Planetside 2 Releases Biggest Content Update In Game’s History
When Daybreak Games decided to restructure over a month ago, it was unclear what this actually meant for their most titanic long-running franchises. To recap, three new companies were formed: Darkpaw Games for the EverQuest franchise, Dimensional Ink Games for DC Universe Online, and Rogue Planet for the PlanetSide series. Daybreak games would still serve as a publisher. This would theoretically give the studios more freedom to develop the content they wanted. If Daybreak said no, the studio could pitch to other publishers. I did some real adult journalism and reached out to each company for comments. You can read all about it in my Daybreak’s New Dawn series here. When Andy Sites of Rogue Planet Games got back to me, he mentioned that there was plenty more coming for fans of PlanetSide. As of today, the good people of Rogue Planet Games are delivering on that promise.
With the new Escalation update, a whole swath of new content is being delivered to the players of PlanetSide 2. New features include a new end-game guild war system, new battle cruiser ships, and massive cross-faction social hubs. Here’s more from the Official Press Release:
Rogue Planet Games™ today released Escalation for PlanetSide 2 – the biggest update to Steam’s #1 free-to-play MMO first-person (MMOFPS) shooter since the game’s launch in 2012. Escalation introduces new guild-based endgame tournaments (Outfit Wars), an expansive War Assets system for dedicated Outfits, the cross-empire Sanctuary Social Hub, and the looming Bastion Fleet Carrier, a massive interplanetary aircraft that can now be called down to the battlefields of Auraxis.
“We are excited to provide the PlanetSide 2 community with an expansion that rewards our most dedicated players; past, present and future,” said Andy Sites, Executive Producer on the PlanetSide Franchise for Rogue Planet Games. “The new seasonal tournaments for dedicated Outfits, Cross-Empire Social Zone, and a meta-changing War Asset System add even greater depth and scale to PlanetSide 2’s unique all-out planetary warfare gameplay.”
Escalation’s major highlight is Outfit Wars – new end-game content for PS2’s unique MMOFPS guild system. Dedicated Outfits can qualify for monthly GvGvG tournaments on the new “Desolation” asteroid map, taking players off-planet for the first time. The new War Asset system also adds strategic depth and variety to Outfit play, allowing guilds to collect resources that can be crafted into assets including:
- Bastion Fleet Carrier: This massive interplanetary fleet carrier features mannable turrets, ship-mounted artillery cannons, an interceptor launch platform, and mobile vehicle respawn points
- Steel Rain: A coordinated platoon drop pod assault onto a target location
- Citadel Shield: A sturdy projectile-blocking bubble shield the size of a small outpost
- A.N.V.I.L.: Airdrop a ground vehicle of your choice on demand
- Orbital Satellite Uplink: Radio in an Orbital Strike anywhere on the battlefield
In addition, the Escalation update debuts a new Outfit Loyalty system for players to earn and spend communal merit, and the massive Sanctuary Zone, a new community hub for players of all Empires to trade, recruit, and relax outside of combat. Sanctuary will feature cross-faction communication, Outfit vendors, and new tutorial content for players of all ability levels.
It’s always great to see a game still alive after so many years. With this new update, hopefully even more people will join the already massive 100+vs100+ fights already raging across the PlanetSide 2 world. Oh, it’s also free. So why the heck aren’t you playing? You can find PlanetSide 2 on Steam by clicking here.
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