EverQuest II free-to-play open beta begins

Sony Online Entertainment’s long-running MMORPG EverQuest II has begun the beta program for their new, free-to-play (F2P) version of the game, called EverQuest II Extended. Starting yesterday (August 19, 2010), players can visit the EverQuest II website and register to participate in the beta.

EverQuest is just one of several large scale western MMORPGs that have recently gone the F2P route. Turbine has achieved phenomenal success when it added an F2P option to Dungeons and Dragons Online, and on September 10, 2010 they plan to launch a similar version of their other game Lord of the Rings Online.

However, unlike Turbine’s titles in which the original games have been completely restructured to support the new system, there are actually two versions of EQ II. Long-time subscribers will remain in the original version of the game, while F2Pers can play on EQII Extended — a smaller, more streamlined version.

Extended is a web-based application, and features include the ability to level up to 80 (90 is the current max cap, included in the Sentinel’s Fate expansion), access to four races and eight classes, and all expansion packs. You can check out the detailed membership features chart for more information.

Site [EverQuest II Extended]