Editing EverQuest (section)

==History==
===Development===
''EverQuest'' began as a concept by [[John Smedley (developer)|John Smedley]] in 1996. The original design is credited to [[Brad McQuaid]], Steve Clover, and Bill Trost. It was [[video game developer|developed]] by Sony's [[989 Studios]] and its early-1999 spin-off [[Verant Interactive]], and [[video game publisher|published]] by [[Sony Online Entertainment]] (SOE).<ref name="eqcomp1">{{cite book |title=Everquest Companion: The Inside Lore of a Gameworld |last=Marks |first=Robert |year=2003 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Osborne Media |isbn=978-0-07-222903-5}}</ref> Since its acquisition of Verant in late 1999, EverQuest was developed by Sony Online Entertainment.<ref name="Sony/Verant">{{cite web | title=Announcement of Verant Merger | publisher=Verant | url=http://www.verant.com | access-date=2020-07-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020401224238/http://www.verant.com/ | archive-date=2002-04-01 | url-status=dead}}</ref>

The design and concept of ''EverQuest'' is heavily indebted to [[Multi-user dungeon|text-based MUDs]], in particular [[DikuMUD]], and as such ''EverQuest'' is considered a 3D evolution of the text MUD genre like some of the MMOs that preceded it, such as ''[[Meridian 59]]'' and ''[[The Realm Online]]''. John Smedley, Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover and Bill Trost, who jointly are credited with creating the world of ''EverQuest'', have repeatedly pointed to their shared experiences playing MUDs such as ''[[Sojourn (online game)|Sojourn]]'' and ''[[TorilMUD]]'' as the inspiration for the game.<ref name = "bqjsnq"/> Famed book cover illustrator [[Keith Parkinson]] created the box covers for earlier installments of ''EverQuest''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keithparkinson.com/store_prints.php|title=Limited Edition Prints|publisher=Keith Parkinson Online|access-date=Sep 10, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902021119/http://www.keithparkinson.com/store_prints.php|archive-date=2015-09-02}}</ref>

Development of ''EverQuest'' began in 1996 when [[Sony Interactive Studios America]] (SISA) executive John Smedley secured funding for a 3D game like text-based MUDs following the successful launch of ''[[Meridian 59]]'' the previous year. To implement the design, Smedley hired programmers Brad McQuaid and Steve Clover, who had come to Smedley's attention through their work on the single player RPG ''Warwizard''. McQuaid soon rose through the ranks to become executive producer for the ''EverQuest'' franchise and emerged during development of ''EverQuest'' as a popular figure among the fan community through his in-game avatar, Aradune. Other key members of the development team included Bill Trost, who created the history, lore and major characters of Norrath (including ''EverQuest'' protagonist Firiona Vie), Geoffrey "GZ" Zatkin, who implemented the spell system, and artist Milo D. Cooper, who did the original character modeling in the game.

The start of [[beta testing]] was announced by Brad McQuaid in November 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/forum/message/raw?msg=rec.games.mud.announce/sya7IcOZ08g/A4E7JB8tONAJ|author=Brad McQuaid|year=1997|title=EverQuest -- Graphical MUD|access-date=2017-12-24|archive-date=2021-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309035613/https://groups.google.com/forum/message/raw?msg=rec.games.mud.announce/sya7IcOZ08g/A4E7JB8tONAJ|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Release===
''EverQuest'' launched with modest expectations from Sony on 16 March 1999 under its [[Verant Interactive]] brand and quickly became successful. By the end of the year, it had surpassed competitor ''[[Ultima Online]]'' in number of subscriptions. Numbers continued rising rapidly until mid-2001 when growth slowed. The game initially launched with volunteer "Guides" who would act as basic customer service/support via 'petitions'. Issues could be forwarded to the Game Master assigned to the server or resolved by the volunteer. Other guides would serve in administrative functions within the program or assisting the Quest Troupe with dynamic and persistent live events throughout the individual servers. Volunteers were compensated with free subscription and expansions to the game. In 2003 the program changed for the volunteer guides taking them away from the customer service focus and placing them into their current roles as roving 'persistent characters' role-playing with the players.

In anticipation of [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]'s launch, Sony Interactive Studios America made the decision to focus primarily on console titles under the banner [[989 Studios]], while spinning off its sole computer title, ''EverQuest'', which was ready to launch, to a new computer game division named Redeye (renamed Verant Interactive). Executives initially had low expectations for ''EverQuest'', but in 2000, following the surprising continued success and unparalleled profits of ''EverQuest'', Sony reorganized Verant Interactive into [[Sony Online Entertainment]] (SOE) with Smedley retaining control of the company.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sam |first1=Parker |title=Sony Acquires Verant |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-acquires-verant/1100-2580857/ |access-date=19 January 2021 |work=GameSpot |date=17 May 2006}}</ref> Many of the original ''EverQuest'' team, including Brad McQuaid and Steve Clover left SOE by 2002.<ref>{{cite interview |last=McQuaid |first=Brad  |interviewer= Morgan Ramsay |title= The Inside Story of How a Major MMO Went Wrong |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/13/the-inside-story-of-how-a-major-mmo-went-wrong |publisher= IGN |date= 14 February 2014 |access-date= 19 April 2017}}
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===Growth and sequels===
The first four expansions were released in traditional physical boxes at roughly one-year intervals. These were highly ambitious and offered huge new landmasses, new playable races and new classes. The expansion ''[[EverQuest: The Shadows of Luclin|Shadows of Luclin]]'' (2001) gave a significant facelift to player character models, bringing the dated 1999 graphics up to modern standards. However, non-player characters which do not correspond to any playable race-gender-class combination (such as vendors) were not updated, leading to the coexistence of 1999-era and 2001-era graphics in many locations. The expansion ''[[EverQuest: The Planes of Power|Planes of Power]]'' (2002) introduced The Plane of Knowledge, a hub zone from which players could quickly teleport to many other destinations. This made the pre-existing roads and ships largely redundant, and long-distance overland travel is now virtually unheard of.

