From sony.com-
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) recently announced a new multi-year partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 Games Group to license eight of its online games in Europe, including DC Universe™ Online, EverQuest® II, Star Wars®: Clone Wars Adventures™, Free Realms®, Magic: The Gathering – Tactics®, Pox Nora®, the upcoming PlanetSide® 2, and the next installment of the EverQuest® franchise.
This new partnership will enhance players’ gaming experiences by attracting new audiences into our online worlds (more players = more fun!), plus will deliver additional dedicated Community and Marketing support, and resources for providing an even more localized experience.
Many of you have contacted us with questions regarding the new partnership, and we appreciate that you have shared your thoughts and opinions with us. We would like to take a moment to address some of your most frequently asked questions at this time:
General Questions
Is ProSiebenSat.1 Games now the official publisher of SOE games?
Yes, ProSiebenSat.1 Games is the official publisher in Europe for EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, Free Realms, Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, Magic: The Gathering - Tactics, and PoxNora, as well as the upcoming PlanetSide 2 and the next game in the EverQuest franchise.
Which European territories will be included under this new partnership between SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games?
SOE has secured a multi-year partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 Games Group to distribute eight online U.S.-based games in more than 40 European territories, including Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Other countries may be added later.
What changes should we expect to see with this new partnership?
With the new partnership between Sony Online Entertainment and ProSiebenSat.1 Games Group, players will benefit from more focused European support for the eight SOE games covered under the agreement. In general, this means additional oversight and tailored support by a local company to ensure that the above mentioned SOE games are a reflection of that region’s culture and individual games’ core values.
What exactly is the job of ProSiebenSat.1 Games Group? What can we expect from ProSiebenSat.1 Games on a day-to-day basis?
ProSiebenSat.1 Games Group is the European publishing partner for select SOE games, including PlanetSide 2, DC Universe Online, EverQuest II, Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, Free Realms, Magic: The Gathering - Tactics, PoxNora, and the next installment of the EverQuest franchise. In this role, ProSiebenSat.1 Games will be responsible for managing all aspects of the European player experience.
When will this partnership effectively begin?
The partnership between SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games is effective as of now; however given the complex nature, it will take both companies time to finalize and manage the integration process in order to ensure a smooth transition for players. Games will be rolled out individually in the upcoming months, and details and updates will be provided to players accordingly.
When will more detailed information become available?
SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games will provide detailed information soon on any particulars regarding the game experience and other player-focused topics and concerns. We will communicate this information via all official game channels (i.e., individual game web sites, social media platforms and forums).
What does this partnership mean for European players from countries other than Germany?
ProSiebenSat.1 Games will utilize its strong partnerships, company structures outside of Germany, and the power of TV and state-of-the-art media offerings to promote SOE’s games across the above mentioned European territories. These activities will vary depending on local demands and requirements, and once implemented, players can anticipate an even more tailored gaming experience in their region.
Gameplay Questions
ProSiebenSat.1 Games is a company that is targeting a broad range of customers with diverse interests. Will there be changes to in-game content in order to appeal to the masses?
SOE’s game line-up is packed with hundreds of hours of content for players to enjoy and explore. As we kick off this partnership, the first and foremost objective will be to deliver a fun and engaging experience for players in the above mentioned games. Looking ahead, SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games will closely monitor the needs and wishes of local communities to bring special content as appropriate to European players.
How will the partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 Games differ from past partnerships with Ubisoft and Koch Media in Europe?
SOE has been publishing games in Europe successfully now for many years. Past partnerships with other game publishers were primarily distribution agreements, meaning those companies manufactured and distributed boxed editions of select SOE games to common European retail outlets. Under the new partnership with SOE, ProSiebenSat.1 Games will oversee all accounts and commerce, and become deeply involved in leading marketing, community and product management in European territories.
Who will continue to develop the games, ProSiebenSat.1 Games or SOE? Will game quality or content be affected as a result?
SOE will continue to operate the games and develop new content as part of the agreement with ProSiebenSat.1 Games so players can continue to expect fun, compelling online entertainment to be included in their favorite SOE games.
