:: Updated by Hannar @ 01/20/04 06:07 pm ::

3. Release Date and Product Info


Wed Aug 13, 2003 11:37 am
http://www.eqii.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=62169&highlight=#62169

Moorgard wrote:

I can't get into specifics on dates yet, sorry. I'm aware how much many of you want this game in your hands like yesterday. All I can say (in a vague, yet reassuring sort of way) is that the team intends this puppy to be well-polished when it gets let loose into the world. But for the record, "polished puppy" is *not* a valid race/class combination.

Fri Aug 15, 2003 02:40 pm
http://www.eqii.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=63792&highlight=#63792

Moorgard wrote:

The nature of schedules in the entertainment industry is that they change. It happens for video games, movies, TV shows, etc. It doesn't have to mean that some great disaster struck or even that things went badly. Some things get done sooner than you thought they could be, while other things take longer. One can certainly come up with scenarios where being given more time to accomplish something is a good thing, thereby resulting in an even more satisfying outcome. All the above is merely generalization, of course. In terms of EQ2, the game has a schedule that the team works from. I can't release the specifics of it at this time, but I can say that the "winter 2004" quote was talking about the early months of 2004, not the late ones.

08-13-2003 at 01:59 PM
http://www.eqlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=17218#post17218

Moorgard wrote:

The original post in this thread is comprised of incorrect information. Aside from the fact that good stuff will turn up at FanFaire, of course. I can't give you the official release dates, sorry. But beta is *not* going on right now.

08-17-2003 at 03:15 AM
http://www.eqlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=17906#post17906

Moorgard wrote:

Yes, the game is coming out in 2004, not 2003. I can't be any more specific about dates yet. We're committed to releasing EQ2 with a ton of highly polished content for players to dig into. This is going to be a very deep, richly designed world when it ships, and I daresay that you'll notice it the first time you walk into your starting city.

Sun Aug 17, 2003 05:06 pm
http://www.eqii.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=65350&highlight=#65350

Moorgard wrote:

Scrax wrote: When he says winter 2004, he means somewhere around January and February. And hes said that a few times among the threads. Please don't tell people I said something I didn't. I have *never* said January or February. I said "early months." While those are certainly the two earliest months, they are not the only months in the early part of the year. When I can tell you an exact release date, I will. Until then you can speculate, but please don't attribute things to me unless you have exact quotes to back it up. I realize when you're excited about something you tend to hear what you want to hear, but in this case I simply didn't say that.

08-17-2003 at 03:21 AM
http://www.eqlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=17871#post17871

Moorgard wrote:

As I've said before, when Bill Trost said "winter of 2004," he meant the early months, not the late ones. As in, the winter that starts in 2003 and ends in 2004.

09-02-2003 at 09:46 PM
http://www.eqlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=19691#post19691

Moorgard wrote:

Tybr wrote: Amazon.com is pre-selling EQ2 with a release date of Dec 15 2003 I've stated clearly and for the record that EQ2 will be out in 2004. Honest.

9/2/03 11:58am
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=55694058&start=55767786

Moorgard wrote:

When it's ready.

9/3/03 12:35pm
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=55801140&start=55823200

Moorgard wrote:

It will be out in 2004, not 2003. We're being given plenty of time to polish our content. Players should see that as a good thing, and a reassurance that we mean it when we say we intend to ship a solid product.

09-16-2003 at 01:01 PM
http://www.eqlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=22718#post22718

Moorgard wrote:

I understand that some of you would like a date that you can mark on your calendar, but we simply aren't doing that yet. We're going to release the game when it's ready. While I understand that not having a firm date can be frustrating, I would hope you can see that it's ultimately a good thing that we aren't being rushed or hurried. In your perception, it looks like the game is delayed. To us, we're completely on schedule. We have a series of development milestones that we continue to meet successfully. The game gets more and more fun for people on the team to play. Our quest designers are constantly at work making the game deeper and more meaningful. New art assets are being added all the time, and the world keeps looking better and better. The fact that we aren't committing to a specific date isn't so that we can be coy or play mind games with our potential customers. It's because every member of this team really wants to put out a quality game. So that's what we're going to do. EQ2 will come out in 2004. It will be a solid, fun game. I'm sorry if you're frustrated, but when the game is released I really believe you'll think it was worth the wait.

