Is EverQuest Dying? : What Made EverQuest So Great
EverQuest can be thought of as the godfather of all MMORPG games. It is a franchise that defined an entire genre even when it was still considered a niche back in the day. This 3D fantasy-themed MMORPG has come a long way and just recently celebrated its 20th anniversary on March 16. Since then, other games of the same genre, such as World of Warcraft, followed and took over the gaming world. Compared to the massive library of MMORPG games that we have now, does EverQuest still hold up? Or is it time to pay respects for the old-timer?
Let’s talk about it.
Table of Contents
When the EverQuest Game First Started
EverQuest came out way back in 1999, where the game invited thousands of people to go on an adventure to the fantasy realm known as Norrath, kill monsters, and loot sprawling dungeons. EverQuest wasn’t just another game, it was one of the first MMORPGs to appear when PC gaming was still growing. The concept of this MMO was to not hold your hand. You continuously learn new things by yourself, but at the same time, you die (a lot) in the process. Playing on PvP servers meant that you could easily get murdered anywhere beyond the safe zone. You can get ambushed by guilds during your looting sessions. Fast travel and the use of mounts didn’t come until much later on in other games, so trekking from one place to another was always risky. While this sort of style isn’t exactly groundbreaking by today’s standards, back in 1999 it was nothing short of innovative.
Gamers were ecstatic when they first heard of this new convoluted game. People loved it so much that EverQuest surpassed early subscription expectations during the first few months and its popularity skyrocketed year after year. The game snagged the 1999 GameSpot Game of the Year just months after its release. Eight years later, EverQuest managed to take home another award, the 2007 Technology & Engineering Emmy Award.
EverQuest: Next to Nothing in Comparison to Other MMOs?
EverQuest reached its prime in the early 2000s. But what about today? With such heavy-hitters like RuneScape and World of Warcraft, is EverQuest even in contention as one of the most popular MMORPGs? Well, the hard answer is no. The reason being is that other games are more accessible. Take WoW for example; it has continued to get more accessible over the years for the old and new generation. Now before any of you old school gamers out there say it’s too easy, know this: We actually to agree, but only to a certain point. The “easy” part was intended to minimize the monotonous aspects of MMO games, such as getting access to a mount or fast travel.
The death penalty of EverQuest is outdated as well. If you die in the game, you had to get your body back or else you’d lose all your hard-earned gear. This isn’t a great position to be in by today’s standards, especially if you die in no man’s land. Another thing to talk about is the lore. EverQuest is a great game for sure, but the lore is way too generic compared to say—Blizzard’s intricate lore and immersive world. Lore-wise for EverQuest, there’s just not enough meat on the bone.
Is it Time to Pass Down the Torch?
While EverQuest may look like it’s dying, it’s actually not. There are still players who are growing up alongside the game. Yes, there are many other more optimized and modern alternatives to choose from such as The Elder Scrolls Online, World of Warcraft, RuneScape, and other juggernauts. Nevertheless, EverQuest is still a game worth playing for other reasons besides accessibility. It has had over 25 expansions since its release. Granted you have to purchase all of them separately, the content that’s packed in these expansions such as new races, classes, zones, and more besides the free game content means hours of gameplay. EverQuest might not be your first choice to play, but it’s a great MMO to educate yourself on how things were back when gaming at home was just a budding lifestyle.