Under the new partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 Games, what can existing SOE customers expect to happen to their game characters and progress?
We will offer a simple way for any current SOE European player to create a new account with ProSiebenSat.1 Games and to have their existing characters and game progress transferred and the value of any Station Cash in their SOE account granted to the new ProSiebenSat.1 Games account. After the process is complete, European players can login to their ProSiebenSat.1 Games accounts and continue to play with their existing characters, rewards, and content.
Server Questions
Who will host and manage the servers, ProSiebenSat.1 Games or SOE?
SOE will continue to host and manage the European servers for all games under this agreement.
Will server capacity scale with this new demand?
SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games will monitor and ensure that server capacities will be available to meet player demand on an ongoing basis.
Will the servers remain in Amsterdam?
SOE is currently exploring locations in Europe that will provide secure, fast, and reliable server availability. We will provide more information as it is available, but we can confirm that the servers will be located in Europe.
Will International servers be merged with the U.S. servers?
No, European and U.S. based servers will exist independently of each other.
Will new servers be specifically created for the ProSiebenSat.1 Games game platform?
European players will play on EU servers through ProSieben’s service. SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games will ensure that all game related services and servers are readily available and augmented based on player demand.
Can players still access the U.S. servers?
Under the new partnership between SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games, European players of the above mentioned SOE games will be able to play via ProSiebenSat.1 Games’s service and will not have access to U.S. servers. However, existing EverQuest II players in Europe that have played on U.S. servers before the transition will be allowed to continue playing on those servers through their SOE accounts.
Can U.S. players log on to the European servers?
U.S.-based players will have access to the U.S. servers only.
Localization Questions
Will ProSiebenSat.1 Games take over the localization of the games?
ProSiebenSat.1 Games will be heavily involved to ensure localization meets European player expectations.
Will updates for the U.S. and Europe occur at different times and will they contain different content?
SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games Games will work closely to communicate future content updates and releases without any significant delays between announcements in the U.S. and Europe. Of course, different time zones and regional distinctions could result in minor delays in the flow of information and updates being pushed live to servers.
Will ProSiebenSat.1 Games implement localized voiceovers for DC Universe Online and other games?
SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games will work together to handle current and future localizations of each of the above mentioned games, including DC Universe Online (DCUO).
Marketing and Distribution Questions
Will Free-to-Play players see more in-game advertisements? Will subscription-based players see in-game advertisements at all?
There are no plans to incorporate in-game advertisements at this time.
Will you promote EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, and other games on television?
SOE has chosen ProSiebenSat.1 Games as its publishing partner due to the company’s vast knowledge of the entertainment space and its wide reach throughout Europe. With ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s full media power, players can expect professional, in-depth, and entertaining marketing campaigns in Europe for the above mentioned SOE games.
Will ProSiebenSat.1 Games distribute localized versions of the games in European stores?
ProSiebenSat.1 Games will focus its efforts on digital distribution and streaming of data technology for the above mentioned SOE games in order to provide players with the best possible gaming experience. Distribution of boxed products is always a possibility and one that could be taken into consideration by ProSiebenSat.1 Games.
Will there be ProSiebenSat.1 Games-specific promotional items to attract new customers?
Players in Europe can expect special content, offers and promotions, including in-game items for the above mentioned SOE games that are included as part of the agreement with ProSiebenSat.1 Games.
Upcoming Games/Future of Current Games Questions
Can we still expect to see PlanetSide 2 in Europe?
Yes, PlanetSide 2 will be available through the publishing efforts of ProSiebenSat.1 Games in Europe.
Will SOE launch the next game in the EverQuest franchise with ProSiebenSat.1 Games?
The agreement between SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games includes the publishing rights for the next game in the EverQuest franchise.
How does this partnership affect the long-term plans for the future of current games?
SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games will work closely together to develop ideas and activities that further strengthen the above mentioned games for a great and entertaining future.
Customer Service Questions
With this partnership in effect, will there be a full-time European Customer Service team?