9/19/03 2:52pm
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=56642698&start=56656400

Moorgard wrote:

The game is coming out in 2004, not this fall. Please see our FAQ for more details. When we start taking beta applications, it will be announced on our official site (and I'm sure you'll see posts here and on other boards). Posting here or sending me messages will have no impact on whether you get into beta--only your applications will.

9/24/03 1:12pm
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=56889309&start=56890295

Moorgard wrote:

False. Once again, EQ2 will be out in 2004. Regardless of online preorder dates or what any magazine may print, the game will not be out this year.

Mon Oct 13, 2003 09:01 pm
http://www.eqii.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=113663&highlight=#113663

Moorgard wrote:

Stakks wrote: I am sure Bill didnt see that one coming, right? I know they are all just doing their job. But you cant expect me as a customer to appreciate being lied to, and that is what i see happening. A lie, according to Merriam-Webster, is "an assertion of something known or believed by the speaker to be untrue with intent to deceive." Being wrong does not mean one is lying. Bill--and every other person from the team who has provided information in the past that is no longer accurate--had no intention to deceive anyone. He presented information that was, at the time, correct. (Remember, interviews tend to have additional lead time, so the date something is published doesn't necessarily tell you when the responses were given.) It is perfectly reasonable to claim such statements are incorrect. It is not reasonable, however, to claim that he was lying. Inevitably, there will be times when I post something that is incorrect or that ends up being changed later. This does not mean I am trying to deceive you. Whatever you may think of how I do my job, I don't get paid enough money to lie to people. I'd love to be 100% correct all the time, as would our entire team. Such a goal isn't, of course, humanly possible, but I intend to do the best that I can.

Tue Jan 27, 2004 12:50 pm
http://www.eqii.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=193055&highlight=#193055

Moorgard wrote:

Here's a little EQ2-related snippet that offers the best proof yet that our game will indeed be out in 2004. After all, we don't want our senior producer's head blowing up...

:: Updated by Hannar @ 07/03/04 02:48 pm ::

03-24-2004 04:52 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=general&message.id=18422#M18422

Moorgard wrote:

Our release date remains 2004

03-24-2004 05:48 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=general&message.id=18485#M18485

Moorgard wrote:

We have not yet announced a specific release date. EverQuest II will be out in 2004. Locking, as this topic comes up time and time again.

Wed Apr 07, 2004 05:05 pm
http://www.eqii.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=252739&highlight=#252739

Moorgard wrote:

Gun Slinger wrote: He says EQ2 will be released this year so :O) So did you think I was kidding each of the 847 times I've said that?

04-21-2004 10:02 AM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=general&message.id=54077#M54077

Moorgard wrote:

Grimrose wrote: Call me a sceptic if you will but until I see a more specific date on a SOE owned site I'm inclined to believe 2004 and nothing more. That is the wisest course of action anyone can take.

5/17 9:06pm
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=68945581&start=69002965

Moorgard wrote:

Actually there's just one box. On one side is Antonia, on the other is Lucan. It's cool.

5/18 9:39am
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=68945581&start=69021782

Moorgard wrote:

Yep, there will be flaps on both sides.

5/25 9:32pm
http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=69394012&start=69413441

Moorgard wrote:

I'm going to break with tradition and get a bit more specific about our release date: EverQuest II is NOT coming out in June of 2004.

06-13-2004 05:12 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=Newbie&message.id=6750#M6750

Moorgard wrote:

To be clear, the Collector's Edition will be DVD only. The list price is about $100, so ads offering to sell it for considerably less than that are probably based on inaccurate information. We've revised the in-box item you get for each version of the game. I think marketing wants to make an announcement of it, so I'm not going to spoil it here. The info you saw on the leaked pre-sell sheet was placeholder only.

