News: Sony Online Announces SOE Live. Will you attend?

[Hamma]

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES SOE LIVE

Annual Event Connects Fans with the People Behind the Games this October

SAN DIEGO - March 26, 2012 - Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced that its annual fan event will now be called SOE LIVE and will take place at Bally's in Las Vegas, October 18-21, 2012. An annual SOE-sponsored event, SOE Live is set to be the ultimate gathering for the SOE community, and provides players an opportunity to celebrate their favorite games across SOE's portfolio of titles, including: DC Universe™ Online, EverQuest®, EverQuest II, Free Realms®, Magic: The Gathering - Tactics®, PlanetSide® 2, Star Wars®: Clone Wars Adventures™ and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes®.

"The 'SOE Live' name change represents a deeper meaning behind our annual event," said Laura Naviaux, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Sony Online Entertainment. "As our game portfolio continues to expand, we wanted to better represent our diverse player base and games, including the newest additions to the SOE family, with DC Universe Online, Free Realms, Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures, and the highly anticipated PlanetSide 2. Previous event attendees can rest assured that we are not removing any of our established activities in order to accommodate the new players; rather, they can expect even more to make this the ultimate SOE fan experience."

SOE Live reflects the belief that all SOE players are part of one extended family and presents an opportunity for fans of all ages to meet the talented people behind some of the online world's most successful games. In addition to a slew of social events, SOE will host developer panel discussions and game-themed live events, giving attendees a chance to voice their opinions of current and upcoming game content. SOE Live will also feature exclusive access to new announcements and beta programs, tournaments, premium swag and more.

For more information, visit http://www.soe.com/soelive/.

http://www.planetside-universe.com/n...-live-2728.htm

Do you plan on attending SOE Live now that it is more focused on all SOE games?

[Vancha]

What a terrible name. "SOEL" works, I guess ("soul", phonetically).

Fan faire's far more attractive than "SOE Live", though. Fan faire sounds warmer, more personal/informal. SOE Live sounds more like a corporate show than a convention/festival.

[Graywolves]

Originally Posted by Vancha

What a terrible name. "SOEL" works, I guess ("soul", phonetically).

Fan faire's far more attractive than "SOE Live", though. Fan faire sounds warmer, more personal/informal. SOE Live sounds more like a corporate show than a convention/festival.

I agree, fan-fair is definitely more inviting than SOEL.


Not that I've been to or will go to either.

[EVILPIG]

Originally Posted by Graywolves

I agree, fan-fair is definitely more inviting than SOEL.


Not that I've been to or will go to either.

I disagree, I think SOE Live is a much better name. Sounds like it will take some time to get used to the new name, but hey, Fan Faire is pretty much dominated by EQ and Galaxies, so it's a nice change for our demographic.

As for attending, always nice to get out to Vegas and hang out. I have family there as well, but Summer is just right for me. Don't know if I can get away in October.

[Baneblade]

I think Verant was the betterest name.

[Synapses]

Considering I am a helicopter pilot in training and my instructor is also a PC gamer, I will be trying to attend this. Me and him have set up my "cross country" flight from Utah to this time frame and we will be taking our R22 Robinson helicopter down there to Vegas (Just over an hour flight) to attend this. Pretty sweet right?

I know ill be really tired from the flight though, flying choppers is a very strenuous task, and I am on instrument training now... So ill be literally flying blind the entire time off my helicopter instruments.

And yes during our hours of flight together with nothing to talk about, I bring up planetside and planetside 2 and just how awesome its going to be. He has never played PS1, but I have him signed up for PS2 and he watches PSU, so he might reply on here =)

[Graywolves]

Originally Posted by Synapses

Considering I am a helicopter pilot in training and my instructor is also a PC gamer, I will be trying to attend this. Me and him have set up my "cross country" flight from Utah to this time frame and we will be taking our R22 Robinson helicopter down there to Vegas (Just over an hour flight) to attend this. Pretty sweet right?

I know ill be really tired from the flight though, flying choppers is a very strenuous task, and I am on instrument training now... So ill be literally flying blind the entire time off my helicopter instruments.

And yes during our hours of flight together with nothing to talk about, I bring up planetside and planetside 2 and just how awesome its going to be. He has never played PS1, but I have him signed up for PS2 and he watches PSU, so he might reply on here =)

Just land in the middle of the whole thing, instantly become the coolest guy there.

[Synapses]

Originally Posted by Graywolves

Just land in the middle of the whole thing, instantly become the coolest guy there.

HAHA this is a great idea however as a student pilot not the best idea =P

How sick would that be though, id even be wearing my NC swag and higs would be like "zomg sign my shirt *slurp slurp*.

Kidding higs =)

EDIT: Awesome right up until security arrested me rofl.

[RadarX]

I've been to almost every major gaming show done in the US and have done Fan Faire at least 6 times (3 as an employee). This is hands down one of the best shows I've been to. Why? Glad you asked!

• Smaller - Realistically only a few thousand people can attend the event. This provides a more intimate setting where you aren't washed away in a sea of people and poor hygiene (thanks Comic Con).
• More Developers - A large portion of our company goes to the show. While many of them are there for panels and to support other initiatives one of their big goals is to hang out and talk with players about the game. It's hard to understand until you've had that moment where you sit down with a game designer or programmer and find out they are just normal people with a cool job.
• Full Schedule - Most shows run like 10-5 and send you on your merry for the evening. This show runs events for the entire time including a large suite of gaming machines we make available if you want to play your favorite SOE game.
• It's Vegas - Seriously. Do you need an excuse to hit Vegas? If so, this is a good one.
• History - This show has been going for nearly a decade and there are folks from all over the country who come every single year. For some this is the only time they see their virtual friends in real life. It's a lot of fun for us to watch as an employee.

The details still aren't finalized on format and what will be available but this is a big year for PS2 and I can guarantee some cool things will be there including the Dev team.

[Synapses]

Originally Posted by RadarX

I've been to almost every major gaming show done in the US and have done Fan Faire at least 6 times (3 as an employee). This is hands down one of the best shows I've been to. Why? Glad you asked!

• Smaller - Realistically only a few thousand people can attend the event. This provides a more intimate setting where you aren't washed away in a sea of people and poor hygiene (thanks Comic Con).
• More Developers - A large portion of our company goes to the show. While many of them are there for panels and to support other initiatives one of their big goals is to hang out and talk with players about the game. It's hard to understand until you've had that moment where you sit down with a game designer or programmer and find out they are just normal people with a cool job.
• Full Schedule - Most shows run like 10-5 and send you on your merry for the evening. This show runs events for the entire time including a large suite of gaming machines we make available if you want to play your favorite SOE game.
• It's Vegas - Seriously. Do you need an excuse to hit Vegas? If so, this is a good one.
• History - This show has been going for nearly a decade and there are folks from all over the country who come every single year. For some this is the only time they see their virtual friends in real life. It's a lot of fun for us to watch as an employee.

The details still aren't finalized on format and what will be available but this is a big year for PS2 and I can guarantee some cool things will be there including the Dev team.

You've been to Blizzcon and think the SOE Live will be better Radar? Be honest with me on this, because I love blizzcon and if you honestly think the SOE Live will be better I really will be there.

[Tasorin]

Originally Posted by RadarX

I've been to almost every major gaming show done in the US and have done Fan Faire at least 6 times (3 as an employee). This is hands down one of the best shows I've been to. Why? Glad you asked!

• Smaller - Realistically only a few thousand people can attend the event. This provides a more intimate setting where you aren't washed away in a sea of people and poor hygiene (thanks Comic Con).
• More Developers - A large portion of our company goes to the show. While many of them are there for panels and to support other initiatives one of their big goals is to hang out and talk with players about the game. It's hard to understand until you've had that moment where you sit down with a game designer or programmer and find out they are just normal people with a cool job.
• Full Schedule - Most shows run like 10-5 and send you on your merry for the evening. This show runs events for the entire time including a large suite of gaming machines we make available if you want to play your favorite SOE game.
• It's Vegas - Seriously. Do you need an excuse to hit Vegas? If so, this is a good one.
• History - This show has been going for nearly a decade and there are folks from all over the country who come every single year. For some this is the only time they see their virtual friends in real life. It's a lot of fun for us to watch as an employee.

The details still aren't finalized on format and what will be available but this is a big year for PS2 and I can guarantee some cool things will be there including the Dev team.

I am going to have to partially disagree on this one. I stopped going to Fan Faire because it became a sad state of a show as SOE floundered horrible from epic failure to moderate failure one title after the other. Between the years of the end for Everquest and the build up for SWG and subsequent epic flame out to the start of Everquest II, SOE tried very hard to engage its fan base and keep the players that were in exudes to Blizzard at the time.

There are plenty of things SOE has done and continue to do well in its yearly fan engagement, and Radar-X actually outlines some of them. One of the core advatages of a FF is that its only one Publishing house and you get more time with some of your developers then you do at other shows. The drawback being is that there isn't anyone at the show besides SOE and whatever panels they have put together. Personally I have interests beyond what SOE has to offer and what has been in SOE's stable the last 5 years has not been very inspiring.

When it comes to offerings from a variety of development and publishing houses, actual fan engagement beyond some cursory 10 minuet expo, my money is on PaxPrime every year after year.

Vegas is a pit. I don't need to go to the middle of the desert to drink like a fish and act like a fool. The only real value it provides is that it allows you to do these things 24 hours a day, which isn't always true in most places of the world.

[Brusi]

I would love to come, i'll see if i can gee up some Aussie PS players for a holiday in Vegas

Will definitely be much easier if we've been playing PS2 beta for 5 months!

Originally Posted by Synapses

I know ill be really tired from the flight though, flying choppers is a very strenuous task, and I am on instrument training now... So ill be literally flying blind the entire time off my helicopter instruments.

Originally Posted by Graywolves

Just land in the middle of the whole thing, instantly become the coolest guy there.

I can see the headlines now...

"Entire Sony Planetside 2 dev team, minced by fatigued student helicopter pilot at SOE Live conference ins Vegas"

[Danicia]

Originally Posted by Brusi

I would love to come, i'll see if i can gee up some Aussie PS players for a holiday in Vegas

Please leave the drop bears at home.

[Skitrel]

If there were a reasonable range equivalent in Europe then I sure would. Flying out to the states is a bit much unfortunately.

Sounds like it'll be a fun time for all though.

[Raymac]

hmmmm it's my birthday weekend....and in Vegas. I may have to try to make this happen.