Yes, ProSiebenSat.1 Games will have a dedicated customer service and community team for the above mentioned SOE games.
ProSieben is best known for its TV channels. Does it have the internal teams with the skill-set to support MMO games?
ProSiebenSat.1 Games employs highly skilled and passionate MMO players. These skills, combined with the broadcasting and entertainment experience of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group, will be the key to attracting new audiences into SOE games.
Who should players contact for technical issues, SOE or ProSiebenSat.1 Games?
All technical issues will be handled by ProSiebenSat.1 Games in collaboration with SOE. More information will be made available as the games are ready to be released under the ProSiebenSat.1 Games umbrella. For now, players can contact SOE as normal.
Will players be able to continue using the U.S. Customer Service Team?
European players will only have access to the dedicated customer and community service team of ProSiebenSat.1 Games.
Will European players only have access to German Customer Service?
European players will be provided with support and customer service in their own respective language, including English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German.
Security Questions
Will account information be shared with ProSiebenSat.1 Games?
No personal information will be shared. We will offer a simple way for any current SOE European player to create a new account with ProSiebenSat.1 Games and to have their existing characters and game progress transferred and the value of any Station Cash in their SOE account granted to the new ProSiebenSat.1 Games account. After the process is complete, European players can login to their ProSiebenSat.1 Games accounts and continue to play with their existing characters, rewards, and content.
Will my account information be secure?
Privacy and security are very important topics for SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games. SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games have invested substantial energy and effort into establishing and maintaining a secure and reliable infrastructure with effective and proven technology to prevent any security breaches or issues.
Pricing, Accounts, and Payment Questions
Will pricing remain the same?
Generally speaking, prices for game content, in-game items and services will remain similar. Please note that currency conversions and local economic conditions may affect pricing.
Can players continue to use Station Cash?
European players will be able to use a new virtual currency similar to Station Cash.
Will there be any changes applied to the new Free-to-Play concept or will the games continue to stay Free-to-Play?
At SOE, we view free-to-play as a big part of our future and we strive to follow a business model philosophy of Free to Play. Your Way, meaning that the decision is in the players’ hands so they can play the games on their terms. Giving players choices is the theme of how we’re moving forward as a company.
Do we lose our running subscriptions?
European players will need to create new accounts and set up new subscriptions with ProSiebenSat.1 Games. However, ProSieben will offer existing European players subscription rates and terms that are similar to their existing SOE subscriptions.
Will the billing and account management be done by ProSiebenSat.1 Games or SOE?
Billing and account management for European players will be handled by ProSiebenSat.1 Games Games.
I’m a European player; after I create my ProSieben account, will my SOE account be shut down?
Your SOE account will not be shut down, but you will only be able to play the above mentioned games through a ProSiebenSat.1 Games account. As discussed above, we will provide a simple way to have your characters and game progress transferred and the value of your Station Cash granted to your new ProSiebenSat.1 Games account. Also, existing EverQuest II players in Europe that have played on U.S. servers before the transition will be allowed to continue playing on those servers through their SOE accounts.
Launcher Questions
Will we still be able to launch the game from the SOE page or will we have to go to the ProSiebenSat.1 Games website?
ProSiebenSat.1 Games will provide a web-gateway and corresponding game centric websites to all SOE games included as part of this agreement.
Will we have to use a new launcher?
Yes, European players will receive a new launcher similar to the one recently deployed by SOE to provide a secure and reliable login process for the EU servers. Using the European launcher will be mandatory since it will also be used to deliver game patches and news updates.
Miscellaneous Questions
Why will this partnership not affect EverQuest 1?
The original EverQuest was not included as part of the agreement between SOE and ProSiebenSat.1 Games.
Follow Cthutube for breaking news on horror, movies, books, comics, television, RPG's, Video Games, NOTLD, Call Of Cthulhu, Trail Of Cthulhu, Arkham Horror, Magic The Gathering, AFMBE, Left 4 Dead, Elder Sign, Mansions Of Madness, horror and zombie games, Dungeons & Dragons, and all things Lovecraftian!
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar