SOE unveils online EverQuest CCG

Publisher unveils collectible card game playable within both iterations of its flagship franchise at community event, set for release later this month.

If there's one thing to be said about Sony Online Entertainment, it's that it is one of the most prolific online publishers around. In addition to housing big-name massively multiplayer online games like EverQuest, The Matrix Online, and Star Wars Galaxies, the publisher has made several major acquisitions recently, including Sigil Games' Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and Flying Lab's Pirates of the Burning Sea.

Not satisfied with simply buying up other games, the publisher has also been working on several of its own unique MMOGs. At D.I.C.E. in February, the publisher revealed the espionage-themed shooter The Agency. In June, SOE teased its sandbox-style, free-to-play, casual-friendly MMOG Free Realms. Never one to sit back on its haunches, the publisher today unveiled its latest internally developed game at the SOE Fan Faire.

Delivering his keynote address, Sony Online president John Smedley announced the newest addition to the SOE family, Legends of Norrath: Oathbound. Oathbound is a collectible card game that is built into EverQuest and EverQuest 2, and is steeped in lore common to both games. The CCG spans both EQ and EQ2, where players from one game can play against those from the other. Players can also access the game from an outside client, or play against computer-controlled opponents.

Oathbound, the first of three planned sets, contains 375 cards, all featuring original art. Fan service abounds within the CCG, and Smedley listed a few examples such as fan favorites Fippy Darkpaw, Mayong Mistmoore, journeyman boots, and snow bunny hats.

All current EQ and EQ2 players will initially receive a starter deck, and additional booster packs can be purchased with real-world cash. However, those wishing not to spend any extra money will be happy to know that booster packs can also be acquired as loot off of boss mobs in both games, and the game will be free-of-charge to play. Of further note, the game will feature loot cards that can be redeemed for in-game items for players' characters. SOE plans to offer substantial support for the product, including in-game tournaments, card trading, a unique user interface, and deck-building functionality.

SOE's Denver studio, which up until it was acquired last year went by the moniker Worlds Apart Productions, developed the game on the down-low for the publisher. Legends of Norrath: Oathbound will undergo a soft launch next week, with an official launch planned for later this month.

54 Comments

  • deadeye2180

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 12:23 am PT

    This should be good if nothing else it will help to pass the time in game while your waiting for a rare spawn or more members for you raid. it will most likely start off slow but i reckon this will grow to be pretty popular, espeially as it free as well.

  • schizoholic

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 4:57 pm PT

    hmmm, i was at that conference, its not just boss mobs that will drop the cards, any mob that can drop a chest can drop a starter or booster, so you really do not have to pay for anything, if you do not want to.

  • ScreamDream

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 3:39 pm PT

    lobobizarro you are correct, we need a PS3 EQOA or any standard MMO.

  • axia_777

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 10:30 am PT

    LAME! Nuff said.....

  • bcolter

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 8:56 am PT

    EverCrap...

    /runs away

  • lobobizarro

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 4:03 am PT

    Xavier_Draven wrote:
    No news on another EQOA? Or an expansion?
    Booo!
    ---
    A new EQOA with PS3 graphics could be sweet! That might _MIGHT_ entice me to buy one. Very unlikely though. I guess you can call it EQ:NG and set it between EQ and EQ2.

    Now, this EQ CCG, meh... it will sell. Eventually the small player base that start playing will infect the other player base that were trying not to get into it... all a matter of time.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 6:22 pm PT

    Is a card game really needed? I guess plenty of people will buy cards anyways so it is a money maker...

  • 69

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 2:53 pm PT

    Meh, im always highly opposed to using real world money to buy in game items.

  • Outlawlaw

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 11:13 am PT

    "Sounds more like a greed thing then anything else."

    You might even say they're running a business. *GASP!*

  • We_Who_Fork

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 8:36 am PT

    Sounds more like a greed thing then anything else. And yeah, just a little late for EQlive.

  • figuretwist

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 8:29 am PT

    Sounds okay, but I don't terribly like the way that SOE does things, that's why I stick to free MMOs.

  • runstalker

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 2:39 am PT

    Kind of late to the table with this idea for EQ, but I suppose if there's still a sufficiently large EQ1 fanbase to justify five zillion expansions, there's a market of geek elites for this merchandise too.

  • IKKF

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 11:19 pm PT

    I thought everyone moved on to WoW. Either way, sounds interesting.

