Join an all-out planetary war, where thousands of players battle as one in strategic, targeted missions against opposing empires. Utilize infantry, air and ground vehicles to destroy your enemies in this revolutionary, massive scale, first-person shooter.
User reviews:
Recent:
Mostly Positive (501 reviews) - 71% of the 501 user reviews in the last 30 days are positive.
Overall:
Very Positive (33,083 reviews) - 84% of the 33,083 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date: Nov 20, 2012

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Play PlanetSide 2

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May 12

Need a Boost? Now’s the Time.




Soldiers! You’re needed on the battlefields of Auraxis, and we want to make sure you’re extra prepared. That’s why we have Double XP + a SALE on Utilities and Boosts! And this isn’t just your regular weekend… these bonuses will be available for over a week!

Here are the logistics:

Double Experience will be available for EVERYONE beginning at 12:01AM PDT on Friday, May 13th and running for over a full week (two weekends!), ending on Sunday, May 22nd at 11:59PM PDT.

During that same time frame, you’ll also be able to get 20% Off Utilities and Boosts. This includes:

  • Experience Boosts
  • Resource Boosts
  • Squad Experience Boosts
  • Character Slots
  • Additional Loadouts
  • Banners
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! Just for this sale, the 30 Day Boost is returning! That’s right, you can buy Experience Boosts in 1 hour, 1 day, 3 days, or 7 days, OR you can buy one that’s good for THIRTY DAYS.

If the Double XP + the Sale wasn’t enough, we’re also adding New Player Studio Items to the Depot. You’ve got so much added firepower, you might as well spruce up your vehicle and helmet at the same time, right? Here’s a selection of the new items coming this week*:

VEHICLES:
  • Harasser Roll Cage
  • Sunderer Ambulance Armor
  • Sunderer Comm Array
  • Scythe Usurper Plating
  • Prowler Cavalier Armor
  • Prowler Peacekeeper Armor
HELMETS:
  • Spartan Helmet
  • Farseet Hood
  • Shwarz Corp Culture Helmet
  • Shwarz Corp Storm Helmet
  • Shwarz Corp Skull Helmet
  • Schwarz Corp Medic Helmet
  • Schwarz Corp Bulwark Helmet
  • Inspector Cap (no not Inspector Spacetime)
  • MK 4 Brute Helmet (This is for the MAX)
  • Singularity Helmet
  • Lucanis Helmet
  • Buyce Helmet
  • Rift Helmet
*Unlike the Double XP + Sale, which are only available for a limited time, the Player Studio items will remain in the Depot.

Take advantage of the Double Experience and the AMAZING Boost Sale (did we mention the return of the 30-Day Boost? We did, yeah? Just making sure you saw it!), before it’s too late!

49 comments Read more

May 2

Guide To The New Construction System



***UPDATE: To celebrate our biggest update ever, we’re going all out with 2XP for everyone from 5/13 – 5/22! And, XP boosts will be 20% OFF during double XP week. So get out there soldier, and grab your extra certs while you can! ***


In case you missed it, the construction system is now live on PC! The discovery of the powerful new mineral Cortium has given rise to all new objects, tools, and vehicles – so here’s all the intel you’ll need to start building your way to victory!

HOW IT WORKS

ANTs
Players can summon an Advanced Nanite Transport (ANT) at any vehicle terminal. ANTs are 4-man transports that have mining lasers for harvesting Cortium nodes, which are scattered around the map. The ANT can be deployed at any time, which will reveal access to a building terminal from which you can equip and then place fortifications (at a cost to Cortium).
Placing Construction Objects
When placing fortifications, you can rotate the object using left or right click. Move the object closer or further from you by holding left and right click at the same time. Raise or lower an object by looking up or down without clicking the mouse. All objects have blue and green “placement points” which help the player determine the right height of an object. Blue points must be beneath the terrain, while green points must be above the terrain. When your object is in position, press “E” to place it.

