MMORPG Merger Announced

I received this press release last night. I figured I would just post it here in it's entirety and let you digest it. -------------- SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT, SQUARE-ENIX AND BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE CROSS-OVER GAMING DEAL - In an unprecedented merger of gaming assets, online gamers will be able to take their existing characters into new and exciting adventures in other gaming worlds. SAN DIEGO, CA - March 31, 2005 - Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), Square-Enix (S-E) and Blizzard Entertainment (Blizzard), the worldwide leaders in Massive Online gaming, have announced a joint venture where players of any of their games, including the enormously successful World of Warcraft, the granddaddy of online gaming Everquest, S-E's hugely successful online version of the Final Fantasy franchise, and the popular titles Everquest 2 and Star Wars Galaxies, can take their existing characters and move seamlessly into new gaming worlds. Through new technology developed jointly by all three companies, your character will be converted over to the rule set and graphical look of each new game as you transfer back and forth, opening up literally tens of thousands of new gaming possibilities for every player. Players of all these games will suddenly be confronted with not just new zones to play in, but entire new universes. "We have been looking for ways to add more end game content to World of Warcraft, and this just seemed a natural fit" said Mike Morhaime, President of Blizzard Entertainment. "This gives our players instant access to a range and depth of content that would otherwise take us years to develop through our current schedule. Now you can simply pick up and walk into another universe and open up an entire set of new and unique content" "The enormous success of World of Warcraft proves that there is a large market for online gaming" said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. "We decided that the best way to tap this market is to combine all of our assets into what is in effect one massive, massive-multiplayer game. By opening up more content and variety like this, our player base can only benefit and thrive." The details of the agreement will be released in more details later. The current timeline calls for the merger to be completed by May 16th, in time for a complete demonstration at the Electronic Entertainment Expo held annually in Los Angeles. The companies have put together a transition team lead by venerable programmer Raph Koster of SOE that will finalize the details of the changes that will be needed in each game to make the transitions from game to game smooth and consistent. "Some things are going to have to change in each game to make this work" said Mr. Koster. "Expect each class in each game to get altered somewhat to allow them to fit into the new rule sets. We are excited about the possibilities of how this can improve the gaming structure of all our franchises." Each company plans on releasing more detailed statements on their respective websites over the next few weeks explaining to the players the impact of this agreement on their specific games. About Blizzard Entertainment Best known for their series Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo®, Blizzard Entertainment (www.blizzard.com, a division of Vivendi Universal Games) is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating many of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. The company's free Internet gaming service Battle.net® provides a forum in which owners of Blizzard's games can play in a multiplayer mode remotely across the Internet and against other gamers from around the world. About Sony Online Entertainment Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Digital Inc., is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with a subscriber base of over 800,000 active accounts 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, EverQuest®, EverQuest II, Champions of Norrath and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies(TM): An Empire Divided(TM), 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 an additional development studio in Austin, TX, SOE has an array of cutting-edge online games in development. About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix) develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. Square Enix brings two of Japan’s best-selling franchises – FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 60 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST™, which has sold over 35 million units worldwide—under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation. ------ Updated 4/3/05 - Just wanted to say "April Fools"

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:(
# Apr 03 2005 at 7:15 PM Rating: Decent
i pissed my pants
Could have been better
# Apr 03 2005 at 7:08 PM Rating: Decent
Seeing this three days after april fools day, I still knew it was an april fools day joke after the first line. Still though, they fooled alot of people, so I guess that counts for something.

EDIT- April fools! Its only two days after april fools day, I'm not stupid it was a trick.

Edited, Sun Apr 3 20:10:36 2005
lmao
# Apr 03 2005 at 6:56 PM Rating: Decent
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94 posts
Wow. It sounded so real! It would actually be an interesting idea too, but I agree that I'd really rather not see my game change just for some program I likely wouldn't change. Pretty funny April 1 joke, though. Teh eeeeviiiil.
#REDACTED, Posted: Apr 03 2005 at 1:31 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) You Guys Are Gay!!!! Thats tha Dumbest **** I Ever Heard!!! Whoever Had The Oudacity And Tha Time To Come Up Wit This Bull **** Has
RE: WTF
# Apr 03 2005 at 2:58 PM Rating: Excellent
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133 posts
I guess some 12 year olds just can't handle April Fools, eh?
>.<
# Apr 03 2005 at 12:00 PM Rating: Decent
21 posts
I was sick so I didn't know what day it was so i belived this completely and even put a post in a forum up and asked but someone told me it was an april fools joke but that would be cool if it wasn't
April Fool
# Apr 03 2005 at 9:49 AM Rating: Decent
**
445 posts
is that April Fool? its evil!!><

