The Early Bird Gets the Loot: SOE Live Registration is Open!

From the EQ2 Forums:

You know it’s spring when the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and gamers worldwide are planning their trips to Las Vegas for four days of non-stop awesomeness at SOE Live 2014! The annual gathering of players is happening this year August 14-17, 2014, and gives fans a chance to meet and get an exclusive look at what’s new in their favorite games.

Did you know that by registering early, you gain access to great options to make your SOE Live experience that much more epic?

After the jump, check out this years’ Early Bird offerings including Group Table Reservations ($5 a person for a table of 12), Mailed Out Badges (no 3 hour lines this year!), Special Hotel Rates, and more!

Check out this year’s Early Bird offerings:

NEW! Group Table Reservations
You asked; we listened! The new Table Reservation service is available as an option during online registration. For $60 (that’s just $5 a person), you get a 12-seat table just for you and your guildies without having to camp the line. The reservation service is available for both the Kick-Off Reception and the Grand Banquet, so be sure to book them both for guaranteed togetherness!

Discount Badge Pricing
The earlier you register, the more you save! For example, our Premium Pass, which grants you entry to all the events of SOE Live, is $129 (down from the full price of $169) if you register before May 12th! Hey, if you know you’re going, why wait? Check out our official pricing page for more information.

Get Your Badge Early
Would you rather stand in line, or would you rather spend your time enjoying everything SOE Live has to offer? In addition to having a guaranteed spot (yes, we SOLD OUT last year!), you’ll receive your badge in the mail before the event, which means more time having fun and less time in lines. Note: to receive your badge in the mail, you must complete your online registration by May 12th, 2014.

Special Hotel Rates for SOE Live Attendees
Mention SOE Live 2014 when you book your hotel room at Planet Hollywood to get access to our discount rates:

• Monday, August 11: $85
• Tuesday, August 12: $85
• Wednesday, August 13: $85
• Thursday, August 14: $85
• Friday, August 15: $129
• Saturday, August 16: $129
• Sunday, August 17: $85
• Monday, August 18: $85

These prices include resort fees and complimentary internet connectivity for one device, but do not include applicable taxes. For more information or to reserve a room, call 1-800-223-7277.

Excited? This is only the beginning! SOE Live attendees get goodie bags, exclusive in-game items, access to panels, parties, and contests, and insider information for their favorite games. See you in Vegas!

What’s the Schedule?

Every year, potential SOE Live attendees ask to see the event schedule, and every year, the schedule is being hammered out until just a month or two before the event. From 2008 until 2011 the schedules didn’t drastically change, with a Welcome Reception/Keynote on Thursday night at 7-9pm, Panels all day on Friday and Saturday, a Pool Party on Friday, and the Closing and Costume Contest on Saturday.

But over the last two years, we’ve seen the number of keynotes increase, as well as new events like Laser Tag, Karaoke, and the Sunday Developer Brunch (which at $59 just covers the per-plate costs charged by the host hotel for a 2 hour catered brunch). Last year, the schedule was positively bursting at the seams to try to handle three different EverQuest games, and a plenitude of Player Panels. As a result, some panels fell well into Sunday afternoon long after many players had flown home. This year looks to be no exception. If you want to see everything, you’d better plan on staying Sunday night and catching a Monday flight home. Here are Ashlanne’s comments about Sunday:

Not set in stone yet but we do plan to have a pretty full schedule for Sunday.

Again, there is no official schedule for SOE Live 2014 as of yet. It’s not even 100% certain that the Friday night festivities will be a Pool Party or take some other form. Planet Hollywood was a decent enough venue, but last year’s Bartender Bottleneck was beyond maddening. If you want to get a handle on what you can expect for this year’s timetable, take a look at last year’s schedule.

I do strongly suggest flying into Vegas several days early to rest, acclimate yourself, and see some things outside of the convention. Last year I arrived on Wednesday and it was immensely helpful. Remember, once things get going, you won’t have time for anything else unless you elect to miss entire chunks of it.