06-17-2004 12:15 AM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=Newbie&message.id=7820#M7820

Moorgard wrote:

I don't have answers to most of these questions yet. All I know is what I posted above. Our marketing people are still working out distribution deals. The preorder disc will be for sale in many major retail outlets, but they're still working on online details and how it might work through the Station store. When I can post something more specific I will, and I'm sure you'll see announcements about it sometime in July.

:: Updated by Hannar @ 07/12/04 06:09 pm ::

07-12-2004 04:04 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=Non-Gameplay&message.id=18632#M18632

Moorgard wrote:

Details on the availability of the preorder disc will be forthcoming. Please don't start any further threads asking questions about it until after an announcement is made. It will be available in regions outside the US, but I won't say more than that until we post an official announcement. If you have any doubts about whether you are eligible to receive the presale disc, I'd advise waiting to preorder until after we make our announcement. If you have preordered already, there is no need to panic. Again, just wait until we make our announcement.

Thu Jul 15, 2004 03:02 pm
http://www.eqii.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=319227&highlight=#319227

Moorgard wrote:

RihkotixInvisifists wrote: EQ2 WILL be in the all access pass. however, due to it not being out, they can not list it as being on the all access pass. if it was on the all access pass and you were paying for that, you would be entitled to play eq2. Yep. Legal stuff.

:: Updated by Hannar @ 08/01/04 04:48 pm ::

07-21-2004 07:19 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=faq&message.id=17#M17

Moorgard wrote:

What is included in the EverQuest II preorder package? The EverQuest II Starter Kit includes: * The full game’s unparalleled character creation tool, which allows you to create & save your characters * Unique account key that will grant your character a pair of Journeyman Boots for an extra burst of speed * Special EverQuest II content including a behind the scenes video, exclusive MP3s from the soundtrack, and the official trailer * Fan Site Kit for building your own EverQuest II website * The E3 demo movie with narration by Scott Hartsman * The first chapter of our lore series telling what has occurred in the 500 years since EverQuest took place (to be continued on everquest2.com) * System scan that evaluates your current hardware configuration * Special offers for incredible savings on PC upgrades to enhance your gaming experience Where can I purchase the Starter Kit? The Starter Kit will be available through major retail outlets in the US, as well as many online retailers including the Station Store. Generally speaking, most retailers who ordinarily sell preorder discs will be carrying the EverQuest II Starter Kit. When will the Starter Kit be available? The Starter Kit will be available for sale as soon as retailers receive their shipments. The official start of the preorder campaign is August 2, 2004. Some retailers may offer it sooner. Will the Starter Kit be sold outside the US? Yes. The Starter Kit is being distributed by certain retailers in the following countries: * Canada * UK * Germany * Australia * Austria * Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland) If you live in one of the countries listed above, check with your local retailer to see if they will be distributing the Starter Kit. Will the Starter Kit be available in France? A very limited number of French EverQuest II preorder kits will be available in Micromania, Scores Games, Armageddon, and the Ubi Online Store. Those wishing to get their hands on the character creation portion of the game are strongly encouraged to preorder while supplies last. If I have an existing preorder for EverQuest II, will I be sent the Starter Kit automatically? Distribution of the Starter Kit is determined by the retailers who carry it. Sony Online Entertainment does not control how retailers offer the Starter Kit to their customers. Ask your retailer for details. Are there multiple versions of the Starter Kit being sold by different retailers in the US? No, there is only one version of the EverQuest II Starter Kit being sold in the US. The full game will be available in several different configurations, but there is only one preorder kit. Is the Starter Kit being sold internationally exactly the same as the one sold inside the US? The special offers for savings on PC upgrades will not be included in the Starter Kit sold outside the US. Other than that, the packages are identical. The Starter Kit is only available in English and will not be translated into other languages. Are the Journeyman Boots the same item that appeared in the original EverQuest? Our Journeyman Boots, sturdily crafted by Hasten Bootstrutter, do not offer the exact same run-speed enhancement as the originals did in EverQuest. While quite useful, the speed effect will be a minor enhancement that does not unbalance gameplay for those who do not own the boots, and it is not intended to replace the more powerful run-speed buffs that certain classes cast as spells. How many pairs of Journeyman Boots will I get? The Starter Kit gives you one pair of boots. They can only be given to one character per account, and cannot be traded or sold to any other character. I heard that the skins of certain races were recently redone. Will the Starter Kit include the new skins? Yes, the Starter Kit includes the newest versions of the character skins. Does the Starter Kit include every character customization option that will be in the finished game? Our character team may include additional customization options in the finished game that do not appear in the Starter Kit. You will still have the option to modify any characters you have saved once you load them into the finished game. Your choices are not final until you name the characters and they are saved on our servers. Will the Starter Kit be made available for download? We have no plans to offer the Starter Kit for download. The primary purpose of the kit is to generate interest for EverQuest II at retail outlets.

