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.