Sony Online Entertainment announced today at its Fan Faire gathering that both the original EverQuest and its sequel, EverQuest II, would see a new expansion each. EverQuest Seeds of Destruction, the 15th (!!) expansion for the MMO, will be released on October 21, with EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey available on November 18. That would be EQ II's fifth expansion, if you're keeping count.

The good news for those who paid good money to get to Fan Faire was that each attendee would get the expansions free. Well, you know... "free"

The full list of features, including new zones, new dungeons and a higher level cap, in both SOE expansions is contained within the press release after the jump. Should reading bore you to tears, lovely new screen shots of both EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey and EverQuest Seeds of Destruction are in our galleries below.

LEGACY OF EVERQUEST® FRANCHISE CONTINUES WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF EverQuest® AND EverQuest® II EXPANSIONS AT FAN FAIRE

All attendees to Receive Both Expansions for Free as Part of Living Legacy Program!

LAS VEGAS, NEV. ? Aug. 15, 2008 ? Thousands of video game enthusiasts are in Las Vegas for the annual Sony Online Entertainment Fan Faire where the upcoming expansions for the online role-playing games EverQuest® (EQ) and EverQuest® II (EQII) were just announced. EverQuest® Seeds of Destruction? is scheduled to be available on Oct.21, and EverQuest® II The Shadow Odyssey? is scheduled to be available on Nov.18. As part of SOE?s extensive Living Legacy program designed to entice new and past EQ and EQII players into the games and reward the existing loyal playerbase, all Fan Faire attendees will receive the software for both expansions for free, an unprecedented offering.

?It is such a privilege to announce the upcoming expansions for two of our most popular games, EverQuest and EverQuest II, in a venue like Fan Faire where we are joined by thousands of our loyal fans, and it seems more than appropriate to give those fans access to both of the expansions for free,? said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. ?Both of these expansions are rich in content and adventure, and will provide our players with hours of excitement as they explore the online world of Norrath.?

EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey is the fifth expansion for the critically acclaimed EQII franchise and follows the award-winning and best-selling Rise of KunarkTM expansion. New players and veterans alike will journey through a substantial amount of exquisite content with more than 20 new zones, including the Moors of Ykesha, a massive outdoor zone once known as Innothule Swamp, and the legendary dungeon Guk. Throughout the summer months, players were treated to prelude events, such as the Void Storms, that gave them a glimpse into the expansion lore and content from The Shadow Odyssey, building the anticipation leading up to the launch.

EverQuest is rapidly approaching its 10th anniversary, and Seeds of Destruction is the 15th expansion for the genre-defining online game. For the first time ever, players will have the ability to hire non-player characters (NPCs) to aid them in their heroic endeavors in Seeds of Destruction. These mercenaries will be valuable player assets as they thwart the efforts of Discord?s Dark God. This expansion also includes a level cap increase to 85, new dynamic high-level raid content, new spells and new alternate advancement abilities.

EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey Feature Set:
· New Zones: Journey through more than 20 new zones, including the new overland zone, Innothule Swamp.
· Dungeon Adventures: Experience nostalgic EverQuest dungeon themes, such as Najena, Mistmoore and The Sebilisian Empire, and adventure through more than 18 goal-based dungeons, such as Ruins of Guk and Befallen.
· Achievement Point: An achievement level cap increase to 200 that offers new achievements for class-specific lines.
· Dungeon Delving: A new mission system for players to replay content with new and different experiences.
· Heritage Quests: Five new quests with unique rewards being added.
· Shard Reward System: A new, mysterious group of erudites with powerful new armor and equipment will barter for void shards earned during players? encounters
· Epic Tales: Stories told through battles with dozens of new creatures and hundreds of new quests.
· New Deities: Rodcet Nife and Anashti Sul are introduced into Norrath.
· Access to All Previous Content: Includes all previous expansion packs and adventure packs.
· Legends of Norrath: Includes strategic online trading card game, digital starter deck and booster pack.

EverQuest Seeds of Destruction Feature Set:

* Mercenaries: Player-controlled NPCs are now available and will not only scale to the appropriate level, but also think and act for themselves with limited player guidance. Designed for extra support or extra muscle in PvE encounters, mercenary archetypes include a variety of classes from all playable races.
* Level Cap Increase: Players can now achieve level 85 with new high-level item sets, new alternate advancement ability lines and new spells.
* 20 New Zones: Features re-imagined classic content and brand-new realms for adventurers to explore, including the eerie wasteland of the Void, the Battle of Rathe on the Plane of Earth and the ultimate Heart of Darkness in the Plane of Discord.
* Access to All Previous Content - Includes all features and content from the 14 previous expansion packs.
* Legends of Norrath: Includes strategic online trading card game, digital starter deck, booster pack and loot item.

In addition to attending exclusive panels this weekend at Fan Faire, eligible players with active accounts will receive early access to beta for one or both games, depending on their preference. EQ?s public beta is anticipated to begin on Aug. 19, and EQII?s public beta is anticipated to begin on Sept. 2.

For more expansion information from EverQuest Seeds of Destruction and a free trial of EverQuest, visit www.everquest.com.

For expansion information from on EverQuest II The Shadow Odyssey and a free trial of EverQuest II, visit www.everquest2.com.

About Sony Online Entertainment

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends?, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies?, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.