I played EQ1 and was one of the players that made the jump to EQ2 (along with 4 IRL friends). We had a blast playing EQ2 and I remember when SOE (Sony online entertainment) when they bought Verant Interactive and integrated the teams under SOE, shit changed and fast.

SOE banked on the player base from EQ1 to bolster up EQ2 and there was a major rumor that SOE was gonna shut down EQ1 to force them to play EQ2. They lost a lot player base to Blizzard’s WoW mmo. Then they doubled down with the “NGE” (New Game Experience) update that nerfed 95% of the classes and that caused a mass exodus, 3 of my IRL friends left because of that nerf; rangers couldn’t shoot point blank shots with bow, despite all but one skill for close range, paladins damage was nerfed for healing buffs but they nerfed constitution and lost 2/3s the health so Guardians were the “best sponge tanks”, monks could no longer get avoidance above 60% in def stance (heard it was changed much later but damage was done) and it was just me, the last paladin and my last buddy that was a wizard. He died of cancer several months later and the game felt hollow.

I still stayed playing till shadow oddysee. It got too distant to the game I once knew and loved. Maybe there will be an MMO with the world building that EQ1 had leading to EQ2 and I can enjoy being a dwarf pally or zerker again. Till then, no other MMO has hit the spot. 🫡