Sony Online Entertainment announced their preparations for the 19th update to EverQuest II, slated to launch on game servers February 2. This update will bring significant changes to the game, and is a precursor to the launch of the new Player vs. Player game servers, scheduled for late February.

The most noticeable addition to this update is the new Character Progression system. The gradual Archetype progression has been changed, and players will be able to choose their final class at the beginning of the game, rather than working their way up to level 20. This change means that the class system will be a more unique experience for players at low levels, and give players access to unique spells and abilities that set their class apart. Newly-created characters will also begin with new class-specific gear that will further differentiate players and make the world feel more diverse.

The game's Tutorial section has also been dramatically changed. SOE would like to bid a fond farewell to Captain Varlos and the good ship Far Journey, as new players will now begin on one of two new islands, either the Outpost of the Overlord (evil) or the Queen's Colony (good). The islands still serve as a "newbie" introduction to the game, but are much different from each other and contain a number of quests to get players started.

In addition to benefits for new players, one of the best dungeons in EQII, Solusek's Eye, is receiving a content overhaul, with new high-level action and rewards for players in the late 40s – 50s level range. This awe-inspiring dungeon is now the home to new, powerful items, including fiery red equipment to match the dungeon's theme. Additionally, the new quests create a foundation for the storyline that will develop in Kingdom of Sky, the next EQII expansion scheduled for February 21.

Additional changes in Live Update 19 include: changes to Mentoring to make it more fun for those helping their lower-level friends; the ability to send cross-faction mail (good characters can now send items and coin to evil characters and vice versa); a cleaner and clearer Adventure writs system; expanded vault storage space in some of the premium player housing; and tons of tweaks to the game's user interface.

Since EQII's launch in November 2004 there have been literally thousands of changes and augmentations made to the game. SOE is very excited about the upcoming live addition of PvP to Everquest II, as well as the arrival of Kingdom of Sky, both scheduled for February 21.