Daybreak Games has cancelled the development of EverQuest Next. In a letter published on the company’s website, President Russel Shanks announced the cancellation, saying that “In final review, we had to face the fact that EverQuest Next would not meet the expectations we – and all of you – have for the worlds of Norrath.”
EverQuest Next was officially announced in 2010 as a successor to EverQuest, EverQuest Online Adventures, and EverQuest 2, and featured an innovative approach to player-driven content: Landmark. Landmark, a companion title, was originally an interactive toolset and environment for players to design and build items, location, and other content. The best of these submissions were intended to be included in EverQuest Next. Landmark began closed beta-test in March of 2014.
EQ Next was intended as a dual-platorm game, for both the PC and the Playstation 4, and would have included full support for the Oculus Rift. Gameplay footage showcasing the Cleric, Elementalist, and Tempest classes was showcased at SOE Live in August 2014. The footage focused on how players and different classes worked together when adventuring.
In a separate statement, Daybreak announced that Landmark is not being cancelled along with EverQuest Next. Instead, the title will receive its own independent launch later this year. In the statement, Holly Longdale, Executive Producer for Landmark, stated:
“As the community has grown and designs have flourished, we no longer view Landmark as just a building tool. We’ve been toiling away making Landmark into a wonder unto itself. While the look of our world was inspired by what was intended to be the voxel world of EverQuest Next, Landmark has evolved into its own game with its own unique identity and purpose.”
This article originally appeared on TheMittani.com, written by Arrendis.
