Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) is sweetening the pot at this year’s SOE Live event. The publisher today announced a line-up of gaming tournaments and live events for SOE Live with more than $30,000 in prizes up for grabs. Attendees will have the opportunity to compete for the prizes in a range of challenges that include scavenger hunts, live quests, costume competitions, PvP tournaments and more. Featured games for the competition include DC Universe Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II and PlanetSide 2.

Check out the official press release after the break and visit the SOE Live website to learn more.

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES SOE LIVE GAMING TOURNAMENT LINE-UP WITH PRIZES TOTALING MORE THAN $30,000

Attendees Invited to Compete for Bragging Rights and Thousands in Prize Money in First Ever Gaming Tournaments for PlanetSide® 2 and DC Universe™ Online; Fan Favorites EverQuest® and EverQuest® II Return for
Single and Team Challenges

SAN DIEGO - Sept. 14, 2012 - Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced the tournament line-up for SOE Live, the company's annual fan event, taking place at Bally's in Las Vegas, October 18-21, 2012. The ultimate gathering for the SOE community, SOE Live attendees have the opportunity to participate in countless events including a variety of gaming competitions, tournaments, and live quests for a chance to win thousands of dollars in prize money.

In addition to the renowned costume contest, where attendees show off handmade outfits that showcase their fanaticism for gaming franchise favorites, attendees are encouraged to compete in a range of exciting in-game and live challenges including scavenger hunts, boot camps, PvP battles and live quests. Activities will test player agility, knowledge, dedication, wit, teamwork and problem-solving abilities.

The tournament line-up is as follows:

DC Universe Online

• Live Quest: Join us for the second DCUO Live Quest -- spandex optional but always fashionable! Declare your allegiance by joining a live version of DCUO's Legends PvP Arenas. Groups of 10 will battle for Las Vegas as their favorite DC Heroes and Villains!
  • Friday, October 19th, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. PDT
  • 1st Place Prize: $1,000 ($100 per team member)

• Legends PvP Tournament: Heroes! Villains! Pair up with a friend or forge a last-minute two-person team at the event to battle for supremacy!
  • Saturday, October 20th, 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PDT
  • 1st Place Prize: $3,000 ($1,500 for each team member) 

EverQuest

• Live Quest: Over a decade of EverQuest Live Quests precede this one, each one exciting and challenging in its own way. Groups of 10 will need to travel across the lands, interacting with denizens in many places to recover shards for a mysterious stranger arriving from Shard's Landing. Knowledge, skill, bravery and tenacity will all be called into play before your group emerges victorious!
  • Friday, October 19th, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. PDT
  • 1st Place Prize: $1,000 ($100 per team member)

• Death, Death, Death!: We challenge all casual and hardcore EverQuest players to look death straight in the eye. Group up in teams of six and take on old-school raid mobs in a hellish progression to see which group can get the furthest.
  • Saturday, October 20th, 9:30am - 12:30pm
  • 1st Place Prize: $6,000 ($1,000 per team member)  

EverQuest II

• Aether Races: Hone your flying skills and race to victory! The top five recorded times during the qualifying round will join in the final heat, racing against EverQuest franchise Director of Development Dave Georgeson for the win! (Don't worry, Dave isn't eligible to win.)
  • Friday, October 19th, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. PDT
  • Total Prize Purse: $3,000
    • Gold (1st) $1500
    • Silver (2nd) $1000
    • Bronze (3rd) $500

• Live Quest: The Nights of the Dead come to SOE Live! Can your team solve this murder mystery? In this "beyond the board game" Norrathian mystery game, your ten-person team will work through various mini-quests to uncover clues to solve the mystery.
  • Saturday, October 20th, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. PDT
  • 1st Place Prize: $1,000 ($100 per team member)

PlanetSide 2

• Auraxis Showdown: Take on the challenge for the glory of your empire! All troops will start fresh with standard issue gear and certifications and compete in qualifying rounds on Thursday and Friday. The top 18 players from the qualifying rounds will compete in an 18-man Finals match on Saturday to win the first place grand prize. There will also be prizes awarded to the top nine finalists in the Finals with first, second and third place finalists taking home larger pieces of the total prize.  
  • Qualifying Round Day 1
    • Thursday, October 18th, 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. PDT
  • Qualifying Round Day 2
    • Friday, October 19th, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. PDT
  • Finals Round
    • Saturday, October 20th, 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PDT
  • Total Prize Purse: $10,100
    • 1st:  $5,000
    • 2nd:  $3,000
    • 3rd:  $1,500
    • 4th - 9th:  $600 ($100 each)

• Live Boot Camp: Choose your Empire and join in a live PlanetSide 2 boot camp! Earn your stripes by getting together a squad of five and going through Basic and complete training exercises to prove you have what it takes to bring victory to your Empire!
  • Saturday, October 20th, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. PDT
  • 1st Place Prize: $1,000 ($200 per team member)

SOE Live Costume Contest

• Spandex, Chainmail and Fur: Calling all heroes, demons, villains, soldiers, adventurers and creatures! Anything goes in our costume contest! Go funny, go awesome, go for the gold in our longest-running annual competition!
  • Saturday, October 20th, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. PDT
  • Prizes to be awarded for "Best of" winners

The SOE Live contests are open only to individuals who: (a) are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia), (b) are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry, and (c) registered to attend the SOE Live event as of October 18, 2012.  Employees of Sony Online Entertainment LLC, its parent or subsidiary companies, or any other company involved in the design, implementation, or promotion of the Tournament, as well as the spouses, children, parents, grandparents, and household members of each such employee, are not eligible. The Tournament is subject to all applicable laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law. The contests are sponsored by Sony Online Entertainment LLC, 8928 Terman Court, San Diego, CA  92121.  The official rules for each contest will be posted at http://www.soe.com/soelive/.

To register for SOE Live, and for information on event and the tournaments, visit: http://www.soe.com/soelive/.

About SOE Live

Formerly known as Fan Faire, SOE Live is the ultimate gathering for the SOE community, and provides players an opportunity to celebrate their favorite games across SOE's popular portfolio of titles, including: DC Universe Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Free Realms, Magic: The Gathering - Tactics, PlanetSide 2, PoxNora, Clone Wars Adventures, and Vanguard Saga of Heroes. Fans of all ages are welcome to meet the talented people behind some of the online world's most successful games, and gain access to developer panel discussions, major company announcements, game tournaments, player gatherings, premium swag and more. In addition to various social events, SOE hosts developer panel discussions and game-themed live events, giving attendees a chance to voice their opinions of current and upcoming game content.

About SOE

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games.  Best known for its blockbuster hits and franchises, including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, PlanetSide®, Free Realms®, Clone Wars Adventures™, and DC Universe™ Online, SOE creates, develops and provides compelling online entertainment for a variety of platforms. SOE is building on its proven legacy and pioneering the future of online worlds through creative development and inspired gameplay design for audiences of all ages. To learn more, visit www.soe.com.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Champions of Norrath, PlanetSide, and Free Realms are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.