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Who?s Hot, What?s Not in EQ2?
Company: Sony Online Entertainment
Product: EverQuest II
So who?s the sexiest character in EverQuest II? Who?d make a good husband/wife? Well, Sony Online Entertainment has the answers to those questions, and plenty more. For two weeks, Sony quizzed the player population through the EQ2 community site with a Valentine?s Day-themed test. They found out what players feel are the most romantic spots, sexiest characters, and romantic gifts in EverQuest II. The results reveal a deeper, more romantic side of online gamers not often seen amongst the hundreds of thousands of players who spend their time questing through the online world of Norrath.

?When you put hundreds of thousands of people together in an exciting new world filled with action and adventure, it doesn?t take too long before relationships blossom and thoughts turn from orc slaying to love,? said Scott Hartsman, senior producer of EverQuest II, Sony Online Entertainment. ?The social bonds formed between players are the biggest draw of our games and these surveys show that our subscribers are not just thinking about dungeon raids and magical tomes all the time.?

So who?s the Sexiest Race?
25% of the players surveyed say Dark Elves are the Sexiest Race, with Wood Elves running a close second with 24% of the vote. I?m guessing it must be the ears?!! Sadly, players found the giant, misshapen Ogres to be the least hot of the 15 selectable races available for players. So if you see an Ogre, either give it a big hug or run like hell.

Who?s the Most Romantic Archetype?
Players voted Scouts as the most romantic archetype with 37% of the vote, ?because they?re skilled in the dark.? And that?s not all they?re skilled at in the dark, a thank you. Another 24% chose Priests because they ?know about the healing.? 14% liked Fighters ?because they get up close and personal,? and 13% said they liked Artisans because ?they know how to put it all together.? Only 13% of the responses chose the mystical Mage archetype, despite the fact that ?they make you feel sparks.?

Who?s the Best Spouse Class?
Druids topped the list of best class for a spouse with 25% of the vote, followed by Paladins, Wizards and Carpenters. Conjurers are apparently the least suited as spouses at 9% because of their affinity for ?pets.? And I?m guessing it?s not just cats and dogs.

What?s the Best In-Game Gift to Give?
Lingerie was voted the most popular in-game gift that players would give if available with a staggering 45% of the vote. Another 16% chose a suit of red armor, 11% said flowers, and 10% said a comfortable bed. Surprisingly, candy, a Valentine?s Day perennial favorite in the real world, garnered only 2% of the vote for best in-game gift.

Where?s the Most Romantic Spot?
The shore of Antonica at sunset must be the right place for love, since 50% of respondents voted it the most romantic spot in EverQuest II. The runner-up for most romantic spot was the Beach in the Enchanted Lands with 27% of the vote. Fishermen and sailors didn?t fare as well; only 3% of the respondents found the entrance to Freeport harbor romantic. That?s apparently where the Ogres are hanging out these days.


Sony Online Entertainment also held a Valentine?s Day ?screenshot? contest on the EQ2 website. The company challenged its 300,000 plus-strong player base to submit both funny and romantic images captured from the game, with prizes awarded to the winners. Hundreds of images were submitted to the company -- some of them being of a questionable romantic nature. Results are posted on the website right now, just in time for Valentine?s Day.


-Red Dawg, GameVortex Communications
AKA Alex Redmann
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