Silos
A “Cortium Silo” can store large quantities of Cortium, and also “claims” the land for you and your squad. Claimed land means that players cannot deconstruct any of your fortifications with the “Decon Tool” (also found in the ANT terminal). ANTs can offload Cortium to friendly Silos using the same method as harvesting minerals: just approach the Silo and hold the firing button.

Powered Construction Objects
Some construction objects require a nearby Silo (with stored Cortium!) to remain active. Modules, for example, are constructs that can improve surrounding fortifications, but go offline if the Silo runs out of Cortium. While a module is near a Silo, Cortium will be drained automatically. The more objects that require power, the faster your Cortium Silo will drain.
HIVEs
Hardline Interference Volume Emitters or “HIVEs” are structures which can generate Victory Points over time. These structures also require a nearby Silo for power, but only when they are active. A HIVE becomes “active” when your faction has an available core.

Victory Cores
When a continent unlocks, each faction has a certain amount of cores available. By default, each faction gets 2 cores, with an additional core given to whichever faction unlocked the current continent. Cores are automatically placed in HIVEs closest to an enemy Warp Gate. The closer the HIVE is to an enemy Warp Gate, the faster it will generate Victory Points.
When an active HIVE is destroyed, the faction who destroyed it will recover that core for their faction, and it will then automatically activate the most ideal HIVE, provided another empty HIVE exists.
It’s worth noting that Silos must be restocked with Cortium constantly, as HIVEs, like modules, require an active power source to function. If a Silo runs out of Cortium, an active HIVE will no longer generate Victory Points.
Lastly, Victory Cores will occasionally jump from HIVE to HIVE. Cores gravitate to whichever HIVE is capable of generating the most Victory Points, but will not do so if there are too many enemies in the target region, and cores will also not leave a HIVE currently under attack.

CONSTRUCTION OBJECTS
By default, each player is given access to Rampart Walls, Bunkers, Anti-Infantry Phalanx Turrets, Silos, and Repair Modules as default construction objects, and HIVEs are also unlocked at Battle Rank 15 for free. New types of fortifications may be purchased with Certs or DBC.
All structures are much weaker while being constructed than they are when they’ve been completed, and at the moment, each structure type takes 45 seconds to complete.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TOOLS AND CONSTRUCTS

  • Decon Tool
    Can be used to deconstruct misplaced structures.
  • Rampart Wall
    Long, horizontal wall with high health and firing areas for infantry.
  • Bunker
    Small, durable fortification with firing areas for infantry and an open area on top.
  • Sunderer Garage
    Small garage with enough cover to house a single Sunderer.
  • Cortium Silo
    Small, durable, and provide power to a base. A single Silo can store up to 50,000 Cortium at a time. It also claims the nearby area for you and your squad, which prevents unsquadded allies from deconstructing nearby objects.
  • HIVE
    Initially a vulnerable “chassis” when unpowered. While housing a Victory Core, the chassis becomes indestructible, and a small shielded area becomes the only point where it can receive damage. Active HIVEs generate Victory Points based on their proximity to the enemy Warp Gate, and require Cortium from a nearby Silo to operate.
  • Repair Module
    Cortium-powered module which quickly repairs nearby structures. This is an extremely important component of any base.
  • Structure Shield Module
    Cortium-powered module that creates one-way shields for most of the openings on Bunkers, Rampart Walls, and Sunderer Garages.
  • Skywall Shield Module
    Cortium-powered module which projects a shield above, protecting from aerial bombardment.
  • Turret AI Module
    Cortium-powered module which provides nearby deployed turrets with automated tracking abilities, allowing them to fire on enemies who stray too close.
  • Anti-Infantry Phalanx Turret
    Mannable turret which excels at taking down enemy infantry.
  • Anti-Vehicle Phalanx Turret
    Mannable turret which excels at destroying enemy vehicles.
  • Anti-Air Phalanx Turret
    Mannable turret which excels at destroying enemy aircraft.
Ready soldiers? It’s time to put your new construction system training to test on the battlefield!

262 comments Read more

Reviews

“Audacious. Sony Online built a multi-continental world wide enough for thousands of players on three factions to fight in the air, on the ground, and inside bases, and released it for free.”
PC Gamer

“Technically astounding mass-scale warfare that spews out gaming fantasy fulfillment.”
90/100 – PC Gamer

“With versatile classes, deep progression systems and various styles of air and ground vehicles, there’s no shortage of ways to contribute to a fight, and on a coordinated team in PlanetSide 2’s open environments, Sony Online Entertainment’s game of nonstop war can be a truly incredible competitive experience.”
9/10 – IGN

About This Game

PlanetSide 2 is a free-to-play, massively multiplayer online first person shooter (MMOFPS). Empires fight on a massive scale where soldiers battle in an all-out planetary war on a scale never before seen in stunning, breathtaking detail. PlanetSide 2 battles persist when thousands of players align in this game that challenges the skill and grit through intense land, air and vehicle gameplay.

Across four huge maps, players come together in enormous battles to win control of critical territories and key resources for their Empire. With an extensive skill tree and free-form class-based system, players customize their soldier, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, as well as the needs of their squad, outfit or Empire. The world of PlanetSide 2 is massive and persistent with every soldier capable of making a difference.



Key Features:
  • THREE WARING EMPIRES: Players will choose to align with one of three unique Empires – the militaristic, authoritarian Terran Republic, the rebellious, freedom-fighter faction New Conglomerate, or the technocratic, alien-influenced Empire Vanu Sovereignty. Each Empire has access to unique weapons, attachments, vehicles, abilities, and more.
  • MASSIVE WARFARE: Battles take place not between dozens of troops, but hundreds; with air and ground vehicles slugging it out alongside squads of troops. Each battleground holds valuable resources and key positions, and the Empire that can conquer (and manage to hold) these territories are rewarded with tech bonuses, greater access to equipment, and more.
  • ENORMOUS MAPS: PlanetSide 2 features four incredible and diverse continent maps with dozens of square kilometers of seamless gameplay space; every inch of which is hand-crafted, contestable space. Whether in open fields, tightly-packed urban centers or enormous outposts, victory requires calculated teamwork and a quick trigger finger to survive the massive battles.
  • PERSISTENCE THAT PAYS: In PlanetSide 2 the war isn’t won by a single base capture. The core gameplay of PlanetSide 2 is about holding crucial territories and controlling resources. Working strategically as a team to secure tactical positions, such as power plants and ammo depots, has long-lasting effects that can shift the tide of battle and provide key rewards and bonuses.
  • CLASS-BASED COMBAT: Players can build their soldier to match their play-style, as well as the needs of their squad, outfit or Empire. With six distinct classes to explore, each combat role, vehicle and weapon has extensive skill trees that will allow players to grow characters laterally, unlocking hundreds of weapons, attachments, equipment, specialized skills, vehicles, and more. Play as one of six distinct classes:

    - Heavy Assault – Rush into the battle ahead, guns blazing. You are the dedicated foot soldier of Auraxis.
    - Light Assault – Go where the Heavies can’t with your short-burst jetpack. Pick a high spot, throw a grenade and surprise your foes!
    - Combat Medic – Keep your fellow soldiers healed- it’s your job to revive fallen comrades.
    - Infiltrator – Stealthy and silent, you are death from the shadows. Whether you choose a knife from behind or a single shot from sniper’s nest, you are the enemy’s greatest fear.
    - Engineer – A crucial support class with the ability to repair important gear including vehicles, terminals, and turrets. Engineers can drop their own shielded turret and mow down advancing troops.
    - MAX – Heavily armored, cannons for hands, and a disposition to match, you are the ruler of the battlefield and a walking mass of armored death.

