Daybreak Game Company, formerly Sony Online Entertainment, has confirmed that the PlayStation 4 version of sci-fi MMOFPS PlanetSide 2 will launch from closed beta testing in North America on June 23rd.
Not even requiring a PlayStation Plus membership (though PS Plus subscribers will get a discount on the Nanite Systems Starter Bundle), PlanetSide 2 will launch as free-to-play with “optional in-game purchases via digital download.” Committed PlanetSiders will have the option to subscribe at a $14.99 monthly rate for “a monthly Battle Cash grant, increased experience, cert, and resource gains, discounts in the marketplace, exclusive promotions, and access to a monthly double experience weekend event,” as well as priority log-in queue access.
PS4 players will be treated to unique features, such as DualShock 4 touchpad integration and Share button functionality, as well as exclusive content, starting with the all-new Koltyr battle map. Regular updates following release also promise to add “deeper features, holiday events and content, new in-game marketplace items, and much, much more.”
Click over to the PlanetSide 2 FAQ for additional info regarding the PS4 version.
It’s been quite a long wait, but finally PlanetSide 2‘s arrival on PlayStation 4 is nearly at hand.
The closed beta testing phase for the free-to-play MMO first-person shooter is scheduled to begin in North America on January 20th. No end date has been set, but the full game launch is expected later this year.
To sign up for the closed beta visit www.planetside2.com/ps2onps4 and submit your email address. A few thousand invites will be issued at beta launch, with additional invites to be sent out in waves throughout the testing period. Invites will be sent in chronological order, so if you’re just signing up today chances are you won’t be among the launch day beta testers.
Learn more about the PS4 version of PlanetSide 2 by reading the official FAQ at www.planetside2.com/faq.
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One of the unfortunate drawbacks to upgrading from the PlayStation 3 to PlayStation 4 is the additional requirement of needing to have a PlayStation Plus membership to play online multiplayer. This is a killer for someone like me who isn’t an everyday multiplayer gamer but likes to dabble with online play and will occasionally get hooked into a particular title’s competitive offerings, because I simply don’t have the interest or extra cash to pay for a regular subscription.
Luckily, there are free-to-play games like Sony Online Entertainment’s massively multiplayer online fist-person shooter PlanetSide 2 that truly are free, as in free to download and free to play without requiring a PS+ account. A launch date for the PS4 version still has yet to be locked in, but the game is expected to be out by end of this year. PS4 demo stations will showcase the first playable console build at E3 next week, but until then kick back and enjoy the new PlanetSide 2 gameplay trailer.
Source: Planetside 2 PS4 Update [PlayStation.Blog]
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Sony just loaded two more bullets into its PlayStation 4 launch arsenal.
Later this year, Sony Online Entertainment’s free-to-play MMO titles DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2 will be available for digital download on the fourth PlayStation console gaming system. Not much of a surprise for DC Universe Online, which has already established a console audience on the PS3. But it will be nice to see PlanetSide 2, previously released only for Windows PC, playable on a home console. (Now how about a new PS4 EverQuest, SOE?)
More info is likely to come next week from E3. For now, here are the first PS4 trailers for DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2!
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Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends and readers of VGBlogger!
I’m pooped after a long day of spring cleaning, which mainly consisted of about three hours of vacuuming in high humidity 90-degree heat, so I’m going to keep things short and sweet and let you proceed to browse the latest edition of Screenshot Saturday while I kick my feet up and catch up on some gaming for the rest of the night (after watching the end of the Sixers Celtics game 7, if it’s not over already). Datura and Jam Live Music Arcade need finishing up, but those require too much effort for my lazy mood right now. So, I think I’m going to dive into some Starhawk multiplayer and then sneak in some time with Max Payne 3 or Future Soldier. (Or maybe both!)
Check out all the new screenshot galleries and enjoy the remainder of your long holiday weekend!
