It has been a decade since Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) rewrote the rules and forever changed the video game industry with its massively multiplayer online game, EverQuest. To celebrate the historic milestone, today SOE held a private event at the Consumer Electronics Show to unveil the exclusive cover art being used for an upcoming book that recounts how the story of Norrath became a global phenomenon and attracted millions of players.
The art for EverQuest: The 10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, created by master artist Donato Giancola and displayed for the first time at CES 2009, shows iconic elf princess Firiona Vie leading a band of adventurers into battle against an evil wizard and his enormous dragon ally in the Swamp of No Hope.
“We are thrilled that a talented artist such as Donato has created an exclusive masterpiece in honor of the celebration of the EQ legacy,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “The cover brings together a special selection of EverQuest artwork and documents the quintessence of an intensive creative process over the last decade.”
EverQuest: The 10th Anniversary Collector’s Edition celebrates EverQuest’s legacy by taking a look at the past, present and future of the brand. The book, written by veteran video game book author Rusel DeMaria, includes essays and photographs of the events, products, personalities and art that graced the world of Norrath over the years. Rich in vivid detail, each page will help tell the story of the evolution and its place in our culture.
SOE will also hold special events around the country in honor of the 10th Anniversary of EverQuest throughout 2009.
The book, published by BradyGames, will be available for purchase online and at select retailers in North America later this year for a suggested retail price of $49.99. Pre-orders are available at www.bradygames.com/everquest10.
