Ubisoft, one of the world’s top game publishers, and Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming, today announced that EverQuest II is scheduled to ship to European retail stores on 11th November, 2004. EverQuest II is the highly-anticipated follow-up to Sony Online Entertainment’s original EverQuest, the most successful and longest-running 3D MMO role-playing game in Western countries.

“After more than four years in development, the wait for EverQuest II is almost over,” said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. “We’ve invested heavily on development of the game to ensure that EverQuest II has the highest production values of any online game produced to date. We want to deliver a game to our players that will provide an experience like nothing they’ve ever seen.”

Sony Online Entertainment is delivering a truly groundbreaking MMO game in EverQuest II with pioneering firsts in advanced 3D graphics, story, voice, production values, and gameplay. EverQuest II features the most realistic graphics of any MMO game ever created with a next-generation 3D graphics engine designed to keep pace with hardware developed over the next few years. Players will hear more than 70,000 lines of spoken dialogue in EverQuest II as non-player characters are given voiceover for the first time ever in an MMO game bringing the story of EverQuest II to life. EverQuest II also features gameplay innovations that make EverQuest II fun and exciting for all types of players and play styles, from hardcore gamers, to new MMO players, to those who play in groups, and solo players.

EverQuest II comes in two versions, all of which include a 30-day subscription (excluding SOE All Access subscriptions) to the game’s online world. The standard DVD Edition and Limited Edition version of the game carry an RPP of £34.99.

EverQuest II carries a monthly subscription fee of £9.49 for continuing access to the game world. Players can subscribe using a credit card, wire transfer or purchase SOE 30-day and 90-day Game Cards, which open the new world of Norrath to those who choose not to use a credit card.