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PS3, Xbox 360):
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LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PlayStation Vita):
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LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (Nintendo 3DS):
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DmC – Devil May Cry (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Sleeping Dogs (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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The Cave (PC, PSN, XBLA):
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Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Nintendo 3DS):
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Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack (PC, PSN, Xbox Live):
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KickBeat (PlayStation Vita):
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Jet Set Radio (PlayStation Vita):
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Resistance: Burning Skies (PlayStation Vita):
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Hitman: Absolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Dead or Alive 5 (PS3, Xbox 360):
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XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz (PlayStation Vita):
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Of Orcs and Men (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Krater (PC):
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Ys Origin (PC):
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PlanetSide 2 (PC):
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Bullet Run (PC):
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ShootMania Storm (PC):
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Spec Ops: The Line (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Gungnir (PSP):
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Bang Bang Racing (PC, PSN, XBLA):
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Dungeon Defenders – Summoner Hero Class DLC (PC):
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Auto Club Revolution (PC):
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Pro Cycling Manager 2012 (PC):
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Check Out These Links:
- Ninja Theory’s Devil May Cry Slated for January Launch
- KickBeat Brings Breakdance Kung Fu to PlayStation Vita
- LEGO Batman 2 Introduces Open-World Gotham City, Talking Minifigures
- Deathmatch Goes Portable in Resistance: Burning Skies
- Square Enix Reveals North American Kingdom Hearts 3D Collector’s Edition
- Get Ready for Square Enix’s Nintendo 3DS Summer of Fun
- Hitman: Absolution’s Special Edition is for Professionals Only
- Updated Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Infographic
- XSEED Games Now Publishing Ys Series on Steam
Sony got its nation of fans into a gamer frenzy with this week’s exciting (albeit completely expected) announcement of its PS3 mascot fighting game, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. So, that’s where we’ll kick things off with this weekend’s edition of Screenshot Saturday. Not a whole lot to see from the game yet, but the first screenshots sure stir up plenty of hype and anticipation for what other characters and stages will be announced once E3 rolls around.
New pics are also in this week for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition, Battlefield 3: Close Quarters DLC, PlanetSide 2, Krater, Hitman: Absolution, Forza 4‘s Top Gear Pack, Cyanide’s Game of Thrones RPG, Gungnir and Mercenary Ops.
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3):
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Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (PS3, Xbox 360):
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Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (Nintendo 3DS):
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Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition (PS3, Xbox 360):
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Battlefield 3: Close Quarters DLC (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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PlanetSide 2 (PC):
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Krater (PC):
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Hitman: Absolution (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Forza Motorsport 4 – Top Gear Pack (Xbox 360):
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Game of Thrones (PC, PS3, Xbox 360):
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Gungnir (PSP):
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Mercenary Ops (PC):
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Check Out These Links:
- Sony Confirms PS3 Mascot Brawler PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
- Harley Quinn Seeks Revenge in Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition
- Hitman: Absolution’s Special Edition is for Professionals Only
- Get Ready for Square Enix’s Nintendo 3DS Summer of Fun
- Grimlock Makes Transformers: Fall of Cybertron a Must Play
]]>SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT RETURNS TO MASSIVE WARFARE; ANNOUNCES NEXT-GEN SEQUEL TO ITS LANDMARK FIRST PERSON SHOOTER MMO WITH PLANETSIDE® 2
Massive Warfare, Explosive Graphics and Thousand-Player Battles Raise the Bar for Online Team-Based Combat
SAN DIEGO – July 8, 2011 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced PlanetSide 2, the reimagining of the ever-popular massively multiplayer online first person shooter (MMOFPS) game, PlanetSide. PlanetSide 2 takes all the groundbreaking features from the original game – massive multiplayer battles, distinctive empires to rally around, and enormous continents to support intense ground and air combat – and adds features that modern gamers have come to expect out of the FPS and MMO genres.
Across the continents of Auraxis, thousands of players will come together in enormous battles to win control of territory and resources for their empire. With an extensive skill tree and a free-form class-based system, players will be able to customize their soldier, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, or the needs of their squad, outfit or empire. Battles can last for days or weeks, so players will need to build real alliances and combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With air, ground and seaborne combat, the battles are more intense than ever.
“For years we’ve talked about creating another PlanetSide game, and we’re thrilled that technology has caught up with our vision,” said John Smedley, President of SOE. “I’m incredibly impressed by what our team has done with PlanetSide 2. They’ve made everything as big, bold and brutal as possible. PlanetSide 2 is truly representative of what a next generation MMOFPS will look and feel like.”
