By: Jennifer "Yaviey" Bridges Fifteen years ago, EverQuest revolutionized the world of video games with a brand new take on a living, breathing online world. Then, in 2004, EverQuest II was released and did it again. Now, in 2014, Landmark is in Alpha with a brand-new style of game! And EverQuest Next is currently in the Round Table phase, where ongoing discussions between players and developers may influence the game upon its release. Now we're giving you a one-stop location to learn about all things EverQuest with the debut of our new EverQuest Portal wikia! Read interviews from devs, watch exclusive franchise videos, learn about fan communities you can get involved in, create a player profile, and much more. We worked together with our partners at Wikia to create this site with players in mind as a way to highlight our fans and give them content they really want. To kick things off with the new portal, let's start with some prizes! Wikia is giving away 10 Collector's Edition packs of EverQuest: Call of the Forsaken, 10 Collector's Edition packs of EverQuest II: Tears of Veeshan, and 5 Landmark Trailblazer packs. To enter, head on over to the EverQuest Portal wikia here, register for a Wikia account, and leave a comment in the blog post. But hurry! This sweepstakes ends on March 31, 2014. And just like our other wikias, this one is open to edit and add things to, so fill in the details on your characters, add your fan art, tell players about your guild, and anything else EQ-related. And if you have any suggestions, please feel free to add them in the comments here. Need some help getting started? Look here for a great wikia guide for beginners. See you on the Portal, adventurers! --Yaviey, SOE Wiki Project Manager
You should also state that it is only open to residents of North America Only. Just saw that after reading through to the very last of the blog post that you linked.
There's a surprise. The SOE contests are nearly always USA only. Product prices for games from USD to GBP are nearly always way over the currency conversion equivalent. For example, EQNL trailblazers pack is $99. After currency conversion that's £60GBP, but SOE charges us £75GBP all but a penny. £15 more for the same game, same features, same company providing the services. Then there's my 12 year old SOE account with nearly every SOE game you can think of purchased and registered on it, however it will not be continuing it's EQ heritage on to EQ Next as we're fobbed off on Pro Sieben. EU customers look like second class customers to SOE. That said, I love the portal idea, and cant wait for EQN especially after trailblazing EQNL.
While I completely agree with your about EU customers being treated like dirt in most cases - SOE aren't to blame for the price of the Trailblazer pack. £60 (ish, based on fluctuating exchange rates) is correct, but then here in the UK we have to pay that wonderful little thing called VAT... which makes the price correct. I however will NOT be continuing my EQ heritage on to EQN as I will never sign up for an account with ProSiebanShat. Why would I pay an All Access sub for EQ1, EQ2, EQNL, Planetside 2, Dragon's Prophet.. and then they expect me to pay AGAIN for EQN through a shoddy 2 bit partner? Think again SOE. Portal looks great though!
Why in the world of digital and interweb is the freebies restricted to US only? I want an opportunity to win freebies dammit!
Wikia is running this sweepstakes, so I'm not certain what their limitations are. I know, from SOE's standpoint, we have tax/legal issues, so that's why we are unable to do giveaways to some areas in the world. We definitely want to and we're continuing to look into ways to do so, but for the time being, we do giveaways where we can.
ProSieban is an issue unto itself, although I can see where it got tied in here. As for where SOE runs its promotions; It does so wherever the law allows. I fully sympathize with European players, but the solution for getting services to you does not lie within the powers of SOE. The solutions you seek can only come through the legislative bodies of your respective nations. I do not fault you one bit for speaking up. I just hope that you will take some time to speak to those closer to home. In the end, it is not the service provider, but your legislative bodies that hold the power over what you do or do not have access to.
''We definitely want to and we're continuing to look into ways to do so, but for the time being, we do giveaways where we can.'' An upgrade with a ''click'' of an existing account could be a way of handing out prizes.. No? C. (Also a second class SOE customer).
Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. Even if you have an existing account, you still live and abide by the tax laws/restrictions in your region. Also, please be more respectful in your responses. No one thinks you're a second class customer.There are laws and as a company, we have to follow them.
Not meaning to be a pain, but what is the tax/legal ramifications of giving away things? I don't get it. From wikias standpoint, they have bought or have been given these games from SOE, and now they're giving them away. No cash is being exchanged, so why would there be a tax restriction? I'm not clued up on taxation and legal issues in my own country let alone the US, but of the two countries I've lived in, if you don't receive any money for an item, you don't make a profit on it so you don't get taxed, regardless of where that item has gone.
EQ Portal and Livestreams are two separate things. Items still have value even if you are getting them for free. Sweepstakes are heavily regulated in some countries in order to ensure people are not abusing the system. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has to make certain there aren't any scams being created from these giveaways, etc. I think the major concern for most countries has been with the concept of gambling.
''Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. Even if you have an existing account, you still live and abide by the tax laws/restrictions in your region.'' Ok, I will try to be specific, Please, last question: Can anyone stop you from selling something to me, (the winner of course) for 25 cents? (no matter the lvl tax one pay of that, it sure ain't much)
I've tried off & on for over a week & have been unable to enter the contest. I've joined under this name & logged in but when I try to enter a comment it gets locked into 'Loading Editor' in the comment window, it never loads. I've left the window open for over 2 hours & it never loads.
''Also, please be more respectful in your responses'' Was I disrespectful or is there a particular professional reason to just point out my post, who feels the same way as the post who mentioned it first and those after also agreeing to it? I was merely agreeing to these previous post, -and that is all! (still do, very much). Can't sugarcoat that for you. However in future, I will TRY to remember and ''feel like'' that we are not what you claim, -next time and every time I see these types of announcements, where we may only look but can not touch. Thanks.
It sounds to me that Luperza was addressing other responders and not just you. She was simply requesting a certain degree of civility from all that post to this thread. Sure, the first statement was directed at you, but the next one was directed to everyone.
This would be considered gambling. If you pay 25 cents for a chance to win something, that's a gamble. Now, if you're asking that if you win that we have you pay the 25 cents, well that's trying to exploit the sweepstakes rules and regulations which could get SOE in big trouble. --------- We don't run this contest, so not sure how to help. Have you contacted Wikia in regards to this? --------- My comment about being respectful was in regards to this portion of your statement: As it is borderline breaking Forum Guideline policies. I don't mind negative feedback, but there's no need for comments like that. Stating you feel like a second class SOE customer because of x, y, z and would like it resolved by d, n, v, helps way more than comments like that. Ya know? Plus, it promotes a more constructive environment for both you, as a player, and the developer, trying to help you.
Ok, I'll tackle the issue in those terms. We Europeans feel like second class SOE customers because, despite having paid an awful lot of money to the company over many years and proved our loyalty to it, we are told we can only play certain SOE games with a company none of is willing to have any dealings with. We want to play the same games as other players through the same company and on the same terms. The way we'd like to resolve this the issue is by SOE ditching PSS1 as their European partner and assuring Europeans that they can continue to play all SOE's games through SOE - including EQN.
I'm curious which forum rule covers discussing the limitations and missing capabilities of being an SOE customer outside the USA. Many times that European customers have posted in a thread asking how that announcement/news/contest/discount/promotion will affect them, the posts are deleted, thread locked, and bans and warnings handed out. If I could see this forum rule, I could ensure I don't breach it in the future.
