PlanetSide 2

Lore & Background

PlanetSide 2 is set in the year 2845, following a wormhole that trapped 40,000 humans on the alien planet Auraxis. The Terran Republic, an authoritarian organization formed after a global peace treaty, clashes with the New Conglomerate, a libertarian group seeking freedom from Terran control. A third faction, the Vanu Sovereignty, emerges from scientists inspired by alien artifacts discovered on Auraxis. Rebirthing technology, using nanites, grants immortality to soldiers, ensuring endless war.

Reader's Guide

PlanetSide 2 is significant as one of the few MMOFPS games ever released and the most successful in the genre. It supports battles with thousands of players on open-world continents of 64 km² each, with up to 2,000 concurrent players. The game features six infantry classes, multiple vehicles, and a command hierarchy system allowing squads and platoons to coordinate. Its free-to-play model, supported by microtransactions for cosmetic items, has drawn both praise and criticism. The game received positive attention for its scale, innovation, and graphics, but some reviewers noted technical glitches and difficulty for new players. PlanetSide 2 set a Guinness World Record in 2015 for the most players in an online FPS battle, with 1,158 players in a single battle, a record later unofficially beaten in 2020 and 2022. Regular updates have introduced new content and mechanics, maintaining its player base.

Did You Know?

• PlanetSide 2 holds the Guinness World Record for 'Most players in an online FPS battle,' set in 2015 with 1,158 players.
• The game uses the proprietary ForgeLight engine to support high concurrent player counts.
• Players can teleport to the largest battles using the 'Instant Action' mechanic.
• The Vanu Sovereignty faction has an alien aesthetic and employs advanced technologies.