It's EverQuest II's fourth birthday! On November 8, 2004 SOE released the game we all know and love.

In the last year, since Rise of Kunark, EQII has grown by leaps and bounds.

We've seen new prophets and new avatars of the gods.

Epic weapons and more space in our banks!

The Shard of Hate, new mounts, and new goodies for our homes!

Soon, EQII's fifth expansion, The Shadow Odyssey will launch.

With TSO, we'll see over 20 new zones, many of which we've given as sneak peeks, to you, our EQII family.

A few members of the EQII family here at SOE share their thoughts on another year in Norrath:

I started on EQ2 in Dec of 2005. Sure that wasn’t the beginning, but..well, close enough. Having worked in both the CS and QA departments of this title, it’s come a long way from the bare-bones that it started as. My inquisitor was ‘born’ pre-GU 13 when you still had to do a series of quests to pick a class! Watching it evolve from what it was then to what it is now brings a smile and a tear. Here’s to another 4 years and beyond!

~ Lead GM Kaasha the Toxic

I was in Friends and Family Beta, just a player when EQ II began, and started on Antonia Bayle on release.  I waited patiently for a Test Server but the things that are strong in my memory are things like:

  • Spirit Shards and their mysterious disappearance.
  • Getting stuck at the bottom of Wailing Caves….
  • Wanting, longing and dreaming I could see what was up in the floating tower of Lucan D’Lere in Freeport. 
  • Combat changes and Class changes.
  • Completing my first Heritage Quest for the Lightstone.  That was a true moment.
  • Access quests to Fallen Gate and having to repeatedly do it with all my friends. 

The four hours it took to get to the bottom because we died and had to run back so very many times…of Fallen Gate, Varsoons, Permafrost…..

~ Game Master Yxyran—Location Free GM

EverQuest II’s anniversary has a little extra meaning to me in a couple of ways.  As the Customer Service manager for the launch of the game, I was there for all the excitement and preparation leading up the big day, as well as the actual ‘birthday’ of the game.  From all the preparations we made to be ready to help our customers with anything they needed us for and building a wonderful team of GMs, to watching the servers unlock and people logging in for the first time to see Norrath in a completely new way, it was an incredible experience and was simply wonderful to be a part of.

Also, EverQuest II officially launched just a day after my birthday so there always will be that association for me.  And as EQII turns 4 this year and I turn 40, I still feel like a kid when I log in.  =D

 Rich “Greeblen” Schmelter
Customer Service Manager
EverQuest ~ EverQuest II ~ EQOA