New EverQuest II add-ons

Not content with offering EverQuest II players their very own eBay, Sony Online Entertainment has revealed that there are two new add-ons for the game on the way.

EQII will get its first expansion pack in the shape of Desert of Flames, which is set in the colourful city of Maj'dul and has an Arabian Nights theme, i.e. a Prince of Persia theme, and features more than a dozen new zones.

Instead of watching battles from the audience you can now fight it out in all-new arenas against both creatures and other players. You can also collect new creatures - there are more than 40 in total - and pit them against each other. Look out for the twin metallic dragons, we're told.

There are new epic encounters for levels 45 and up, a level range increase up to 60 and and lots of other nifty new features, like the ability to scramble up cliffs "for the first time in an MMO", says Sony. Marvellous.

Next up is new EQII adventure pack The Splitsaw Saga, which lets you journey through the caverns and tunnels of Sundered Splitpaw and discover the truth behind the dragon's mysterious death.

There are 12 "intriguing event-based zones" set across two new dungeons to explore, with encounters that scale dynamically to suit your level. Expect lots of new enemies, tradeskill recipes, moveable objects and puzzles to solve.

Desert of Flames will go on show at E3 and will launch in the US later this year, priced $29.99 - no word of a European release date or price yet, but it seems likely that it will make it over here. The Splitpaw Saga will be available for download only from June 28, priced $7.99.