Edit- I believe there is no such company called 'SOE'?? only SCE><

Edited, Mon Apr 4 12:33:13 2005
sweet dreams
# Apr 03 2005 at 6:39 AM Rating: Default
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97 posts
Holy crap! This is actualy a good idea. I dont actualy expect to see it done, but that would be soooooo nice. I've wanted to check out other games for a while now just to kill time when I cant get a party. It would rock to move zappo into WoW or EQ2 to play there for a while. Not possible, but I'll have cool dreams tonight. :P
haha
# Apr 03 2005 at 5:42 AM Rating: Decent
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84 posts
my sleep schedule is all messed up I woke up really early at 4 AM to read this and that's the only reason I believed it. April Fools lol.
>.>
# Apr 03 2005 at 5:39 AM Rating: Decent
aww thats not nice
-_-
# Apr 03 2005 at 4:05 AM Rating: Decent
O.O.......Thas the mose stupid thing i ever heard... yet i believed it :,( . I hate april fools day.
grrrr.....
# Apr 03 2005 at 1:32 AM Rating: Decent
**
687 posts
/slap
Sesshoumaru slaps Allakhazam.
/slap
Sesshoumaru slaps Allakhazam.
/slap
Sesshoumaru slaps Allakhazam.
/slap
Sesshoumaru slaps Allakhazam.
/slap
Sesshoumaru slaps Allakhazam.
ROFLMFAO
# Apr 03 2005 at 1:30 AM Rating: Decent
45 posts
when i saw this i was so happy. One of my rl freinds quite FFXI to play WOW ><. so i was like cool i can see his char without getting WOW. damn i wish it was real.
Online gossip v. Gaming Mags
# Apr 03 2005 at 1:03 AM Rating: Decent
29 posts
If something this big were true, it'd have already been out in magizines like Electronic Gaming Monthly months ago, since they're usually the first ones to get the big stories (although I can't say their jokes are any less cruel XD ).
lol
# Apr 03 2005 at 12:38 AM Rating: Default
oh man... it sounded so cool... rdm/shaman lol, just imagine a tauren in red mage af lol
putz
# Apr 02 2005 at 11:09 PM Rating: Default
30 posts
I feel stupid about reading this and freaking out until I started reading the posts. LOL. I didn't read this until the second and completely forgot about april fools. /sigh. Someone /slap me.
#REDACTED, Posted: Apr 02 2005 at 8:44 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) personally i thought this would be **** in the *** gay... I hate WOW... the graphics suck and there is no point in the game... for all you dumb ***** that wanted it ... i want too tell u something u are GAY
dropping out
# Apr 02 2005 at 8:33 PM Rating: Decent
i feel like such an ***. im gunna drop outta grad school and do something that requires total gullibility.
fire
# Apr 02 2005 at 7:59 PM Rating: Decent
aww i got all exited and stuff....
who ever thought for this should burn in the fire for getting my hopes up
april 3rd
# Apr 02 2005 at 7:53 PM Rating: Decent
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102 posts
I read this on the third, and thought it was real. No fair...
awwwww...
# Apr 02 2005 at 7:02 PM Rating: Decent
It made me want to cry... why can't it be true...
hehe
# Apr 02 2005 at 6:17 PM Rating: Decent
*LOL*

that's a good one....i was thinking 'that would be cool'...then i saw the date...*LOL*....

and i say JEDI/BLM would be good personally...*L*.....
I thought I had jokes
# Apr 02 2005 at 6:10 PM Rating: Decent
D***, yah got to admit alla did people dirty. Now that's an April fool's joke not to hate on. Good job on thier part.
lol
# Apr 02 2005 at 2:52 PM Rating: Decent
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139 posts
Someone in my LS kept talkin about this, lol good one.
RE: lol
# Apr 02 2005 at 4:31 PM Rating: Decent
Wheb did it ever say April Fools? ; ;
april 2nd?!
# Apr 02 2005 at 2:03 PM Rating: Default
since its not april 1st anymore, does that mean its true now?!
>.<;
# Apr 02 2005 at 1:10 PM Rating: Decent
36 posts
*sigh* I hate April fools... (yah... it got me too)

On the otherhand, it was beautiful, brilliant, and oh so devious! d^.^b Now i just need to see if I can get my ls to fall into the same trap! MWAhahahahah!

(better a day late than never at all!)
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