EverQuest II

After surviving nearly 13 years as a subscription-based MMO, EverQuest is finally ready to take the free-to-play plunge this spring. Find out how this will affect Norrathians new and old inside...

Things are taking off for EverQuest II. Sony Online Entertainment reports the MMO's free-to-play switch has kicked up new registrations by over 300%, and now players can physically reach for the stars with the arrival of new Pegasus Feather and Nightmare Flight Wings...

The big retail releases of 2011 may be done, but it looks like MMOs are just getting warmed up. The Old Republic is on the horizon, a new WoW patch just went live, and Sony Online Entertainment has two big updates planned. On December 6 DC Universe is getting its Lighting Strikes update and EverQuest II goes free-to-play...

Above: The traditional “pay and hope” business model for MMOs won’t work anymore, says EverQuest executive producer

Sony Online Entertainment has announced that EverQuest II will be going free-to-play this December, but it might be more accurate to say that more content from the long-running MMORPG will become free with cheaper and less restrictive subscription options for paying players. Under the current EverQuest II Extended membership plan, players can already access large portions of the game for free as bronze members, with options to access more content by paying for silver, gold, or platinum memberships.

EverQuest executive producer David Georgeson explains the upcoming change...

Unless you've been living under a particularly heavy rock for a while, you should know that players of World of Warcraft are anticipating a cataclysmic expansion pack next week. But you may have missed the news that, according to John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment, Everquest II has been considering a similar reboot…