  • hegetshiskeys

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 10:38 pm PT

    Those guys at SOE should consider deving a true next gen Champions game for PS3. Those games were so addicting!!! Among my favorite PS2 games

  • Xavier_Draven

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 7:23 pm PT

    No news on another EQOA? Or an expansion?

    Booo!

  • AL13NK1LL3R

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 6:31 pm PT

    what i never knew that soe was in denver!!!! my home town whoaa learn something today that not bout games...

  • gertish

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 4:52 pm PT

    Even though I wasted my high school years on EQ, I find it silly that there needs to be an EQ card game.

  • darendt69

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 3:59 pm PT

    The reason SOE doesnt put out games for the consoles is simple....its in the name actually....SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT... The PS3 is really the first console by Sony that is focusing on Internet play. Now that the PS3 is here, SOE will be publishing games on the PS3 as well. I bet we will see all of the PC games on the PS3. SOE is a part of Sony, just as SCEI is a division of Sony as well, and Sony pictures. They may be seperate on paper for managment sakes, but they are all Sony companies that contribute to there bottom line.

  • cloud-wolf

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 2:49 pm PT

    Just to let people know, SOE is NOT a part of SCEI, they're under the parent company of Sony Pictures, the filmmakers, lol.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 12:52 pm PT

    a CCG seriously?

  • Eclipse_ShinRa

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 10:02 am PT

    @lostn
    I could be wrong because I didnt have xbox1 just a PS2 and Cube. But didnt SOE put a few games the xbox?

  • assassinX01

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 9:57 am PT

    "SOE is not part of SCE. They're very distantly related. The only thing this amounts to is that they won't release games on Xbox 360. It doesn't for a second mean that they will favour the PS3 console. They are just a publisher that focusses on MMO's, which are predominantly for PC."

    Actually, I think since Sony was "reorganized" back in '05 SOE is below SCEI. Technically, SCEI isn't limited to Sony consoles, just entertainment. But yeah, SOE definitely is the b****** child of the SCEI group, since it represents one of Sony's few ventures to put their material on hardware that isn't completely theirs.

  • glhx1rush

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 9:11 am PT

    I won't slam EQ, played it for many years. without it, there would be no WoW , or as I like to call it, EQ3. Don't know about an EQ card game though.

  • exedeath

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 9:04 am PT

    WOW this is a fantastic idea.........wait it's not 2000 anymore, so nobody really cares that much. This would have sold like crazy if they would have thought of it when the game was in it's prime.

  • lostn

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 5:19 am PT

    SOE is not part of SCE. They're very distantly related. The only thing this amounts to is that they won't release games on Xbox 360. It doesn't for a second mean that they will favour the PS3 console. They are just a publisher that focusses on MMO's, which are predominantly for PC.

  • Colsworl

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 4:08 am PT

    I could never understand SOE. Are they part of Sce? Why do they make games for PC when they could be making games for the PlayStation consoles? This is the Sony I'm thinking about right?

  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 2:55 am PT

    Whats wrong with grinding? Some people enjoy grinding, it can be relaxing. Also, WoW is hardly a grind intensive game, really, i mean go play something like RFO then you'll realise what a grind is.

  • Kudo13

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 2:34 am PT

    ...What a great idea...

    Yes. Sarcasm. Rejoice.

  • Satsin

    Posted Aug 4, 2007 1:07 am PT

    People just whack sony for anything it does! Guys, u really need to stop doing what was promoted by a viral campaign. Let the companies compete against each other , why r u fighting?

  • xBlitzerx

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 11:59 pm PT

    I'm not bashing EQ. I'm sure it was awesome when it first came out. I don't play WoW anymore either. I'm waiting for a next gen MMORPG, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

    People keep grinding away, giving their money to Blizzard. It's just a sad state of affairs. I was hopeing SoE would stir the pot a bit. I was wrong.

  • Eclipse_ShinRa

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:54 pm PT

    @Pete5506 few people play not alot.. Most move too EQ2 or Vanguard

  • Kingragnork

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:21 pm PT

    lol, I think that guy talking about Lair meant to post that elsewhere, unless he's just very confused. I love dissing WoW with my friends, because it's easy and funny. Though like others have noted, I too respect WoW for it's position in the MMO industry. It has really broadened the market, unfortunately WoW has nothing to offer 90% of the hardcore MMO players like myself out there.

