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http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?&topic_id=516733
Apperently, SOE teamed up with ProSiebenSat.1 Games to host their games now. So far I'm okay with that, but a FORCED account transfer is something I don't want to happen. Why..? ProSiebenSat.1 Games is one of the 2 worst EU gaming publishers around (yes, the other one is FROGSTER), and I don't wany them to hold my data and host MY games. Not to mention, looking at US->EU transitions in the past (Lineage II and Aion come to mind), these transitions tend more to be a failure than a success, with the new EU servers left to die, or very low populated.
I do enjoy playing EverQuest II right now on the US server (went there on purpose) because it's an alive server. With the upcoming transition, I'm not sure what will happen to the server population, merges or whatever might happen. I might as well end up on a German server (not my native language, but it won't be the 1st time SOE takes Dutch players for knowing German...) or a server that ends up dead.
Think if SOE sticks to this FORCED transition, my best guess will be to cancel all recent cc payments I made and not play EQ2 anymore...
Comments
All the way back at the first everquest when $OE took over everything went to shit they forced us to change things no notice or choice. I canceled my account after 4 years, shame really loved the game hated them. havn't given them another penny since.
Really it is the only thing the corperations understand money. Don't give it to them then they listen if your lucky...
Pro7Sat1 is a german ... hmpf wished my english were better ... I would call it a fast food entertainment company. They don't provide anything which has quality or depth. I rarely watch their TV unless there is some sport event. The rest of it is really bad. That also shows for the games they host. Most of it are browser/flash p2w games.
I find it a little strange they take over games like EQ/EQ2. Anyway, I am no longer playing those games anymore. They were fun in the past but are quite old now. So it doesn't concern me.
OP, I get where you are coming from, I also choose US servers whenever I can and played EQ and EQ2 exclusively on them because of language barriers and community issues on EU ones. I would hate to get shifted with no choice or say to a crappy 3rd party regional provider, simply because SOE saw less grief/ more profit in it, if I still played.
This kind of crap, as well as their long history of flat out lies, is why I stopped supporting SOE as a company a long time ago.
It's the kind of decision that makes me look at PS2 and EQ3, two games I should be very excited about, with suspicion.
I have been playing on the US server, Freeport, since november last year. I met a lot of nice people, who I enjoy the game with. Nothing can compare to the community and enjoyment I am having right now in EQ2. If SoE demands to transfer me to EU servers, I will get so pissed off, that I spam them with 100 hate mails! That is unfair! Really!
So, has the transition started? Also, if I made an account in november, will I still be forced to transfer? Because right now it seems like I am "ranked" as a US player, even tho if I am from Europe?
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=515484
Seems they went back on the forced thing?
I heard that as well about an hour ago (one of the other EU players pointed it out). I'm happy I can keep playing EQ2 on AB. Only thing that still bothers me though is that some crappy publisher is keeping track of my data and I have to pay them for the $O€ services I take (gold subscription) and I have to be 'tunneled' to the US servers (more lag mosts likely...)
Here's a copy of the email sent out this morning in case anyone wants a look. Personally, it reads to me as though EU players will have to move (but I have had a tiring day combined with man-flu)
MMORPG.com THIS is news, write something about it! Make some interviews, ask the bastards why we europeans should not be pissed as hell about this!
So in a situation like this, what does the regional partner actually provide? Are they simply hosting the servers? Doing marketting? Handling localization/local-language support? Ensuring compliance with legal requirements? Providing a liability shield for the publisher?
MMORPG.com doesn't care about europeans, thats why all their competitions are now usa/canada only.
They gave up dealing with people who can form sentences and don't get emo every 30 seconds about nothing.
Great game run by a terrible company.I don't play anyomre but have multiple level 90's on Splitpaw(EU)and Antonia Bayle (US) with 11 character slots maxed on both.So i bet i lose 11 toons lol.So happy I stopped playing.Still the most fun I ever had in an mmo though,no other comes close
I think that is the main reason for this. SOE dont want to deal with localization.
In the case of Aion, the Gameforge model was more resticted (only 2 characters total) and general worse business model with updates added much later than NA version. I think Aion EU dont even have version 3.0 yet.
I think that even the players the localization is made for prefer English-only version if they get the best business model and the latest possible western update/content.
I just got this in a response from SOE:
'SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games have determined that it is in the best interest of the players and the Community to allow players to continue to play on any server regardless of where they live. That means that European players will be able to play on U.S. servers and vice versa.
Additionally ProSiebenSat.1 Games will offer its own version of an All Access subscription that will be available to all European customers once details have been finalized. As of March 29th Sony Online Entertainment will no longer offer the All Access subscription to European customers. In the meantime, All Access players who have running subscriptions can continue playing SOE games as usual. All current European All Access subscribers with accounts in good standing can continue to play games offered by SOE until the ProSiebenSat.1 Games version of the All Access subscription becomes available.'
Guess that means I cancel my Access plan when it's due for renewal in August then. Bugger.
First everquest was always SoE, just under a different name/structure. Smedley was in charge of EQ and the guy that hired McQuaid.
And as for the OP's question, this is ancient news now, this was announced 3 or 4 months ago, if not more.
Yes it was, but we got a letter today that we are being forced to move within the next 30-60 days. They tried to backtrack in february to make it sound like they listened to the complaints, been quite since then. Now we got this letter that tells us we are forced to move.
Currently talking about this in 1-9 on AB. Seems a lot of EU players haven't received the email yet.
I haven't received anything yet...
If you aren't currently subscribed, can an EU person still play on the US servers after the transition?
Playing MUDs and MMOs since 1994.
From what I understand (and there is a LOT of misdirection coming from SOE), only current subscribers (without station access) will be able to continue on US servers, but will still have to create an account with ProSiebenSat.1 Games Group. Obviously, no 500 station cash per month reward, and apparently the creation of new characters on US servers will not be possible.
I think that PSS1 will take care of the 500SC then. I've read somewhere that we'd still get them (if subscribed). An other (good) thing is that we'll also get LoN boosters when subscribed, but yet again an unclear thing on how & what with them. After all, if you're playing EQ as well as EQ2, you need the lootcards on both SOE and PSS1 accounts...
Well everyone will be able to play on any server in the future, if you are in EU (seems like they will track both IP adress and billing info) you will be a PSS1 customer. PSS1will use their own stationcash but your current balance will transfer, you will also be able to buy PSS1 gamecards in EU (finding sonys cards has been hard). Some people are saying that PSS1 already have started TV ads in Germany (I do not know if this is true or not but PSS1 is a major media company) . We will see what will happen, it could be good, PSS1 Can not be worse businessmen than Sony, it is simply not possible.
Chi puo dir com'egli arde é in picciol fuoco.
He who can describe the flame does not burn.
Petrarch
Looks like $O€ and P$$1 both need to sort some things out... I'm from EU and will get P$$1 SC, but I'll kepe playing on the US AB server, where I need $O€ SC. And now something makes me think that I won't be able to use the US AB cash shop if I only have P$$1 SC points *or I am missing something*