Sony Online, while denying EQs addictive nature, send out e-mails to EQ gamers encourageing them to get thier friends and relatives o join the quest:

Open up new solo gameplay possibilities you've only dreamed about. Got two computers? Use the free account key provided in this email and your existing software to start a second account and play two characters together -- at the same time! How cool would it be to build a cleric or druid of your own and have them at your fingertips for buffs, healing and more? Or better yet, get a friend to join you by giving him or her this free account key. Now your friend has no excuse not to come adventure with you. Or even better still, invite a family member. Remember, the family that plays together stays together.

And while there are thousands of EQ players who happily play EQ without any side effects in their personal life, in a recent online survey of 2000 EQ players, over 62% of respondents admit to having some degree of addiction.

Why is EverQuest so addictive? First of all, as the game's title implies, the game truly is and "ever quest". There is no way to complete the game, no final fight, no last battle, just endless hours of powering up. Also, the only way to be truly successful in EQ is to join guilds that tackle challenges as a group. When you first start it is easy to gain levels. However, as the game progresses, the minuets it takes to gain levels become hours. In order to become really good you have to spend thousands of hours online with your guildmates.

The combination of hack-and-slash action, 3-D graphics, and chat room interactivity make EverQuest and games like it so addictive.