  • OUTFIT TEAMWORK: Outfits play a very important role in each and every battle. From a small group of specialized soldiers or rapid response team, to a huge clan that can field multiple platoons of hundreds of players, outfits have access to unique customizations– allowing them to create their own identity and manage their reputation and overall role in the ongoing war.
  • VEHICLES & WEAPONS: Players are able to access a huge array of weapons and vehicles which can be extensively customized for player preference or purposed with unique attachments and add-ons earned in game to fit each player’s style.
  • PLAY FOR FREE: PlanetSide 2 is Free-To-Play with an additional in-game RMT marketplace with items that range from cosmetic camouflage patterns and armor paint jobs, to XP accelerators. Items that affect gameplay, such as weapon side-grades will be purchasable via resources earned in-game through gameplay and achievements.
  • VOICE INTEGRATION: Players are able to communicate with their squads both through keyboard and voice chat.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • OS: 64-bit Windows 7 or later
    • CPU: Core i5-760 or better / AMD Phenom II X4 or better [Quad-core CPU]
    • Memory: 6 GB RAM (64-bit)
    • Hard Drive: 20 GB free
    • Video Card: nVidia GeForce GTX 260 or better / Radeon HD 4850 or better
    Recommended:
    • OS:64-bit Windows 7 or later
    • Processor:Intel i7 processor or higher / AMD Phenom II X6 or higher
    • Memory:6 GB RAM
    • Graphics:nVidia GeForce 560 or higher / AMD HD 6870 or higher
    • DirectX®:9.0
    • Hard Drive:20 GB HD space
    • Sound:DirectX compatible Sound Card
    • Other Requirements:Broadband Internet connection
Customer reviews
Customer Review system updated Sept. 2016! Learn more
Recent:
Mostly Positive (501 reviews)
Overall:
Very Positive (33,083 reviews)
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23,458 reviews match the filters above ( Very Positive)
Most Helpful Reviews  In the past 30 days
53 of 59 people (90%) found this review helpful
79 people found this review funny
Recommended
51.4 hrs on record
Posted: September 25
-Do you like purple?
-Nah, purple is g...
*grab gun*
-BUT VANU IS LIFE.
-whoa man, calm...
-VANU IS EVERYTHING, JOIN US.
-Dude, im from Terr...
-PURPLE IS THE ONLY COLOR

10/10 would support Vanu nationalism again
Was this review helpful? Yes No Funny
30 of 30 people (100%) found this review helpful
5 people found this review funny
Recommended
3,272.6 hrs on record
Posted: September 26
Planetside 2 is a great game, or maybe it's a mediocre game but unique enough to be in a league of its own. There's a lot that I can say about this game that others have already mentioned - the scale, the vehicles, the number of players, etc. That's enough to draw plenty of people in but there's some stuff that nobody really wants to mention

-This game is frustrating. You will probably not enjoy your first few sessions after the shock and awe of the first big battle you witness wears off. The tutorial is helpful if not a little subpar, koltyr is a joke, and to most players in this game you're just another face to shoot.

-This game is on a downward spiral. I love it but it's true. It's got some years left in it but the new player experience has been lacking up until the last few months which causes the game to bleed players badly. So who's left? Mostly people who have spent hundreds if not thousands of hours playing, which brings me to my next point

-Most everyone you run in to is going to be better than you. That's just the nature of the beast. Most previous FPS experience you have will be useless. The maps are open, the battles are chaotic, and there are so many ways to die and get killed. Forget aiming, forget bursting, forget picking targets. Lots of players know every base like the back of their hand and have fought long enough to get a feel for the flow of each fight. You're gonna get gunned down quickly from dumb angles by guys who seem like they eat, sleep, and breathe this game. You're not bad, you're just pushing a rock up a hill and they're sitting on top of it.

-Cheese. If you're a fan of other FPS games you've maybe had a little frustration about the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ who sits in a corner with a shotgun or always makes a dive for vehicles should they exist. Well, buckle up because it's gonna get worse. What's worse than shotguns in a corner? A walking tank with shotgun/laser/machine gun arms, a flying tank that will blow you up from 600+m away in the sky, a dune buggy that will run you over if his buddy doesn't kill you first with his automatic grenade launcher/canister shotgun/plasma cannon, and actual tanks that will sit on a hill and dump HE rounds at infantry chokepoints until they run out of ammo. Vehicles make for interesting gameplay but there are effectively zero guardrails separating the vehicle game from the infantry game. And unless you have friends who have been playing for a while getting in to a vehicle of your own to counter them isn't gonna end well for you. You're gonna get blown up. A lot.

-This game is poorly optimized and is incredibly CPU heavy. You're most likely going to CPU bottleneck unless you have an absolutely ancient GPU. You may have a decent machine but you will probably need to drop your graphics settings lower than you like for the sake of performance. If you play this game with >60FPS, you will not have a good time.

-Solo play is hard. Not impossible or even out of reach to the new player, but it will complicate things and extend the time it takes to master the game. Running with an outfit (like an in game clan) is absolutely vital. Not everyone likes this - it forces a social aspect that lots of people just aren't in to. But its the best way to get on the spot help, a sense of direction, and an organized group to cover your ♥♥♥ and yes, sometimes carry you.

Despite all this it's an amazing game and I absolutely recommend it. It's a frustrating, bulky, poorly optimized, dying, time vampire of a game. But you'll never play another game like it.
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29 of 30 people (97%) found this review helpful
7 people found this review funny
Recommended
544.5 hrs on record
Posted: September 15
Imagine a mix of Halo and Battlefield and then imagine a thousend players in a continent scale map, that Higby thing is PlanetSide2.

Play as a infantry soldier with one of the seven classes available, or be a driver in a one-man fast moving tank or a faction-unique powerfull main battle tank, or ride a buggy or a fighter or ... well you got the point.

And the best part is that this is free.

But be aware of the high demanding hardware to use this game, the hard-to-play for new players and the slow adquisicion on certifications.

One of my favorite games.
Was this review helpful? Yes No Funny
12 of 13 people (92%) found this review helpful
15 people found this review funny
Recommended
561.1 hrs on record
Posted: September 10
♥♥♥♥ the VS.
Was this review helpful? Yes No Funny
8 of 9 people (89%) found this review helpful
3 people found this review funny
Recommended
11.1 hrs on record
Posted: September 11
Even years after its release, Planetside 2's playerbase remains strong enough to offer a satisfying magnitude to battles. Unfortunately, it does take an expensive PC to play at an enjoyable framerate.
Was this review helpful? Yes No Funny
6 of 7 people (86%) found this review helpful
Recommended
100.7 hrs on record
Posted: September 27
For a free MMO FPS game this is definitely worth a try. I have enjoyed almost every minute I have played. I have a few hundred more hours than shown.

[Pros]
-Massive battles with hundreds of players on at any given time.
-Massive maps
-Simple yet solid gun play mechanics.
-Good overall design and concept.
-Good variety of weapons, vehicles, and customization for both.
-Mostly cosmetic micro transactions.*
-Multiple character slots.
-Multiple factions.
-A lot of teamwork and communication in the community.

[Cons]
-Grinding Certs can take forever
-Extremely limited character/vehicle customization for free
-Can be confusing for new players to get into
-Requires a pretty solid rig due to the intensity of so many players on very large maps

*I say mostly because you can buy unlocks for real money to accelerate the process instead of grinding certs to unlock them which may give an unfair advantage so it can be taken as a con or pro. There are also a few gun finishes/paints such as black and gold that can only be unlocked via daybreak cash(paid currency) but offer no advantage statistically.

Overall I would definitely give this game a try if you are into larger scale FPS games with a mix of vehicle combat such as Battlefield. It takes some time to get into but once you get the right weapons and equipment it becomes much more enjoyable.

