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Original EverQuest goes free-to-play

Veteran MMO makes the shift in early March.

Long-running MMO EverQuest goes free-to-play this Spring, publisher Sony Online Entertainment has announced.

A blog post on the game's official site broke the news earlier today, with producer Thom Terrazas stating that the change will take place some time in early March.

"We're excited to be expanding the EverQuest experience by making the game more accessible to every type of player so that you can choose to play the game in a way that suits you best," he wrote.

"Anyone who wishes to start, return or continue to play one of the 'Best Games of All-Time' can simply download and play EverQuest on their terms - think of it as Free to Play, Your Way.

"The game will now be setup to be flexible so that you can decide how much to pay, based on how much fun you're having."

There'll be three payment tiers - Free, Silver ($5) and Gold ($14.99 a month). A new FAQ has a full breakdown of exactly how it will work.

Players can expect a number of refinements and new additions once the transition has been completed, including new events and items to mark the game's 13th anniversary, a renovated website and an improved map system.

The game's sequel went free-to-play last month.