''EverQuest'' made a push to enter the European market in 2002 with the ''New Dawn'' promotional campaign, which not only established local servers in Germany, France and Great Britain but also offered localized versions of the game in German and French to accommodate players who prefer those languages to English. In the following year the game also moved beyond the PC market with a [[Mac OS X]] version.

In 2003 experiments began with digital distribution of expansions, starting with the ''[[Legacy of Ykesha]]''. From this point on expansions would be less ambitious in scope than the original four, but the production rate increased to two expansions a year instead of one.

In the same year the franchise also ventured into the console market with ''[[EverQuest Online Adventures]]'', released for Sony's internet-capable [[PlayStation 2]]. It was the second MMORPG for this console, after ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]''. Story-wise it was a prequel, with the events taking place 500 years before the original ''EverQuest''. Other spin-off projects were the PC strategy game ''[[Lords of EverQuest]]'' (2003) and the co-op ''[[Champions of Norrath]]'' (2004) for the PlayStation 2.

After these side projects, the first proper sequel was released in late [[2004 in video gaming|2004]], titled simply ''[[EverQuest II]]''.<ref name="lore">{{cite web|title=Stratics Official Game Lore|url=http://eq2.stratics.com/content/lore/lore_toc.php|quote=Five hundred years have passed since the Sleeper was awakened|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820001713/http://eq2.stratics.com/content/lore/lore_toc.php|archive-date=2008-08-20}}</ref> The game is set 500 years after the original. ''EverQuest II'' faced severe competition from Blizzard's ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', which was released at virtually the same time and quickly grew to dominate the MMORPG genre.

===Decline===
Since the release of ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' and other modern MMORPGs, there have been a number of signs that the ''EverQuest'' population is shrinking. The national ''New Dawn'' servers were discontinued in 2005 and merged into a general (English-language) European server.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/1778-everquest-europe-joins-everquest-us |title=Everquest Europe joins Everquest US &#124; TG Daily |access-date=2010-06-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324190133/http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/1778-everquest-europe-joins-everquest-us |archive-date=2012-03-24}}</ref>

The 2006 expansion ''[[The Serpent's Spine]]'' introduced the "adventure-friendly" city of Crescent Reach in which all races and classes are able (and encouraged) to start. Crescent Reach is supposed to provide a more pedagogic starting environment than the original 1999 cities, where players were given almost no guidance on what to do. The common starting city also concentrates the dwindling number of new players in a single location, making grouping easier. 2008's ''[[EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction|Seeds of Destruction]]'' expansion introduced computer controlled companions called "mercenaries" that can join groups in place of human players, a response to the increasing difficulty of finding other players of appropriate level for group activities. As of ''Seeds'' the production rate also returned to one expansion a year instead of two.

In March 2012 ''EverQuest'' departed from the traditional monthly subscription business model by introducing three tiers of commitment: a completely [[free-to-play]] Bronze Level, a one-time fee Silver Level, and a subscription Gold Level.<ref name="F2P">{{cite web | title=EverQuest Free to Play | access-date=2012-02-01 | url=http://www.everquest.com/free/}}</ref> The same month saw the closure of ''[[EverQuest Online Adventures]]''. Just a few months earlier ''[[EverQuest II]]'' had gone free-to-play and SOE flagship ''[[Star Wars Galaxies]]'' was also closed.

In June of the same year SOE removed the ability to buy game subscription time with Station Cash without any warning to players. SOE apologized for this abrupt change in policy and reinstated the option for an additional week, after which it was removed permanently.<ref>[http://forums.station.sony.com/eq/posts/list.m?topic_id=187127 Non-recurring Subscriptions Removal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624044232/http://forums.station.sony.com/eq/posts/list.m?topic_id=187127 |date=2012-06-24}} Official news and announcements - 2012-06-15</ref>

The sole Mac OS server Al'Kabor was closed on November 18, 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=EverQuest Mac shutting down (again)|url=https://www.engadget.com/2013-10-18-everquest-mac-shutting-down-again.html|access-date=2021-02-06|website=Engadget|date=18 October 2013 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2015 Sony sold its online entertainment division to private equity group [[Columbus Nova]], with Sony Online Entertainment subsequently renamed [[Daybreak Game Company]] (DBG). An initial period of uncertainty followed, with all projects such as expansions and sequels put on hold and staff laid off. The situation stabilized around the game's 16th anniversary celebrations, and a new expansion was released nine months later.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guthrie |first1=MJ |title=EverQuesting: EQ to release The Broken Mirror expansion November 18th |url=https://massivelyop.com/2015/10/03/everquesting-eq-to-release-the-broken-mirror-expansion-november-18th/ |website=Massively Overpowered |date=3 October 2015 |publisher=Overpowered Media Group, LLC |access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref>