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EverQuest Next
EQNextLogo
Release Date Cancelled
Publisher SOE

ProSiebenSat.1 Games (Europe)

Developer SOE
Engine Forgelight
Genre MMORPG
Rating TBA
Platform PC & PS4(?)

EverQuest Next, or simply EQ Next, was planned as the third installation in the sandbox type MMORPG franchise currently under development by Daybreak Games using the Planetside 2 engine (Forgelight Engine). Unlike EverQuest II, this game was depicted not as a direct prequel or sequel but a re-imagining of the universe, taking place in a parallel Norrath.

The first indication of EQ Next was in the Everquest 10th anniversary book published in 2009.[1]

Development of EQ Next was cancelled in 2016. [2]

Background[]

The game isn't going to be a sequel or a prequel to any of the games in the EQ franchise. Instead, SOE wants to present a new parallel to the world of Norrath.[2]

The 4 Holy Grails[]

  • Changing the Core Game
  • Destructibility
  • A Life of Consequence - Emergent AI
  • Permanent Change - Rallying Calls

Features[]

  • Emergent Gameplay
  • Destructible Environment
  • Heroic Movement System
  • Multiclassing
  • Sandbox style MMO
  • Free to play [3]
  • Next generation MMO
  • There are no levels in EQN, all of your progression will come from exploring the world, unlocking classes and experimenting with weapons and spells.[4]
  • Storybricks is collaborating with EQ Next. Storybricks is a toolset that allows for Artificial Intelligence.[5]

Art Style[]

  • Heroic Fantasy style
  • Character with a rough-and-tumble look
  • Exaggerated Features
    • Planned SOEmote Integration
    • Prominent Mouths/Eyes Allow Emotes to Be Visceral, Seen From Distance

Development Team[]

Development History[]

Quote from John Smedley during SOE Live 2012: "I have to be honest with you. We have completely blown up the design of EverQuest Next. For the last year and a half we have been working on something we are not ready to show. Why did we blow up the design? The design was evolutionary. It was EverQuest III. It was something that was slightly better that what had come before it. IT was slightly better. What we are building is something that we will be very proud to call EverQuest. It will be the largest sandbox style MMO ever designed. The same exciting content delivered in a new way. Something you’ve never seen before. The MMO world has never seen before. We didn’t want more Kill 10 Rats quests. We didn’t want more of the same. You can still kill 10 rats if you want to, but they are gonna fight back a lot harder, A LOT harder to put it mildly. If you look at the MMOs out there, they’re delivering the same content over and over again. So are we. We need to change that. When we released EverQuest, we changed the world. We want to do that again with a different type of game."

Smed also commited to this: "What I will commit to is, at the next Fan Faire, not only will you get to see it but you will get to touch it. Most of the 'EQ Next devs are in this room. If you get them drunk enough they might tell you. They’re led by Dave Georgeson. Terry Michaels. Vets from EQ and EQ2. We are remaking Norrath unlike anything you’ve ever seen, but you’ll recognize it. I’m sorry we don’t have anything to show for it, but I wanted to be honest with you and tell you a little bit about it. Keep the faith"[6]

Pre-release Reception[]

Since SOE Live 2012, EQ Next is back in the news. The latest headlines are usually using one of Smed's quote which is "largest Sandbox MMO ever designed".[7]

At E3 2013 EQ Next won Best of Show from MMORPG.com,[8] and from TenTonHammer.com.[9]

Technical Information[]

EQ Next will be using the same engine that was created by SOE for Planetside 2. The engine is called Forgelight Engine. The fully constructable/destructable environment is reportedly courtesy of Voxel Farm, a voxel-based procedural engine.[10]

Screenshots[]

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Render of EQ Next person and armors. Tweeted by John Smedley on June 6, 2013

Videos[]

External links[]

Sources[]

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