SOE Cheers 1 Million Legends of Norrath Matches With Oathbreaker Release

Sony Online Entertainment announced the release of the fourth EverQuest: Legends of Norrath set, Oathbreaker, which completes the story arc that began in LoN's Oathbound, providing a "dramatic finale" for characters.

SOE said new gameplay will be introduced to build on the old system and allow for more strategies and combos in the online card-based strategy title. It adds 250 new cards, new loot and promo cards, and a new island guardian, Chel'Drak the dragon turtle (is it a dragon or a turtle? Seriously, man).

According to SOE, LoN players have thrown down over a million matches since the title launched nine months ago. Oathbreaker's to be the last release before the August tournament at Gen Con Indy - wannabe competitors must qualify by July 12-13. Why not try, if you're into it? There's $100,000 at stake!

Full details after the jump.

Come Back To EverQuest, Play For Free

Former EverQuest players, Sony Online Entertainment would like you to return to your roots. It's announced a new program called "Living Legacy," through which EQ subscribers with inactive accounts who left with all their bills in order can come back from now until the end of July - totally for free.

Returning players also get the EverQuest II: Rise of Kunark compilation plus bonus items at no cost, and they can keep it all if they convert to a paying subscription, and current players who bring in a friend get free game time when their subscription runs out.

SOE's also planned events and content for current and new players aimed at commemorating the games' almost ten-year lifespan. Hit the jump for the full announcement.

SOE Fan Faire Registration Is Go

SOE is now accepting registration monies for their 2008 SOE Fan Faire, being held August 14th through the 17th at the Las Vegas Hilton in beautiful downtown...you know. $89 gets you an All-Access pass, which secures you a sneak-peek at "three monumental new games in development". Interesting.

The pass also gets you into the Free Realms beta test, a beta for an upcoming EQ2 expansion, gifts, in-game items, and the chance to listen to John Smedley talk for a bit.

Of course if you'd rather miss out on all the All-Access goodness you can pick up a day pass for $39, which just seems like a giant waste of time and money. Head over to http://www.soefanfaire.com/ and mention my name when you register to receive the awkward joy of having my name on your attendee badge. I've been doing it for years, and look where it's gotten me!

"Fan Faire is by far the best vacation destination for SOE gamers, their families and friends," said Alan Crosby, Senior Director, Global Community Relations, Sony Online Entertainment. "This is the ultimate party for gamers and a great chance to meet up with their online friends in the real world."

Brazilian Government Bans Counter-Strike, EverQuest, Fun

The South American nation famous for its ability to create great soccer players, attractive swimsuit models and land that used to be rainforests has brought the banhammer down upon two of the world's most popular online games. Both Counter-Strike and EverQuest, each now nine-years old, were said to promote "the subversion of public order, were an attack against the democratic state and the law and against public security" by the judge enacting the ban.

According to the AFP report on the matter, the prohibition on selling CS and EQ was actually passed in October of 2007, but was only recently enforced by PROCON, the national consumer protection agency. Good work, Brazil. Glad all of your problems are sorted out now that the video game police are tackling the tough issues!

Members of the Kotaku Brazilian Connection wrote in to let us know about the ban. Their letters are after the jump and provide some insight into the local video game market.

'What's In A Death Penalty?'

Exclusive EQII Item In Massive Online Gamer

Magazine Offering Exclusive Everquest II Download

In their issue hitting stands the week of November 28th, Massive Online Gamer magazine will be offering a code that can be redeemed for a limited edition Everquest II item—a portrait of warlord Venril Sathir. But for those with ants in their pants, new online subscribers can get the code emailed immediately upon writing that check. Not being Everquest II players, we can't really assess the importance or value of such a downloadable good. But it's a clever marketing strategy on MOG's part. While reading Kotaku, our readers are sometimes gifted with free syphilis, but the promotion hasn't been all that well received.

Gaming Mags Woos Subscribers With Everquest In-Game Item [gamelife]

EverQuest: The Movie Grinds Closer To Reality

Rise of Kunark Screens

With This Click I Thee Wed

John Smedley Talks Legends of Norrath

The Smed Talks to Fan Faire

I had a chance, last month, to meet with Sony Online Entertanment's Denver studio and check out their now-announced online trading card game: Legends of Norath: Oathbound.

The Legends of Norrath game is based on the worlds of Everquest and Everquest II and, in an interesting twist, will be playing inside both of the massively multiplayer online games at in-world taverns and such.

Oathbound, the first set in the Legends of Noorath game, has more than 350 virtual cards in it and comes in both 60-card starter decks and 15-card booster packs. The Oathbound set was designed to tell the story of the servants of the Tribunal that rules the Plane of Justice. These masked and hooded servants swear an oath to Justice and must help preserve the balance between Order and Chaos.

First-Ever Fan Faire Wedding

This Saturday two Fan Faire attending will be tying the knot in both the real world and the virtual one.

The wedding ceremony will take place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino during the annual event's Grand Banquet. The couple, clad in Everquest II costumes, will exchange vows in front of a pastor and inside the game at the same time using two computers perched on the alter.

The whole thing, set to take place on Saturday at 9 p.m., will be broadcast during the Grand Banquet. Here's hoping that at least one of them look like Antonia.

IBM - MMO Players Can Make Corporate Leaders

Eric Lessner is a member of the IBM think-tank Institute of Business Value, and as part of a study collaboration with MIT and Stanford, studied Everquest and WoW players. And he saw the games as excellent preparation for the business world.

For example the ability to bring together distributed groups of individuals - often who are on a volunteer or semi-volunteer basis - to be able to make more rapid decisions under conditions of uncertainty. To incorporate and use different sources of data and make decisions rapidly. To recognise people for their contribution. To be able to motivate.

Gamers 10,271 Stupid People 0

Gaming's business end [via maxconsole]