“With huge war zones populated by thousands of fighters at once, the size and intensity of PlanetSide 2 are simply unequaled. Both longtime players of the series and FPS fans are going to be blown away by the massive scale of PlanetSide battles,” said Matt Higby, creative director of PlanetSide 2 at Sony Online Entertainment. “The immense scope, powerful vehicles and wealth of character customization options means players must think tactically and act as a team to conquer the battlegrounds.”
Various character, vehicle and artillery customization features will be available to players constructing the perfect fighter for their favorite of the three empires: The Terran Republic (the conservative, authoritative nation aiming to reunite the clashing factions), The New Conglomerate (a liberated faction fighting to remaining free) or The Vanu Sovereignty (technophiles seeking to develop and exploit alien technology). Also, an in-depth and adaptive class system – with ranks, unlockable traits and skill sets – will give players complete control over their online warrior.
PlanetSide 2 will harness the power of SOE’s next-generation Forgelight
MMO engine; a true technological feat, as it is specifically created to bring all of the best-in-class features from the single player arena to next-gen MMOs. Forgelight equips SOE developers with the power they need to create the massive, vibrant worlds, intense combat and immersive experience emblematic of the future of online gaming.
SOE has also partnered with NVIDIA® to provide the game’s physics engine, utilizing its PhysX® technology to allow art and design environments in PlanetSide 2 to become truly interactive. NVIDIA PhysX technology is considered the world’s most comprehensive physics solution for designing real-time, real-world effects into interactive entertainment titles.
This technology along with SOE’s Forgelight MMO engine create a development platform for ensuring that players experience the ultimate online MMO experience saturated with stunning visual effects that make game environments seem as realistic as possible.
PlanetSide 2 is currently in development and will be available on PC systems via digital download and retailers worldwide.
KEY FEATURES:
MASSIVE WARFARE: Battles will take place not between dozens of troops, but hundreds, with air and ground vehicles slugging it out alongside squads of infantry. Whether in open fields, tightly-packed urban centers or enormous structures, winning requires strategic teamwork and a quick trigger finger in the massive battles.
Three Empires: Players will have their choice to join three different empires, including Terran Republic, New Conglomerate and Vanu Sovereignty.
BATTLE FOR TERRITORIES & RESOURCES: The core gameplay of PlanetSide 2 is about holding territories and controlling resources. Each battleground holds valuable resources and key positions, and the empire that can conquer (and manage to hold) these territories will be rewarded with fuel bonuses, ammo bonuses, tech bonuses, and more.
Persistence: In PlanetSide 2 battles will last longer than a match timer. Battles will last for days or weeks, and finally taking control of the base means it’s yours until someone can take it back. Working strategically as a team to capture key tactical positions such as power plants and ammo depots will have long-lasting effects that can shift the tide of battle.
ENORMOUS MAPS: PlanetSide 2 will launch with several continent maps; every inch of which will be contestable space. With the new territorial control meta-game, landmass will have intrinsic value even without notable installations or major features.
FREE-FORM CLASS-BASED SYSTEM: Players will be able to unlock diverse combat roles by advancing through the skill tree, including several classic roles from PlanetSide. As players unlock new roles, they can switch between them at will.
MISSION SYSTEM: Both SOE and players will be able to drive content, easing new players into the game and allowing veterans to feed content to players.
SKILL TREES: Players will be able to build their soldier to match their play-style, or to match the needs of their squad, outfit or empire. Each combat role, vehicle and weapon will have extensive skill trees. These “cert trees” will allow players to grow characters laterally, unlocking weapons, attachments, equipment, specialized skills, and more.
OUTFITS: Outfits (guilds) will also be able to customize themselves – allowing outfits to have their own identity, reputation and role in the ongoing war.
WEAPONS: Players will be able to access more than 20 basic weapons, which can be customized to players’ preference or purpose.
VEHICLES: A total of 15 vehicles, with two unique vehicles per empire. Players will be able to customize each vehicle, unlocking new skills and features.
Vivox Integration: Players will be able to communicate with their squads both through keyboard and voice chat.