Sony Online Entertainment And Innova Systems Partner To Bring Planetside®2 To Russia

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced a new partnership with the leading publisher of client-based MMO games in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Innova Systems (Innova), to bring the award-winning massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS) PlanetSide^®2 to Russian-speaking territories. This new partnership was revealed at the Igromir 2012 expo in Moscow.

The international partnership grants Innova exclusive publishing rights for PlanetSide 2 in its territory and ensures that dedicated servers, local customer support and payment gateways will be provided for the game. PlanetSide 2 will be launched under a free-to-play model, granting players basic access to the game free of charge so they can choose to play the game in a way that suits them best.

"The PlanetSide 2 tagline 'Size Always Matters' is more than just a slogan – it is part of our mission in creating the next greatest MMOFPS," said Louis Figueroa, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Sony Online Entertainment. "A massive game like PlanetSide 2 requires a massive audience, so finding the best international partners to provide quality local support has been a huge goal for us. Innova's proven record in the space made them an ideal partner and we are confident that they will provide players in Russian-speaking territories with superior local support."

PlanetSide 2 takes all the groundbreaking features from the original title and adds features that modern gamers have come to expect out of the FPS and MMO genres. The game was developed using SOE's state of the art next generation MMO engine – ForgeLight^™. The use of a new technology and the latest physics processing capabilities allow for unprecedented realism in massive battles, with thousands of players banding together to win control of critical territories and key resources for their Empire.

"PlanetSide 2 is a breakthrough title for the MMOFPS genre. I'm convinced that this game will set a new standard and raise the bar for player expectations," said Gevork Sarkisyan, CEO of Innova Systems. "The amazing visuals, dynamic and constantly changing battles, as well as the game's epic scale produce a lasting impression. There is nothing like this available on the market right now."

Through the partnership, online players in various international territories will have full access to PlanetSide 2, including: Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, as well as the disputed territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

About PlanetSide 2
PlanetSide 2 takes all the groundbreaking features from the original game – massive multiplayer battles, distinct empires to rally around, and enormous continents where intense ground and air combat unfold – and adds features that modern gamers have come to expect of the FPS and MMO genres. With advanced technology, years of gamer feedback, and a new SOE proprietary MMO game engine called ForgeLight^™, PlanetSide 2 offers a truly competitive and visceral FPS experience with massive warfare, massive customization and massive community.

Across the continents of Auraxis, thousands of players will come together in enormous battles to win control of critical territories and key resources for their empire. With an extensive skill tree and free-form class-based system, players will be able to customize their soldier, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, as well as the needs of their squad, outfit or empire. Battles can last for days or weeks, so players will need to build alliances and specialized combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With aircraft and ground vehicles, as well as infantry combat, the battles will be larger and more intense than ever before. 

About Innova Systems
The pioneer in the Russian online entertainment industry, Innova Systems has taken an active role in developing the domestic MMO games market to the level of leading world trends by bringing high quality services and AAA titles to the Russian Market. The company's portfolio includes several established games such as Aion, APB Reloaded, Lineage 2, Bloodline Champions, Atlantica Online and other well-known titles enjoyed by players all over the world.

Innova provides a full range of game publishing services, from a unified community platform, with over two million active users, to a self-developed anti-hack shield called Frost. With a talented team of nearly two hundred employees, the company aims to bring Russian online entertainment industry to a new level of quality and to be always one step ahead of expectations.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games.  Best known for its blockbuster hits and franchises, including EverQuest^®, EverQuest^® II, Champions of Norrath^®, PlanetSide^®, Free Realms^®, Star Wars^®: Clone Wars Adventures™, and DC Universe Online™, SOE creates, develops and provides compelling online entertainment for a variety of platforms. SOE is building on its proven legacy and pioneering the future of online worlds through creative development and inspired gameplay design for audiences of all ages. To learn more, visit www.soe.com.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Champions of Norrath, PlanetSide, and Free Realms are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Sony Online Entertainment LLC