Editing EverQuest (section)

===Decline===
Since the release of ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' and other modern MMORPGs, there have been a number of signs that the ''EverQuest'' population is shrinking. The national ''New Dawn'' servers were discontinued in 2005 and merged into a general (English-language) European server.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/1778-everquest-europe-joins-everquest-us |title=Everquest Europe joins Everquest US &#124; TG Daily |access-date=2010-06-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324190133/http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/1778-everquest-europe-joins-everquest-us |archive-date=2012-03-24}}</ref>

The 2006 expansion ''[[The Serpent's Spine]]'' introduced the "adventure-friendly" city of Crescent Reach in which all races and classes are able (and encouraged) to start. Crescent Reach is supposed to provide a more pedagogic starting environment than the original 1999 cities, where players were given almost no guidance on what to do. The common starting city also concentrates the dwindling number of new players in a single location, making grouping easier. 2008's ''[[EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction|Seeds of Destruction]]'' expansion introduced computer controlled companions called "mercenaries" that can join groups in place of human players, a response to the increasing difficulty of finding other players of appropriate level for group activities. As of ''Seeds'' the production rate also returned to one expansion a year instead of two.

In March 2012 ''EverQuest'' departed from the traditional monthly subscription business model by introducing three tiers of commitment: a completely [[free-to-play]] Bronze Level, a one-time fee Silver Level, and a subscription Gold Level.<ref name="F2P">{{cite web | title=EverQuest Free to Play | access-date=2012-02-01 | url=http://www.everquest.com/free/}}</ref> The same month saw the closure of ''[[EverQuest Online Adventures]]''. Just a few months earlier ''[[EverQuest II]]'' had gone free-to-play and SOE flagship ''[[Star Wars Galaxies]]'' was also closed.

In June of the same year SOE removed the ability to buy game subscription time with Station Cash without any warning to players. SOE apologized for this abrupt change in policy and reinstated the option for an additional week, after which it was removed permanently.<ref>[http://forums.station.sony.com/eq/posts/list.m?topic_id=187127 Non-recurring Subscriptions Removal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624044232/http://forums.station.sony.com/eq/posts/list.m?topic_id=187127 |date=2012-06-24}} Official news and announcements - 2012-06-15</ref>

The sole Mac OS server Al'Kabor was closed on November 18, 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=EverQuest Mac shutting down (again)|url=https://www.engadget.com/2013-10-18-everquest-mac-shutting-down-again.html|access-date=2021-02-06|website=Engadget|date=18 October 2013 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2015 Sony sold its online entertainment division to private equity group [[Columbus Nova]], with Sony Online Entertainment subsequently renamed [[Daybreak Game Company]] (DBG). An initial period of uncertainty followed, with all projects such as expansions and sequels put on hold and staff laid off. The situation stabilized around the game's 16th anniversary celebrations, and a new expansion was released nine months later.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guthrie |first1=MJ |title=EverQuesting: EQ to release The Broken Mirror expansion November 18th |url=https://massivelyop.com/2015/10/03/everquesting-eq-to-release-the-broken-mirror-expansion-november-18th/ |website=Massively Overpowered |date=3 October 2015 |publisher=Overpowered Media Group, LLC |access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref>