Open-world MMORPG once expected to impress at every turn. EverQuest Next would offer environmental destruction and „living” AI

While the video game industry is huge, there really isn't much room for MMORPGs that can even come close to challenging World of Warcraft's top spot, let alone carve out their own niche while it continues to dominate. For a long time, the EverQuest series was part of this group, mainly due to the cult status of the brand, which has been developed since 1999. The third installment, titled EverQuest Next, was supposed to be the crown jewel of this series.

Well, it was supposed to happen, but ultimately it didn't, and fans of the series were left with no choice but to make do with the previous installments, which fortunately received extensive support from the devs. Let's recall what the creators promised us and trace the fate of this project.

A vibrant, open world

EverQuest Next was supposed to be built on the foundations laid by the first two games in the series. The title would let us explore the amazing land of Norrath all over again, but this time it would get a major makeover and upgrade, making it feel like a whole new world.

Of course, the driving force of the adventure would be quests pushing the story forward. However, there would be no marker indicating that a quest awaits us in a given location. Instead, tasks were supposed to be taken on and completed in a more natural, go-with-the-flow kind of way. For instance, while wandering around Norrath, we might stumble upon a village being attacked by a group of orcs, and it would be up to us to decide whether to help the villagers, support the aggressors, or leave both sides alone.

Complementing all this would be the so-called Rallying Calls, large-scale community events that could last for weeks or even months. As part of these, we would participate in activities such as building cities or having big battles.

EverQuest Next. Source: Daybreak Game Company.

Important decisions

We need to be cautious, as the decisions we make will not only affect our own fate but also shape the future of all of Norrath. Players' actions would cause some cities to fall and others to rise, some kings would lose their thrones while others gained power, and NPCs would either like us or totally hate us, depending on our past actions.

The enemies were supposed to have advanced AI too, and the game was set to ditch the random enemy spawns for good, replacing them with realistic troop movements across the map.

Combat and exploration were to be diversified with arcade elements. On the battlefield, we would need to be quick on our feet (though juggling our skills and playing to our characters' strengths would be important too). And if we wanted to reach certain spots, we would sometimes have to tackle some platforming challenges. Character development would be based on improving specific skills.

EverQuest Next. Source: Daybreak Game Company.

Impressive technology

However, what was supposed to be most impressive about EverQuest Next was the technology. The graphics for this project were supposed to be based on voxels, which would allow for a lot of environmental destruction. Destroying entire structures, objects, and plants was not only meant to be visually pleasing but also to expand our range of tactical options. This way, we could, for instance, blow up bridges to slow down enemy troops or even trigger avalanches to mess with our opponents. Moreover, the game would let us dig down to the underground ourselves, so we wouldn't have to go through the hassle of finding tunnel entrances.

EverQuest Next. Source: Daybreak Game Company.

Chronicle of a downfall

All of this sounds too good to be true? To be honest, yes. The game was announced in August 2010, but the cards were only revealed by Sony Online Entertainment three years later. It looked like everything was going smoothly because the creators even started talking about a PlayStation 4 version. Back in March 2014, we also learned that Jeremy Soule, known for soundtracks to The Elder Scrolls series, would be composing the music for EverQuest Next.

Unfortunately, even though in 2015 Daybreak Entertainment (as the studio had, in the meantime, left the wings of Sony Interactive Entertainment and undergone rebranding) promised that EverQuest Next was its priority, March 2016 brought news of the suspension of work on this project, as it didn't meet the expectations placed on it.

Nevertheless, the EverQuest brand remained alive (and remains so to this day) because DayBreak Entertainment regularly expanded the two previous installments of the series with new DLCs.

EverQuest Next. Source: Daybreak Game Company.

Landmark

Interestingly, EverQuest Next got a spin-off called EverQuest Next Landmark, which was renamed to just Landmark in 2014. It was a Minecraft-style title, allowing players to explore the world, gather materials, and construct various buildings.

The game originally started as a tool for testing EverQuest Next's tech, but eventually, it evolved into its own standalone project. The title came out on PC on June 10, 2016, but it didn't really manage to challenge the top spot held by the industry giant, Minecraft. In the end, the decision was made to shut down its servers, which took place on February 21, 2017.

Landmark

June 10, 2016

Rate It!

• Overview
• Guide

• EverQuest (series)
• MMORPG
• cancelled games
• Daybreak Game Company
• Necro Gaming