Greetings and well met Norrathians, 

2020 has been an interesting year, and we aren't quite finished with it yet! We’ve had to adjust to working from home and learning how to put together an expansion while working remotely. I am incredibly proud of the team and what they have achieved, as we reach the end of the year the shadows are growing with each passing day as the days get shorter, and winter is almost here. I am thrilled to announce our 17th expansion officially. Below is our official logo for the new expansion and I can't wait to reveal the key art in the coming weeks. 

 

 

Our 17th expansion for EverQuest II is here, and it's time to confront the Reign of Shadows, on the dark side of Luclin! Emperor Ssraeshza and his unyielding throngs of insidious zealots and enslaved minions have laid claim to the ancient citadel of Vex Thal. The march of the nefarious snake-like shissar must end there, deep within the heart of the dark side of Luclin.

Face terrible challenges and forge great alliances in regions unseen by Norrathian eyes in centuries: Echo Caverns, Shadeweaver's Thicket, Grimling Forest, Shar Vhal, and Vex Thal. Heroes will be made in the shadows!

 

Merc Sneak Peek! 

 

Notable Features

  • Get distracted by shiny things, knock things off of high places, hate dogs. Play as a Vah Shir! THAT'S RIGHT OUR FIRST NEW PLAYER RACE IN 5 YEARS!
  • 20 Reign of Shadows Prestige Advancement Points and 10 new Reign of Shadows Prestige Abilities.
  • Maximum Guild Level increased to 350 with an all new content-driven guild leveling mechanism.
  • Discover new Adventure, Tradeskill, and Signature quests as you investigate what secrets lay concealed in the endless gloom.
  • Master all new Solo, Heroic, Challenge Heroic, and Raid content in the perpetual shade of Luclin’s dark side!

There is so much more to reveal over the coming weeks as we launch beta, and preorders for Reign of Shadows on November 10 between 10 AM and 12 PM (Noon) PDT. Don’t forget,  If you pre-order, you will get access to Beta. I hope to see you all there! 

AA Revamp

Launching with Reign of Shadows, archetype and class Alternate Advancement abilities are getting a full revamp so that every point has an impact on how your character plays. These changes should not affect Kaladim in a significant way and we do not plan on having them affect future TLEs either. To see these changes before the launch of the expansion, please login to beta when it opens and check them out.

Team Darkpaw: Extra Life

We announced our inaugural Darkpaw Games Extra Life team TEAM DARKPAW, led by our community manager, Dreamweaver. The team has already raised over $14,500 dollars and has over 100 members! Game Day is November 7th, and it’s never too late to join and raise money for the Children's Miracle Network. 

Developer Video Series

Daybreak as a company has been partnering with the San Diego County Office of Education to teach kids about careers in tech, and part of that project is our Developer Video Series. I had the pleasure of being the first one up! You can check out the video on the SDCOE Youtube channel here and stay tuned for more from our studio and other studios in the Daybreak Family. 

Upcoming Events

Gear Up, Level Up 2020 begins on October 29 stay tuned on the forums and discord for the announcement for the first set of bonuses. Heroes’ Festival also starts in the next few weeks, as it’s almost time to celebrate our 16th anniversary! 

I know that’s a lot to go over but don’t forget,

Beta and Preorder for Reign of Shadows, November 10, 2020. I’ll see you there. 

Never Give Up,  

Jenn Chan, Head of Studio, Darkpaw Games