Sony Online Entertainment Unveils Lost Dungeons of Norrath™ Expansion for EverQuest®

Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming, today announced Lost Dungeons of Norrath™, a new expansion for the incredibly popular PC Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), EverQuest®. This full-sized expansion will focus on the exploration of more than forty dynamic dungeons, with the main emphasis being placed on single group content. New technology and design ideas have been implemented that will allow players to work their way through dungeons individually tailored to the strength of their group. Lost Dungeons of Norrath will be available fall 2003 in limited quantities at retail and as a secure digital download from SOE.

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"With Lost Dungeons of Norrath, we're putting the emphasis of the game squarely on the classic fantasy environment: the dungeon," said Michael Lustenberger, director of product marketing at Sony Online Entertainment. "Lost Dungeons of Norrath will allow players to journey through a series of dungeon adventures that will be specifically reserved for their group, further expanding the EverQuest world to include classic dungeon crawls and exploration."

The overarching EverQuest: Lost Dungeons of Norrath storyline continues from Broken Skull Rock (an area from the previous EQ extension, Legacy of Ykesha), as explorers venture into the previously unexplored depths of Norrath's Dungeons.

The discovery of once forgotten dungeons, artifacts, and power has set Norrath's competing factions in motion. To control these new areas, the various factions will employ mercenaries, adventurers, and their companions, sometimes even pitting them against one another. Hundreds of new quests will lead players across the face of Norrath in a new age of exploration and conquest. Legendary dungeons filled with undiscovered horrors, items, and fame are waiting to be found. Players of all levels will discover detailed environments that cater to the wide range of play styles.

About Lost Dungeons of Norrath

Just when you thought you'd covered it all -- five massive continents, the moon, and the homes of the gods themselves -- a new series of adventures leads you into some of Norrath's greatest sources of speculation and mystery. The story that began in Broken Skull Rock now yields new clues about an event threatening to change the face of Norrath. Assist a band of adventurers on their quest to unearth long-hidden artifacts of power from forgotten dungeons, secret catacombs, and long-buried ruins. A mystery is unfolding and a new age of exploration and adventure has begun! Lost Dungeons of Norrath also features:

  *  Explore more than 40 diverse dungeons set in 5 new environments.

  *  New Dynamic Dungeon System (DDS) emphasizes personalized group
     encounters created specifically for a single party.

  *  Enjoy the excitement of "dungeon crawls" that are tailored and
     customized for your group's attributes & levels.

  *  New environments, objects, and interactive items await the hardy
     adventurer.

  *  Reap the benefits of the new Adventure Rewards Technology.

  *  Track your progress in the dungeons via a new in-game interface.

  *  Encounter dozens of new challenging monsters and NPCs.

  *  Collect explosive new spells, new trade skills, fearsome weapons, and
     other incredible loot!

The new expansion will be downloadable via the EverQuest launch pad for $24.99. Additionally, retailers will be offering a boxed version that will carry a suggested retail price of $29.99. For more information on Lost Dungeons of Norrath, please visit: http://www.lostdungeonsofnorrath.com/.

About EverQuest

Developed and published by Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), EverQuest launched in 1999 and has since become both a gaming and cultural phenomenon. The game has sold more than 2 million copies while continuing to grow with award-winning expansions The Ruins of Kunark®, The Scars of Velious®, The Shadows of Luclin™, The Planes of Power™, and The Legacy of Ykesha™, making it the largest online 3D fantasy world ever created. During peak periods, more than 118,000 simultaneous adventurers have explored the fully detailed world of Norrath, filled with monsters, magic, adventure and more. The active global EverQuest subscriber base of more than 430,000 players is comprised of people from 40 different countries including North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Sony Online is committed to bringing EverQuest to various entertainment platforms, releasing titles such as EverQuest Online Adventures for the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, EverQuest for the Pocket PC and EverQuest: Hero's Call for wireless phones. This Fall, SOE will launch the highly-anticipated sequel, EverQuest II, on PCs around the globe.

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 500,000 active players 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® and PlanetSide™, 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 and St. Louis, MO, SOE has an array of cutting-edge online games in development such as Star Wars Galaxies™, Lords of EverQuest™ and the highly anticipated EverQuest® II.

EverQuest is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. SOE and the SOE logo are registered trademarks and PlanetSide is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment Inc.

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SOURCE: Sony Online Entertainment Inc.

CONTACT: Tamara Sanderson, +1-858-577-3481, tsanderson@soe.sony.com, or
Chris Kramer, +1-858-442-9570, ckramer@soe.sony.com, both of Sony Online
Entertainment

Web site: http://www.lostdungeonsofnorrath.com/
http://www.station.com/