Flying Movement Mode, Skimming lets the player experience disc flight, similar to how you might see Mister Miracle travel.
    • THREE NEW POWERS: Munitions, Atomic and Experimental Serums
    • NEW LEGENDS CHARACTERS: Blue Lantern Kyle Rayner, Red Lantern Guy Gardner, Green Arrow, Deathstroke, Flash, Gorilla Grodd, Shazam and Black Adam.
    • NEW UI for PC, PS3 and PS4 players
  • You can watch the DCUO keynote here: http://www.twitch.tv/soe/b/558481577.

EVERQUEST

Following the 15th anniversary celebration for EverQuest in March, the “Year of EverQuest” celebration continued at SOE Live. SOE announced the first details about the monumental 21st expansion to EverQuest, EverQuest: The Darkened Sea, which pays tribute to the game’s famous expansion from 2007, The Buried Sea.

  • EIGHT NEW ZONES (2 re-imagined, 6 completely new): Arx Mentis, Caverns of Endless Song, Combine Dredge, Tempest Temple and Degmar, The Lost Castle
  • LEVEL CAP INCREASE to 105
  • NEW LOOT SYSTEM & MOUNT KEY RINGS: allowing players the power to customize and streamline their looting preferences.
  • LAUNCH DATE: November 11
  • More updates and details can be found here: www.everquest.com/expansions.
  • You can watch the EQ keynote here: http://www.twitch.tv/soe/b/558465022.

EVERQUEST II

November is set to be a big month for EverQuest II. EQII will celebrate its 10th anniversary (Nov. 9) with the launch of its 11th expansion: EverQuest II: Altar of Malice on November 11th.

EVERQUEST NEXT

One of the most well attended keynotes of SOE Live, EverQuest Next did not disappoint. Updates include:

  • DEVELOPMENT UPDATE: SOE showcased how Landmark and the community are fueling the development of EverQuest Next by providing feedback to the tools (building, AI, etc.), building environments and more.
  • NEW PLAYER RACE: Dark Elf (Teir’Dal) joins human and Kerran as three (of many) player races in-game.
  • FIRST THREE CLASSES REVEALED: Cleric, Elementalist and Tempest
  • UPDATE ON COMBAT: SOE provided a new glimpse of combat, showing off the power of Cleric, Elementalist and Tempest classes in combat paired with the destructibility of the environment.
  • You can watch the EQN keynote here: http://youtu.be/MU6LzCBPlCU

H1Z1

With Early Access for the highly anticipated survival zombie MMO around the corner, SOE revealed several big updates for H1Z1 at SOE Live:

  • PS4 CONFIRMED: Like DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2, H1Z1 will also be available for consoles.
  • AIRDROPS: with players fighting for survival, intermittent airdrops that could contain food, water or other survival supplies will create tense (and potentially deadly) encounters between players. Check out airdrops video here: http://youtu.be/aIYyCaLercI.
  • UPCOMING FEATURES INCLUDE player character diversity (races, genders), new vehicles (including multi-passenger and non-motorized) and Player Studio integration.
  • You can watch the H1Z1 keynote panel here: http://www.twitch.tv/soe/b/558499040.

LANDMARK

Having tested the building tools, SOE is adding an entirely new element to Landmark: death. On August 27th, Landmark will no longer be a safe building world:

  • PvP COMBAT: introducing death, weapons, armor, players can now battle each other in Landmark (if they choose). Adding a new element for claim development in Landmark, SOE released the first game master items (game rule objects) to create unique PvP combat maps (deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture and hold, etc).
  • LANDMINES: the first set of hazardous objects added to Landmark, players can also booby trap their PvP claims.
  • INTERACTIVE OBJECTS: players can now build moving worlds using teleporters, flingers, moving platforms and more.
  • MONSTERS: explorers will need to watch their steps, as monsters will be added to Landmark in September.
  • NEXT UP: upcoming features to Landmark include AI Editing System (later this year) and more Game Mastering Skills.
  • For more information, you can watch the Landmark keynote here: http://youtu.be/WFKPLbSujb8

PLANETSIDE 2

With PlanetSide 2‘s PS4 Early Access scheduled for 2014, SOE Live allowed players a chance to test out the game play on PS4 in advance. Additional updates coming out of SOE Live include:

  • BATTLE ISLANDS: providing close-quarter gameplay, instanced versions of the Battle Islands will feature 48×48 competitive, objective-based combat.
  • NEW VEHICLES: including the Valkyrie (multi-passenger) and Empire Buggies
  • MISSION SYSTEM ITERATIONS will empower squad and platoon leaders with more control and help guide players to the type of combat they desire.
  • You can watch the PlanetSide 2 keynote here: http://www.twitch.tv/soe/b/558515822.

For more info, visit http://www.twitch.tv/soe

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