:: Updated by Hannar @ 08/01/04 04:53 pm ::

07-21-2004 09:21 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=general&message.id=156471#M156471

Moorgard wrote:

You should know by now that online retailers do not always provide accurate information on items they list for preorder. One look at the multitude of EQ2 release dates should tell you that. The information in the FAQ is correct. Gamestop does not have any kind of exclusive version of the Starter Kit, nor does anyone else have a version with different items in the box. There is only one version of the preorder kit. We will be providing information on the various configurations of the finished game (CD, DVD, and Collector's Edition) very soon. But that information is separate from the Starter Kit. Please realize that retailers can handle preorders however they want. Do not assume that just because you preorder the game somewhere that you are guaranteed a Starter Kit. SOE does not control whether retailers provide the Starter Kit to their customers, so any questions about that should be taken up with the retailers. The Starter Kit will be on the shelves at many common retail chains. You should have lots of opportunities to pick one up, as most retailers haven't even started selling them yet.

07-22-2004 12:15 AM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=general&message.id=156556#M156556

Moorgard wrote:

No. There will be a CD version, a DVD version, and the Collector's Edition. There are no plans to offer different versions of those product SKUs through different retailers, so buying the CE from one place will be the same as buying it from another in terms of what is included.

07-22-2004 12:22 AM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=general&message.id=156558#M156558

Moorgard wrote:

Added to the FAQ. It's one pair, and they can't be traded or sold. The housing items are part of the retail game, not the Starter Kit. As I said, that will be announced separately.

07-22-2004 12:16 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=general&message.id=156815#M156815

Moorgard wrote:

The FAQ has been updated with international information and a couple other details. Remember, this thread is about the Starter Kit only. Information on what will be included in the various configurations of the final game (and international availability) will be a separate announcement. Please stop asking those questions in this thread.

:: Updated by Hannar @ 08/01/04 07:39 pm ::

07-28-2004 05:44 PM
http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=news_announcements&message.id=19#M19

Moorgard wrote:

Today our PR department sent out the following information: The pre-order disc for EverQuest II, Sony Online Entertainment’s (SOE) highly-anticipated fantasy Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), is currently being distributed, and the pre-order program will be in full distribution the week of August 2nd, at select retailers. Three versions of the final game will be available at launch, all of which can be pre-ordered at participating retailers. Here is a list of the three different skus: CD Version ($49.99 SRP) Includes EverQuest II on a series of CDs, in-game item (exclusive paintings of EverQuest II scenery/screenshots to be used in player housing), and in-box item (poster with Qeynos and Freeport maps on each side). DVD Version ($49.99 SRP) Includes EverQuest II on a series of DVDs, in-game item (talking statues of Antonia and Lucan to be used in player housing), and in-box item (poster with Qeynos and Freeport maps on each side). Collectors Edition ($89.99 SRP) Includes EverQuest II on a series of DVDs, and the following in-game items: · Paintings of EQ II scenery/screen shots to be used in player housing · Talking statues of Antonia and Lucan to be used in player housing · Exclusive baby dragon pet for player house The collectors edition will also include the following in-box items: · Exclusive Art Book · Bonus DVD with all the trailers, gameplay videos and behind the scenes footage · Soundtrack CD · Collectors coin with velvet pouch · Cloth map of the Shattered Lands · Poster with Qeynos and Freeport maps on each side · Poster with Antonia and Lucan on each side Note: This information pertains to the US market. Details on international editions will be posted soon