PlanetSide 2 is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS) game originally developed by Sony Online Entertainment. The game supports battles with thousands of players and incorporates modern first-person shooter mechanics. Six infantry classes and multiple vehicles are available to players, allowing them to interact in combined arms warfare on the battlefield. PlanetSide 2 is a reimagining of PlanetSide and chronicles the efforts of the same three factions in their fight for control of the alien planet Auraxis.
Along with its prequel, PlanetSide 2 is one of very few MMOFPS games to have ever released, and is presently considered the most successful title in the genre. The ForgeLight proprietary game engine is used to support high concurrent player counts while retaining performance and graphical fidelity. PlanetSide 2 operates on a games as a service business model and is supported by microtransaction purchases. Since its launch, the game has received regular updates which have introduced new content and mechanics.
PlanetSide 2 received positive attention from critics for its scale, innovation, and graphics, but some reviewers were divided over the game's free-to-play business model, technical glitches, and difficulty for new players. PlanetSide 2 currently holds the Guinness World Record for "Most players in an online FPS battle," which was set in 2015 when 1,158 players were recorded in a single battle during a sponsored event. This record has since been unofficially beaten in both 2020 and 2022 when even higher player counts were recorded on the game's servers.
Gameplay
PlanetSide 2 is a first-person shooter which features several open world continents that are each 64 km2 and support up to 2,000 concurrent players. Upon creating a character, players are able to join either the New Conglomerate (NC), Terran Republic (TR), or Vanu Sovereignty (VS) faction. Each faction has a unique style, and offers access to different weapons and vehicles - for example, the Vanu Sovereignty have an alien aesthetic and employ advanced technologies in their arsenal. Members of each faction continually attempt to lock down continents by capturing and defending territories, earning global benefits for all allies if they manage to do so.
Players can choose between six infantry classes that each possess unique specialities. These range from the Infiltrator, a sniper class that has access to a cloaking device, to the MAX (Mechanized Assault Exo-Suit), an armored infantry unit that dual-wields heavy weaponry. Players can also operate several air and ground vehicles that serve transport, spawn point and combat roles. By killing enemies and capturing objectives, players earn currency (Certs) which can be used to unlock upgrades and new weapons for their preferred class or vehicle. Players can also use real-world money to purchase new items and weapons that are primarily cosmetic in nature and offer no direct benefit over non-paying individuals.
Compared to its predecessor, PlanetSide 2 is faster-paced, allowing players to teleport to the largest battles with the "Instant Action" gameplay mechanic. Modern first-person shooter elements such as sprinting, iron sights, and regenerating shields are also present. The game also emphasizes real-time strategy elements, featuring a command hierarchy system - 12 players can form a squad, and up to four squads (48 players) can associate and become a platoon. Each squad in a platoon has its own voice over IP channel which allows leaders to direct specific groups of players to different objectives. The squad system also promotes cohesion, allowing squad members to directly spawn onto each other with orbital drop pods.
Plot
In the year 2444, a mysterious wormhole forms over a war-torn Earth, and scientists report strange transmissions that all but confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life. The wormhole is predicted to re-open again in a century, and fear of a hostile, alien presence causes the global conflict to end. Nations around the world quickly agreed to a peace treaty and formed the Terran Republic, an authoritarian but benevolent United Nations-like organization that worked toward the peace and prosperity of humankind. As expected, the wormhole reopens after 100 years, but no further transmissions are detected; despite this, the Terran Republic remains in power, as the vast majority of humanity is satisfied with its governance.
Years later, explorer Thomas Connery discovers a segment of the Kuiper belt he dubs "the Moon Belt." Connery is voted into the position of Terran Republic president soon after. Suspecting the discovery of alien technology, multiple business leaders form the New Conglomerate, a libertarian organization seeking to capitalize on the discovery and free themselves from strict Terran Republic control. After his retirement, Connery recruits eccentric xenobiologist Henry Briggs for a second expedition to the Moon Belt, and the pair discovers an alien figurine. Upon touching the artifact, Briggs experiences a revelation and is left with a single message: "Vanu."
The wormhole appears yet again in 2640, and this time Connery leads an expedition consisting of Terran Republic officers, New Conglomerate representatives, and scientists seeking extraterrestrial knowledge. The wormhole collapses before the entire fleet is able to pass through, however, 40,000 individuals are trapped on the other side, unable to return to Earth. Months pass, and as chances for survival become increasingly bleak, New Conglomerate insurgents begin launching attacks against Terran Republic forces, killing Connery in the process. In response, draconian laws are forced upon all passengers by the Terran Republic. The scientists onboard, led by Briggs, begin to distance themselves from both sides of the conflict.
