Sony Online Entertainment Returns to Massive Warfare; Announces Next-Gen Sequel to Its Landmark First Person Shooter MMO With PlanetSide® 2

SAN DIEGO, July 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

Media assets are available here: http://bhimpact.gamespress.com/product_page.asp?i=1215

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 troops.  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 key territories and controlling valuable 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.

PlanetSide 2 is not yet rated and may contain content inappropriate for children. Visit www.esrb.org for rating information.

About SOE

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®, 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. NVIDIA® and PhysX® are trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation and are used under license. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Sony Online Entertainment LLC