PlanetSide 2

Did You Know?

• Each continent is 64 km² and supports up to 2,000 concurrent players.
• The Vanu Sovereignty faction has an alien aesthetic and employs advanced technologies.
• Upgrades that grant direct advantages can only be unlocked through gameplay, not purchased with real money.

Plot

In 2444, a mysterious wormhole forms over Earth, and scientists detect strange transmissions suggesting extraterrestrial life. The wormhole is predicted to reopen in a century, and fear of a hostile alien presence ends global conflict. Nations form the Terran Republic, an authoritarian but benevolent organization. The wormhole reopens after 100 years, but no further transmissions are detected; the Terran Republic remains in power. Years later, explorer Thomas Connery discovers a region of the Kuiper belt called the Moon Belt. Connery becomes Terran Republic president. Suspecting alien technology, business leaders form the New Conglomerate, a libertarian organization seeking freedom from Terran Republic control. After retiring, Connery recruits xenobiologist Henry Briggs for a second expedition, where they find an alien figurine. Touching it gives Briggs a revelation with the message "Vanu." The wormhole appears again in 2640, and Connery leads an expedition. The wormhole collapses before the entire fleet passes, trapping 40,000 individuals on the other side. New Conglomerate insurgents attack Terran Republic forces, killing Connery. Draconian laws are imposed, and scientists led by Briggs distance themselves from both sides.

Development

Indications of a PlanetSide sequel appeared in September 2009 when Sony Online Entertainment emailed subscribers with a survey about the next installment. In October, SOE president John Smedley revealed the working title PlanetSide Next. In December 2010, Smedley announced a first-person shooter for March 2011, later confirmed as PlanetSide Next. Vehicle designs were teased in early 2011. On March 31, 2011, SOE announced ending development of The Agency to focus on EverQuest Next and PlanetSide Next. PlanetSide Next was delayed due to switching to a new engine. At the July 2011 SOE Fan Faire, Smedley revealed the project had originally been a graphical update but became a full sequel titled PlanetSide 2. Both PlanetSide 2 and EverQuest Next would use SOE's ForgeLight engine with Nvidia's PhysX API. The game was a reimagining with faster-paced mechanics, triple-A graphics, and greater focus on territory control. Comic book writer Marv Wolfman was hired to write episodic stories for the game's background.

Release

PlanetSide 2 launched on November 20, 2012. The PlayStation 4 version released on June 23, 2015. Multiple localizations were published internationally: in Europe by ProSiebenSat.1 Games, with a retail version in 2013 by ProSiebenSat.1 and Koch Media. ProSiebenSat.1 ended their partnership in 2014, allowing player transfers to SOE starting July 1, 2014. A Russian and CIS localization was published by Innova. A Chinese version released in June 2013 by The9, with higher initial player counts than US servers, but shut down on May 31, 2016. Demos were showcased at conventions including San Diego Comic-Con, ChinaJoy, PAX Prime, Gamescom, GDC, E3 2012, and SOE Live. The cinematic trailer "Death is No Excuse" by Blur Studio debuted at ChinaJoy. SOE partnered with YouTubers TotalBiscuit, SeaNanners, and Tobuscus for the "Ultimate Empire Showdown. A partnership with Wikia created the first "Wikia Official Community. SOE also partnered with Major League Gaming to establish the game as a competitive title, featuring it at MLG's Winter Championship Pro Circuit in 2013.

Reception

PlanetSide 2 received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. Critics praised the large scale battles, impressive graphics, and free-to-play model. Charles Onyett of IGN gave a 9/10, calling the combined arms warfare breathtaking and praising the versatile classes and progression systems, while noting polish issues and glitches. Tyler Hicks of GameSpot wrote that the massive scale and detail surpassed its predecessor, but noted population disadvantages and occasional crashes. Craig Pearson of GameSpy praised the lighting and draw distances but said leadership and coordination could improve. Richard Cobbett of Eurogamer enjoyed the epic scale and called it the best attempt to fuse MMO and FPS. Patrick Hancock of Destructoid criticized the business model and grinding, saying the game was hampered by being free-to-play, and noted poor explanation of systems and lack of long-term goals. Griffin McElroy of Polygon praised gameplay and scale but said microtransaction prices escalate quickly and in-game currency unlock times could be excessive. Jonathan Leack of GameRevolution noted frequent glitches like teleporting and rubber-banding, making the game feel rushed.