The Ho-Ho Cast is now available from iTunes and the SOE Podcast website!  This this exciting episode: 

• An interview with EQII Devs Kaitheel and Gninja about Frostfell
• Upcoming changes to Free Realms
• The new Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card game release
• Santug Klug looks over our Tweeps Holiday wish lists

Catch it all on the Ho Ho Cast!

Beginning at 6 AM PST on Monday, December 7, 2009, SOE Account and Commerce flow and the Station Store will be unavailable due to maintenance. We expect this maintenance to take approximately 30 minutes.

This might cause some forum accounts to temporarily lose permissions, due to the inability to verify account status while the maintenance is taking place. This is only temporary and normal permissions will return automatically once the maintenance is complete.

(editor's note:  this announcement changed since it was originally posted.  The above information is the latest available)

SOE Podcast 74: the Gobble-Cast is now available!  In this episode:  an interview with EverQuest Designers Elegist and Absor, and a Thanksgiving Podramedy, "We named the cat Emily."

There's also a Top 10 List: Things Gamers are Thankful For, and a look at what SOE employees do for the holidays.

You can download the podcast from the Podcast Website and iTunes (search for SOE and click "subscribe").

Aimee "Ashlanne" Rekoske posted on the Station Community Forums:

From 6:00 AM PST until 8:00 AM PST on Tuesday, November 17, 2009, SOE Account and Commerce flow, Station Store and the Station Marketplace will be unavailable. We expect this maintenance to take approximately 2 hours.

This downtime may also cause some forum accounts to temporarily lose permissions, due to the inability to verify account status while the maintenance is taking place. This is only temporary and normal permissions will return automatically once the maintenance is complete.

Here's a handy time zone converter to help you plan!

According to GameSpot, visually impaired gamer Alexander Stern filed a lawsuit against Sony Online Entertainment last month that alleges "Sony is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to implement features to make its games accessible to visually impaired gamers." The suit appears to focus on MMOs and states that other companies, such as Blizzard, have made their games accessible through the use of third-party mods.

AbleGamers, a site dedicated to disabled gamers, reported on the lawsuit and made a statement regarding the site's stance on the issue. "While I can understand this gentleman's frustration I do not believe that the courts are the place to forward accessibility in the gaming space," said Mark Barlet, president of the AbleGamers nonprofit foundation. What are your thoughts on the lawsuit?

For most places here in the States Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday at 2:00 a.m.  Remember to set your clocks back!  For those of you not using Daylight Savings Time, this means that most U.S. game companies will be operating one hour LATER than they do in the summer. 

Here's a handy Time Zone Converter to help you plan for downtime and such.

Official SOE Podcast #73 is live!  This is Trick or Cast; hear all about Hubert and Emily's trick or treating adventures in the  latest Podramedy. There is an update on the Halloween Happenings in EQOA, PlanetSide and Vanguard, and a very special guest during the round table segment!

Want some SOE swag in your trick or treat bag?  Send in some listener e-mail! 

You can download the podcast from the Podcast Website and iTunes (search for SOE and click "subscribe").

All SOE game servers, including all TCG and MMO servers, will experience downtime tomorrow as they are taken offline for hardware maintenance.  This downtime is scheduled to start at 3am PDT and will last approximately 4 hours.

According to Jason "Pex" Ryan, this is to "Replace VTT modules (voltage regulators) on Core Koll switches 2, 3 and 4" in our network operations center".

See the official notice on the EQII forums and other SOE game forums.

The Official SOE Spook-Cast (also known as Podcast #72) is live!  Enjoy the interview with Tiffany Chu, Game Designer for Free Realms.  Check out the Halloween events in your favorite SOE games, and inside SOE is also all about Halloween as they ask developers Halloween questions.  Plus they need your help to solve the Candy Corn Mystery!

You can get the podcast at the Podcast’s official site or on iTunes (search for SOE and click "subscribe").