Headsets of Norrath

PS2-based EverQuest spin-off Champions of Norrath will include USB headset support for its PS2 Online features, publisher Ubisoft announced this week. "Voice chat is the final piece of the puzzle with Champions," said Michael Lustenberger, EverQuest overlords Sony Online Entertainment's director of marketing. "It's the one feature that has been most requested in the game and we are pleased to announce its inclusion." In the US, CoN's headset support has led to it being classified broadband-only, but of course here in Europe PS2 Online is broadband-only anyway.

Set several hundred years prior to the existing timeline of MMORPG EverQuest, Champions of Norrath sends players on a cross-country quest to save the land from a gathering army of orcs and goblins in the wilds of Norrath. Setting off from the city of Faydwer, players will get to play as any of five playable characters - a Barbarian Warrior, a Dark Elf Shadow Knight, a High Elf Cleric, an Erudite Wizard or a Wood Elf Ranger - and the developer is promising up to 70 hours of gameplay per adventure, with randomly generated dungeons helping to pad things out and a 3D engine capable of displaying between 30 and 40 characters and enemies on-screen at once.

Champions of Norrath is due out on PS2 here in Europe on March 19th.