Here are three new ways how the Everquest franchise wishes to embed itself more into your life. The motivational factors being the usual suspects, money and time. I hope I am not the only one raising an eyebrow while reading. I just really dislike it when anything / anyone tries to monopolize my life and does it under the cover of the free choice or "rewards".

I just popped over to World of Warcraft and guess what? None of this creative merchandising and loyalty head-patting appears to be happening there. Could it be because this stuff has nothing to do with the game itself?

Once you're on (again), how easy is it to get off?

Sonycard
"Start your journey to MASSIVE Sony entertainment. Apply for the Sony Card now and start transforming your ordinary purchases into extraordinary Sony rewards. Plus, receive a 3-month EverQuest II subscription coupon via email after your first Sony Card purchase...."

Oh, add to that an addendum to /pizza that I just saw in a Feb issue of Wall Street Journal:

"Eventually, Sony says it will be able to put pizza orders and other transactions on the monthly bill EverQuest subscribers already pay; for now, people who order pizzas will need to punch in their credit-card numbers."

Veteran Rewards
"As part of EverQuest's 6th-Year Anniversary celebration, the game team is giving current EQ players** one special Veteran Reward for every year that you've been an active, paying EverQuest subscriber in good standing! This is very good news for six year vets! It means that you'll be getting six Veteran Rewards for up to six of your characters...

If you are a former EQ player, any active subscription time previously accrued on a paying account in good standing will be credited toward your veteran reward when you re-activate your paid subscription."

SOE FanFaire - now with improved registration fees! Classic (for only $120), Gold ($150) and Platinum ($175) Passes! Wow, and to think that 3 years ago registration was ONLY $80, and with no special priviledged access.