Sony Online Entertainment Announce Free Realms Has Over 10 Million Registered Players

Sony Online Entertainment have revealed that Free Realms has over 10 Million Subscribers in less than a year of being online.

Sony Online Entertainment have also detailed some of the Birthday celebrations that are going to take place in Free Realms. by around Mid-April, part decorations will be going up in the game. there are also celebratory live community events planned, new combat mini-games, and new shirts for Avatars. the game will also get 15 birthday quests and a cake fight. New rides will also be introduced to the game.

Press Release

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – April 2, 2010 – Sony Online Entertainment’s family-friendly online game, Free Realms™ (www.FreeRealms.com), has surpassed 10 million registered players, hot on the heels of its first birthday celebration which kicks off with a festive, month-long in-game celebration. Free Realms launched April 28, 2009.

“Reaching 10 million registered players on the eve of Free Realms’ first birthday is an incredibly exciting event for SOE and our passionate online community,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “Millions of gamers have confirmed that the genre we pioneered over 11 years ago with the original EverQuestcontinues to evolve and expand to include new styles of gameplay that reach a wider audience than ever before.”

As early as mid-April, players will see party decorations in various areas of Free Realms that signal the kick-off of the birthday festivities. Celebratory live community events, two new combat minigames, party hats and commemorative t-shirts for player avatars are just some of the new extras to look forward to. A new series of 15 birthday quests will also be added. Players are urged to participate in a large scale cake fight in order to help prevent the ruin of the Free Realms birthday bash by Cakenstein, a colossal monster made from cake recipes gone wrong.

This month, Members can also look forward to the release of new types of Rides like the rainbow-mane Unicorn, Beetle and Balloon Animal Pets, and Chick and Rabbit Pet Pals.

To get a head start on all the April festivities, SOE is running a Double Station Cash Weekend where players pop into select retailers to purchase Station Cash™ cards (excluding Starter Cards), which can be redeemed from April 2 to April 4 for double their value in Station Cash, which is used to buy virtual goodies or upgrade to a Membership status in the game. Only cards redeemed between Friday, April 2, 2010 (after 4 PM Pacific Time) and Sunday April 4, 2010 (before 11 PM Pacific Time) will receive double Station Cash value.

Free Realms offers an endless array of activities and minigames to entertain players. From ninja fighting to kart racing to raising pets, Free Realms offers a safe, family-friendly environment to connect with old and new friends. Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence. To play Free Realms, visit: www.FreeRealms.com.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games which have entertained millions of players around the globe. SOE creates and delivers compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchise EverQuest®, its successful online trading card game Legends of Norrath®, as well as the recent kids’ phenomenon Free Realms™, SOE continues to raise the bar for online gaming and players worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, with additional studios in Austin, Seattle, Denver and Tucson, SOE has a slate of engaging, high-quality games currently in development across new genres for all platforms and audiences.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Free Realms and Legends of Norrath are trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC.

All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

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