Nearly 10 years after the launch of the original Planetside, Sony Online is going to try again to launch a sci-fi shooter MMO on a massive scale. The developer has now officially launched Planetside 2 today to the general public.
The game"s official press release reveals some of the features of the sequel, which lets players pick from one of three factions (Terran Republic, New Conglomerate or Vanu Sovereignty) and then one of six player classes. Thousands of players at once will be battling to control the territory and resources on the game"s three continents (Indar, Esamir and Amerish).
The original Planetside launched in May 2003 as a monthly subscription MMO game, but ultimately the game failed to reach a mass audience. For the sequel, Sony Online is putting a lot more emphasis on competitive online play. Indeed, Planetside 2 has support to broadcast live matches in the game via its integration with the Twitch.TV streaming video service.
While the game is free, players do have the option of signing up for a $9.99 a month premium subscription which adds more content and features. Sony Online is also selling a $15 Planetside 2 game card at GameStop stores which offers either in-game cash or membership time, along with an exclusive in-game item, the NS11 Rifle.
Source: Planetside 2 website