SOE, Strangeness and Charm

I have a love-hate relationship with Everquest II. When I first tried it, many years ago (my memory is failing me, but I think it was while I was in Japan, and after I started playing WoW, which would put it somewhere in the winter of 2005 or spring of 2006), I soundly rejected it. When I picked it up the second time no less than 5 years later, I fell in love with parts of it, especially those that I, had I had the tenacity, could have already enjoyed in almost unchanged fashion back then. I then played and enjoyed it, even though often as a second choice below a dominating WoW or LotRO, for about half a year.

After it fell out of fashion with me (as it happens, me being the whimsical master of my games that I am), I felt the itch to return more than once. Alas, the main reason I never returned had nothing to do with the game or the world itself: I complained bitterly about such petty things as the removing of slow-speed mounts, but the fatal moment came when SOE decided to sell us like serfs to a shady company I am embarrassed to admit comes from my own country. Indeed, this was enough to both keep me from playing and make me complain about it on this blog.

Now, in the sudden, strange turn of events that seem to be SOE’s staple, news reach us that we might actually be spared from this cruel fate. The information is still quite terse and want for details (as, I might point out, is SOE’s wont), but it might mean that I will be able to stay with the slightly more appealing company for an, for all intents and purposes, unlimited amount of time. If that indeed turns out to be the case, this would increase the chances of me returning to EQ2 quite a bit.

Irony of fate: I laboured for a long time whether I should return to EQ2, and steadfastly refused on principle. Now that the fundamental facts might have changed, I’m immersed in the most unlikely of competitors, Rift. Though, who knows, that might not be for long. As I often said before, and will say again, Rift is a great game, but a sub-par virtual world. Who knows when the whims will change again and lead me towards another random waypoint.

(as often enough on this blog, if you find the reference, you may keep it, and also point it out and claim bragging rights)

2 thoughts on “SOE, Strangeness and Charm

  1. Yeah that was about as clear as mud. I think poor communication is actually a tactic with them to cause enough hesitation around any major announcement that people wait to pull the trigger to leave – and thus lose that initial anger “I won’t stand for this” impulse.

    1. That would be an interesting strategy, but I think Hanlon’s razor applies here: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” Though incompetence might fit better than stupidity in that case.

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