EverQuest turns 14 years old this weekend, free-to-play restrictions loosened

Sony Online Entertainment's landmark MMO EverQuest will celebrate its 14th anniversary this weekend on March 16, with the publisher hosting a series of player events timed with the game's latest milestone.

Five temporary player-created missions, new epic ornamentation quests and a chance to revisit previous' years anniversary content are now available in the massively multiplayer online game. Those festivities have already begun for stalwart EverQuest fans, with some lasting until April 26.

SOE also announced that the Shadow of Fear game update for the original EverQuest is slated to go live mid-April, adding two zones (Chelsith Reborn, Plane of Shadow), new spells and new quests and missions. Players accepted into last year's Rain of Fear beta will have the opportunity to sample the Shadow of Fear update in late March.

Last week, SOE announced it will lifting certain restrictions for free-to-play and Silver level members in EverQuest and EverQuest 2, granting access to all classes and races, lifting restrictions on quest journals and opening up shared bank slots.

Original EverQuest designer Brad McQuaid announced earlier this week he had rejoined the MMO's development team.