OGaming: EverQuest and sequel EverQuest II are currently running at the same time, complete with their own fan bases. Unheard of! How do you do it?

Raph Koster: Well, it helps for them to be different games! We spent a lot of time during development to ensure that EQ2 was its own thing, a concept deserving of its own game while still in the EQ tradition. If it had been just EQ reskinned, I'm sure that it wouldn't have its own fan base that way. But we built it to attract a different audience, and it has.

OGaming: Your company practically invented the modern MMO with EverQuest, back when the concept was unproven. Now you face competition at every turn from upstarts like NCSoft and Mythic – what's the secret to winning the next-gen wars?

RK: I think competition keeps everyone on their toes, and it's a good thing. But the answer to winning next-gen wars in pretty much every business is the same: think out of the box, then execute well on that thought. Followers rarely end up leading an industry – you have to try new things, take some risks, and then make sure that you execute on what you're doing.