Today SOE issued a press release regarding their upcoming EverQuest expansion, Prophecy of Ro.

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES
EVERQUEST® PROPHECY OF RO™ EXPANSION FOR EVERQUEST®

Transform the Online World of Norrath Like Never Before

SAN DIEGO, CA – January 3, 2006 – Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, today announced EverQuest® Prophecy of Ro™, a new expansion for the incredibly popular PC Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), EverQuest®. EverQuest Prophecy of Ro is scheduled to be available at retail and for digital download from Sony Online Entertainment in February for the suggested price of U.S. $29.99.

“EverQuest Prophecy of Ro will give players the opportunity to interact with and transform the online world of Norrath like never before,” said Chris Sturr, Sr. Brand Manager, Sony Online Entertainment. “In addition to a variety of new features, EverQuest Prophecy of Ro continues the fascinating storyline as new and old players alike explore, battle and adventure through EverQuest on more than 30 new missions encountering new creatures and environments throughout the journey.”

Players will be able to interact with the world thanks to three new features. The first, spheres of influence, can be used to thwart your enemies or aid allies. The second feature is a trap system that will let players deceive opponents with player-set traps. And for the first time in EverQuest, players will be able to destroy objects in the world; doors can be bashed in, walls can be toppled and towers can be destroyed, leading to a new level of interactivity within the game and opening up a new realm of design.

About EverQuest Prophecy of Ro
The gods have returned and the mortal realm shifts with their influence. But a new presence walks among the gods, a malevolent force released into godhood by the follies of mortals. Unbound by the laws of the pantheon, it leaves corruption in its wake and threatens to bring the entire pantheon crumbling down. The only hope for Norrath hangs on the very mortals who have unleashed this upheaval. EverQuest Prophecy of Ro includes the following features:

• Player-set Traps: Control your battles before they even begin by deceiving your opponents with a new arsenal of player-set traps!
• Spheres of Influence: Transform the world of Norrath by creating magical spheres of influence to thwart your enemies or aid your allies. These artifacts will create a localized area where the rules of the game can change.
• Destructible Objects: Interact with and destroy pieces of the game world leading to a new level of interactivity within the game. Chop down doors, tumble walls, and destroy encampments!
• Buff Filters: Decide which buffs you would rather auto-decline with the new buff filtering system!
• 8 New Bank Spaces
• New Missions: Battle your way through over 30 new missions.
• New Creatures, New Environments and New Encounters: More than 25 unique creatures, 7 Zones, and 6 Small Instances.
• New Spells, Tasks, Disciplines and Trade skills

The new expansion will be downloadable via the EverQuest Station Store for U.S. $29.99 (plus tax where applicable). Retailers will be offering a boxed version that will carry a suggested retail price of $29.99, as well as a special in-game item, a Warhorse mount, for players to enjoy. Additionally, a reduced price of $26.99 will be available to consumers who pre-order and purchase the digital download version direct from Sony Online Entertainment. For more information on EverQuest: Prophecy of Ro, please visit: http://everquest.station.sony.com/por/.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Digital Inc., is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™: An Empire Divided™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge online games in development.

EverQuest is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. SOE, and the SOE logo are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Players will be able to interact with the world thanks to three new features. The first, spheres of influence, can be used to thwart your enemies or aid allies. The second feature is a trap system that will let players deceive opponents with player-set traps. And for the first time in EverQuest, players will be able to destroy objects in the world; doors can be bashed in, walls can be toppled and towers can be destroyed, leading to a new level of interactivity within the game and opening up a new realm of design.