Finally, the hospitable moon of a gas giant, named "New Earth" (later renamed Auraxis), is located by researchers aboard the ships. Upon arrival, the human survivors begin to terraform and colonize Auraxis. The New Conglomerate and Terran Republic break off from each other, and no major conflicts occur between the two sides for the next two centuries. Despite this, tensions continue to rise between the two groups, culminating in a declaration of all-out war after conflicting reports of a violent attack. A group of dedicated scientists, inspired by Briggs' revelation and Vanu artifacts discovered on Auraxis, announce they can no longer remain neutral and declare themselves the Vanu Sovereignty.
Soon after the beginning of the war, rebirthing technology was developed, granting immortality to soldiers of all three empires. Through the use of nanites, each faction is able to rapidly produce vehicles, weapons, and other equipment for use in combat. With effectively unlimited resources available to each side, Auraxis has remained in unending turmoil, with no end in sight to the conflict.
Development
The first indications of a potential PlanetSide sequel appeared in September 2009, when Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) e-mailed PlanetSide subscribers with a survey asking for suggestions regarding the next installment of the series. On October 11, SOE president John Smedley posted on his LiveJournal account, revealing that the sequel's working title was PlanetSide Next. In December 2010, Smedley announced that SOE would be launching a first-person shooter in March 2011, hinting that the release would be PlanetSide Next; this was soon confirmed by Paul Williams of SOE.
Vehicle designs for PlanetSide Next, including those of the Galaxy aircraft and a New Conglomerate tank, were teased in early 2011 by Smedley. On March 31, 2011, SOE announced that it would be ending development of their spy-themed MMO The Agency and refocusing efforts on both EverQuest Next and PlanetSide Next following their closure of three game studios. Shortly after, Smedley announced that PlanetSide Next had been delayed as a result of switching to an entirely new engine, and would be made available later than initially anticipated.
At the SOE Fan Faire event in July 2011, Smedley revealed that PlanetSide Next had originally been planned as a graphical update to the original game that would have transitioned it to a free-to-play business model, but eventually the development team decided to pursue a full-fledged sequel titled PlanetSide 2. Smedley announced that both PlanetSide 2 and EverQuest Next would be using SOE's proprietary ForgeLight engine to support seamless worlds and realistic physics using Nvidia's PhysX API. Rather than a direct sequel, the game was revealed to be a reimagining of PlanetSide with faster-paced first-person shooter mechanics, "triple-A" graphics, and a greater focus on capturing and defending territories. SOE announced later in 2011 that comic book writer Marv Wolfman would be authoring episodic stories to establish the game's background and expand upon PlanetSides original backstory.
Throughout the game's development, John Smedley and creative director Matt Higby have cited Eve Online as well as both the Call of Duty and Battlefield series as major influences for PlanetSide 2. Smedley, an active Eve Online player himself, took inspiration from the game's sandbox-like freedom, resource management, offline progression system and its ability to support a high number of players on one server. Higby has specifically named the vehicle combat mechanics of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as a major influence, stating that the game had "done the best with vehicles. I want [PlanetSide 2] to be at least that good."
During the 2012 Game Developers Conference, a playable in-development version of PlanetSide 2 was showcased by SOE. Early versions of the game's environment, vehicles, and character progression system were demonstrated, and it was also announced that the game would be free to play. Smedley announced that a closed beta test would begin July 30 or 31 2012 "barring any unforeseen circumstances." On July 30 Smedley announced that the beta testing would be delayed until at least August 3 "to make sure some stuff is awesome." On August 2, Smedley mentioned during a Reddit AMA that a Mac version was planned post-launch, writing: "No you aren't going to see PlanetSide 2 on Linux. You will see it on Mac though". On August 3, Smedley announced that the closed Beta would commence 2pm PDT (GMT-7) Monday 6 August. The beta closed on November 17, 2012, pending the game's official release November 20, 2012.
PlayStation 4 port Early in the game's development, the ownership of PlanetSide 2 by a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment led some to speculation regarding a release for PlayStation branded consoles. Smedley hinted at the possibility of a release for the PlayStation 3 throughout 2011 and 2012.
The success of free-to-play games like PlanetSide 2 led Sony to announce that the PlayStation 4 would support free-to-play titles in addition to retail games. On June 5, 2013, SOE announced that both PlanetSide 2 and DC Universe Online would be available to play on the PlayStation 4 later in 2013. It was also announced that a PlayStation Plus subscription would not be required to play the game. The developers planned for the games to be as similar as possible between the PC and PlayStation 4 releases aside from a different UI and support for DualShock 4 controllers, and said that console graphics would match the "Ultra" preset on PC. Cross-platform play between the PlayStation 4 and PC versions of the game would not be possible due to update delays, but the ability to transfer player accounts between the two platforms would be considered. Creative director Matt Higby also mentioned the possibility of porting PlanetSide 2s mobile app to the PlayStation Vita with additional interactive features.