Level 100 in Norrath Yet Again

In EverQuest II I have two level 100 characters and one level 95 character and I don’t think I have ever leveled up past 70 myself.  Instead, it is because Daybreak keeps just giving me high level characters.  There was also a level 85 character in there somewhere, but I deleted him at one point to make room for one of those level 100s.

But wait, I will soon have another.  In order to celebrate Game Update 106, Daybreak is offering people yet another level 100 character.  You even get a mount with the deal.

Here we go again…

This is a very generous offer and I will make the time to go take advantage of it.  But on a Friday where I am feeling more skeptical than usual… which is pretty damn skeptical… I have to wonder how effective such offers are.

I mean, I guess it must be somewhat effective if they keep doing it.  And this time around it has a hook in that you are allowed to play in the Planes of Prophecy expansion while the offer is active, after which you will be have to pay to continue there… or to continue to level up, since you need the expansion to go past level 100.  But you get to keep all the prizes you’ve been given otherwise.

However it also seems to expose yet again the ongoing problem for long running MMORPGs that based user advancement on levels.  If you don’t simply allow, but actively encourage players to skip you’re old content, that doesn’t say much for it.  Of course, when the new content is complex due to years of progressive additions, then you’re really in a bind.

Bhagpuss and Isey both have comments on this as well.