A tip to newcomers since I sometimes see blueberries running around squad less.. I highly recommend that you start off joining a squad that is active and listen up to the platoon or squad leader and follow directions to learn the game faster and have a good time. Remember that this game is not like call of duty and is not a one man army game. Teamwork is essential and is key.
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5 of 6 people (83%) found this review helpful
1 person found this review funny
Recommended
90.9 hrs on record
Posted: September 25
LOOOOOOVE this game. Played it for years outside of steam and now 90 hrs on steam. Recomend it to all, must play. Good Job Sony SOE
Was this review helpful? Yes No Funny
3 of 3 people (100%) found this review helpful
Recommended
193.7 hrs on record
Posted: September 25
A great team-based FPS that seems to be well-balanced and smoothly run. I like to play it with my friends, it's pretty addictive (as you can see by my hours played). Takes a little getting used to but the leveling system, weapons, weapon customization, and accessories are all done very well, imho.
Was this review helpful? Yes No Funny
4 of 5 people (80%) found this review helpful
2 people found this review funny
2 of 2 people (100%) found this review helpful
1 person found this review funny
Recommended
121.5 hrs on record
Posted: September 28
victory is our tradition TR forever
Was this review helpful? Yes No Funny
Recently Posted
Supreme overlord of the universe
107.4 hrs
Posted: October 10
the gameplay is great, after you get over the massive scale and only getting like 1 kill before getting shot from like 300 different positions. my only major issue with the game is that it is still running on DX9 and i cant even force it to run DX 10 or 11, seriously, DOTA 2 has DX10 and DX11 modes, would it be too hard for SOE to give us a DX10 or 11 version that we could choose to run, they dont even have to stop supporting DX9 for thier winXP and WINE linux users.
overall solid 7/10
Helpful? Yes No Funny
Overlord
1.1 hrs
Posted: October 10
Totally Unfriendly to new Players
Helpful? Yes No Funny
dandan6151
13.5 hrs
Posted: October 10
SO MUCH FUN






just need a better computer :(
Helpful? Yes No Funny
Skouby
7.2 hrs
Posted: October 10
walking simulator
Helpful? Yes No Funny
Countdorkula93
9.2 hrs
Posted: October 9
this game needs more players, it is too much fun to play alone. bring friends because its a free to play roller coaster and you can still do good without a subscription.
Helpful? Yes No Funny
xanderjs1
88.3 hrs
Posted: October 9
The video is not what the game looks like I think it would be fine for kids for 7 and up but it does have violence in it.I like the game so much its so cool.
Helpful? Yes No Funny
Pielord
377.7 hrs
Posted: October 9
PlanetSide 2 is an open world MMO-FPS which provides a unique experience. I enjoy it because it allows you to do whatever you want, and the gunplay and mechanics feel satisfying. It is fairly complex for a shooter, but it's free so I recommend you try it out. Every non-cosmetic in the game can be acquired for free though it takes some time. The starting equipment is usually the best general purpose gear. Read some guides and watch some videos to learn how to get decent FPS, the basic mechanics, and what to unlock first.

Oh, and population is still strong outside of Briggs so long as you play during your server's daytime.
Helpful? Yes No Funny
Octavian
0.7 hrs
Posted: October 9
I had no idea what was happening, but the scope is massive, which was awesome. Reminds me a bit of Tribes.
Helpful? Yes No Funny
NAMELESSGAEMING
18.8 hrs
Posted: October 9
Cod halo tf2 and skyrim had a baby why is this not that popular it's sooooo good and cool
Helpful? Yes No Funny
Mercyless Guy
0.2 hrs
Posted: October 9
can't play ♥♥♥♥ this but i am not going to make a flame war out of this but, in my opinion ♥♥♥♥♥♥ game (because i can't play it xD)
Helpful? Yes No Funny