Three instanced battleground scenarios will be available in EverQuest II on (or around) February 16th, 2010 as Sony Online Entertainment finally catches up to the times by introducing battlegrounds to the game.

Details on the three scenarios below:

Battlefield of Ganak

Deep in the overgrown keeps of the Kunark jungle, a bloodthirsty group of Iksar is holding tournaments in the ruins of their great ancestors. Following their cultural practices of swarming fortresses, annihilating enemies and stealing their treasures, the tournament games are meant to mimic the violent event, not as tradition, but as sport! Rewards await those who are victorious including combat secrets, battle techniques and other valuable information that has been passed down through the ages.

• Game Type: Capture the Flag
• Players: 6 Person Group
• Environment: Outdoor arena with two large oppositional bases with intersecting interiors
• Objective: Capture the enemy's flag located within their base and return it to your base with your flag still in place
• Win Condition: First team to successfully capture and return three flags wins

Smuggler's Den

Join the battle of two groups eternally at odds! Seafarer factions are vying for supremacy and willing to handsomely reward any mercenary brave enough to fight for their side. With limitless resources, neither side is willing to allow the opposition to capture and control the islets. Key control over pivotal trading positions is imperative to delivering goods in a profitable manner. The battle continues with the struggle to control strategic lookouts and smuggler havens.

• Game Type: Hold Territory
• Players: 24 Person Group
• Environment: Five spires on top of two pinnacles jutting out of a raging ocean
• Objective: Gain control and hold towers longer than the opposition to earn Tower Tickets
• Win Condition: First team to reach the displayed Tower Ticket goal wins

Gears of Klak'Anon

Gnomes studying a magical and likely cursed technological artifact are particularly intrigued about the unusual properties of this mythical relic. Especially the effects that it grants to its possessor, which rapidly decay health, but with the dubious tradeoff of increased offensive potential. In an effort to further study the effects, and for their own twisted amusement, players are rewarded for engaging in a science experiment turned entertainment, Hold the Relic.

• Game Type: Hold the Relic
• Players: 6 Person Group
• Environment: Industrious clockwork foundry containing scientific equipment in motion
• Objective: Acquire and hold the relic to accrue points faster than the opposition
• Win Condition: First team to reach the set score wins

A preview of the upcoming battlegrounds can be viewed here. Also, be sure to check out our EverQuest II gallery for screenshots of the three aforementioned scenarios.

I wonder if this going going to be like WoW?

3 years ago when I left EQ2 I predicted the WoWification of EQ2.
Now SoE has finally brought the project to the desired conclusion.
Gratz on ruining a decent game...............

This should be interesting...a nice trial or free reactivation to try it would be great.  Just for kicks :)

These battlegrounds sound very familiar....

the pre-order preview start on the 9 of february if i understood what i read on gamestop website.so i doubt theres any way to get in those unless you pre-order eq2 in your local ebgame store or in various e-store.

 I really wonder if they are confident enough in their pvp balance to do something like this. Since every class is so dependent on others in order to function, especially in pvp, it's going to be ridiculous getting a solid group going. For instance if you happen to get into a group will all fighters, there will be no heals; an all priest group would mean no defense OR offense; an all scout group would mean DPS but a quick death; a cloth group would mean all DPS and no defense, etc.

This is by far my favorite MMO, so making a comparison to WoW is not because I think WoW is better. That being said, this game cant function the same way WoW can where every class is viable in some way on it's own.

I think it's exciting to finally have battlegrounds, but I'm wary. 

I actually like the idea....

Originally posted by Valentina

I actually like the idea....

yeah great addition for EQ2, people need to stop being so stupid and realize that just because WoW has it in their game doesn't automatically make the idea bad.

my only problem with this is they should have done this alot sooner.

Enough WoW talk. Battlegrounds came from Dark Age of Camelot, other games copied the idea.

I think adding Battlegrounds to EQ2 is a great idea, if anything it will just add one more fun thing to do. This shouldn't change the core game in any way... its just like the arenas we already have, but hopefully they will be used more.

From a EQ1 fan battleground from Camelot fucking owns WoW's Battleground. WoW's ground is made for little kids that had time to sit and run it all day even if they suck.

one  thing is sure it will bring lot of new player to eq2

absolutely the worse idea ever, and if werent so involved with my guild id have cancelled my sub already.....battlegrounds why.....so you can brag about I GOT GEAR WOHO....FFS turning a great advemture game into a instance grinder and then to a gear centric game....I want to puke.  

I for one played unreal turnament and quake2 and forward...now those games make sense in this setups....but in a game where gear mean so much its just ridiculous.

battlegrounds is according to article on eq2players capture the flag, stand the ground (area defense) and carry some relic for the longest time...but why the hell do this in MMOs when other FREE games does it better...

show off gear how fucking meaningless...

for the class balance part, when its 6 ppl I imagine you go LFG for PvP make your team and go in queue.

and just to put in eq2 already have a PvP server with gear obtained from killling opposite faction....worldwide, not just sucky BGs. (no I dont play on a PvP server but wish PvP to be kept there)

Poor EQ2 players. Hopefully the introduction of BGs doesn't ruin the game like it did WoW. That and hopefully Areans aren't next in line. Ha.

Originally posted by Hedeon

absolutely the worse idea ever, and if werent so involved with my guild id have cancelled my sub already.....battlegrounds why.....so you can brag about I GOT GEAR WOHO....FFS turning a great advemture game into a instance grinder and then to a gear centric game....I want to puke.  

I for one played unreal turnament and quake2 and forward...now those games make sense in this setups....but in a game where gear mean so much its just ridiculous.

battlegrounds is according to article on eq2players capture the flag, stand the ground (area defense) and carry some relic for the longest time...but why the hell do this in MMOs when other FREE games does it better...

show off gear how fucking meaningless...

for the class balance part, when its 6 ppl I imagine you go LFG for PvP make your team and go in queue.

 

and just to put in eq2 already have a PvP server with gear obtained from killling opposite faction....worldwide, not just sucky BGs. (no I dont play on a PvP server but wish PvP to be kept there)

 

 

I see your point and like you I do not play on a PVP server but at the same time I dont see it changing the game for me in any way as I doubt I will use the option other than to try it and see what its like perhaps.  On the other hand if it brings in more players it could be a good thing in that aspect.

it wont be a game breaker lol. its just a small feature in a huge game.

Originally posted by ste2000

3 years ago when I left EQ2 I predicted the WoWification of EQ2.
Now SoE has finally brought the project to the desired conclusion.
Gratz on ruining a decent game...............

How does adding battlegrounds ruin a game?

I think it's a great addition to an already really good polished game.

yep and chance are those that will play in battleground will mostly be new player since the core of player in eq2 has been fairly steady .i love this game i defenetly will be hable to play it now that soe made it avail at our local ebgame store.only unknown is the time card since there was not one  place i could find info like what pre-paid card soe card i could use that are avail in ebgame

does any know if playstation network card aare acccepted by eq2 as a payement method?

Its good to see both EQ2 and SWG getting new PVP updates