  • TheVinster

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:19 pm PT

    CCG; yea, those are new. I'd think it would remove the immersiveness of EQ, I mean who finds cards off of a boss?

  • Kingragnork

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 10:17 pm PT

    EQ wasn't the first MMO, but it was most definitely the first full 3D world MMORPG. WoW is good for newcomers of the MMO 'verse. However, EverQuest 2 is where a more core/hardcore audience would go to. EverQuest 1 is pretty much dead, I played for 5 years, from '01 to '06 and the game got really outta hand sometime in '05. So many expansions, one after another, just adding to the mind-numbingly painful grind. The same thing appears to be happening with WoW already, except the grind is much much easier.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:48 pm PT

    Is there poeple that still play this game?

  • nazgul9910

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:46 pm PT

    Lair just got pushed back 3 weeks. What the hell? That is the only good ps3 game coming out until november, and that will probably be pushed back. Also, I'm pretty convinced that the ps3 is a ps2 in a huge hollow shell with a bluray player duct taped on the top. I have a suggestion that would own, either the ps3 owner gets his face out of the hugestash of marijuana sitting on his desk or they get someone that will do it for him. Im a ps3 owner, i got it because i thought it might have a chance at being better than the 360. 9 months later, im sitting in my room begging my friend to bring over his 360 and own gears of war and begging god that something just as good would come out for Dr. Hollow. when the next-generation of systems come out, i'll be buying a new xbox and laughing at the fools buying the ps4. sony has lost a customer...

  • Madroxcide

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:37 pm PT

    You know its pretty sad to see people talk bad about Everquest, if it wasn't for that game MMO's would not be where they are at today, people play everquest because that game has more challenge than any other MMO out there, if you think you are a hardcore MMO player or raider and you don't play EQ then you haven't seen **** I personally think its kinda cool they did something like this they added something different to the world of Norrath something else players can actually do. Just so funny seeing people rip on EQ when EQ defined what all these people are so quick to defent and thats WOW. Wow refined on what EQ really did and made that formula more casual. I personally don't like wow because its just moving from one little town to anothother thats roughly the same, but i respect what WoW is doing and has done. Just as those WoW players should respect EQ and SOE because honestly without them their precious WoW would probably never have existed.

  • finaleve

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:11 pm PT

    DJSMITH007 > And by that logic, Everquest wouldn't be around if it wasn't for the RPG games before it.

    From the article, my guess is that the CCG is in the game, and it will have work as a side game like FF8's Triple Triand and FF9's Tetra Master? Interesting idea, though not something to bring lost members back.

  • Krigon

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 9:00 pm PT

    themyth01
    "Sony is trying to do a WoW like game, they should just Blizzard, they like buying out game companies. "

    Everquest has been around alot longer then WoW.

  • indigoAK200

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:53 pm PT

    TheMytho01:

    That's impossible, since Blizzard is owned by Vivendi. Just to give you a scope at how big Vivendi is, they have a 20% share in NBC and Universal Studios.

  • themyth01 posted Aug 3, 2007 8:47 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    themyth01

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:47 pm PT (hide)

    Sony is trying to do a WoW like game, they should just Blizzard, they like buying out game companies.

  • Eclipse_ShinRa

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:40 pm PT

    @xBlitzerx

    EQ1 will always been a WoW killer.. SOE doesnt even need to try to kill WoW with EQ..

    If like easy MMOs go play WOW..

  • LockdownLA

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:38 pm PT

    By that logic, Atari or whatever would be the best and only video game company. Who care who did it first, it's about who does it BEST. The SWG debacle, the POS Vanguard... There are so many good MMOs coming down the pipe like WAR and AoC, and SOE announces a stupid card game?

  • raymondac

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:35 pm PT

    Check your facts Tom--SOE did not buy PotBS.

  • DJSMITH007

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:26 pm PT

    Its funny how you guys are laughing at this. Everquest came out before WoW. Everquest defined the MMO genre because it was the first MMO, So I don't know what all you guys are laughing at, because there would be no WoW if Everquest didn't spark this genre and all MMO's are generally based around Everquest's concept form 8 years ago.

  • svaubel

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:07 pm PT

    Oh good god.... let EQ1 die SoE...

  • Kingragnork

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 8:02 pm PT

    haha, I forgot all about Gems on EQ1 lol this sounds fun. Gotta go play EQ2! poor EQ.

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