• PlanetSide 2's Update 8 Brings Harasser Buggy & More

    Details as well as screenshots and footage of the Harasser buggy have surfaced from Sony Online Entertainment for  MMOFPS PlanetSide 2. New helmets have been added as well, with their own pile of screenshots.

    Gallery: Harasser Buggy & Helmets

    VS MAX Protoss
    VS Max Action
    VS Protoss & Guns
    VS Protoss Front

    The speedy Harasser assault buggy is built for hit-and-run attacks with room for a dedicated driver, rumble seat which can hold any infantry class, and a top-mounted turret. The video above shows the armored vehicle in action!

    What else is making appearance in Update 8? Join us after the jump to find out.

  • The Best Way to Spend Your Station Cash in PlanetSide 2

    As you might have heard, players have the chance to pick up Station Cash cards at participating 7-Eleven retailers this weekend and redeem them for double Station Cash!

    These cards are available at US 7-Eleven stores and must be redeemed between 12:01AM PDT April 27, 2013 and 11:59PM PDT April 28, 2013 to be eligible for the bonus.

    Here are some ideas on how you can spend all of your extra Station Cash in PlanetSide 2!

    Boost Your XP Gain

    Boost Implants are like the gift that keeps on giving. If you're looking for more than just a quick fix, we definitely recommend spending some of your bonus SC this weekend on an Implant. If you've never bothered with them in the past, here's how they work: implants will boost the rate at which you earn experience or resources in PlanetSide 2.

    Depending on how much SC you want to spend, the implant lasts anywhere from 1 hour to 7 days.

  • Vostok Games Opens Up Survarium Alpha Registration

    Survarium is a game that we haven't been following on FPS General for a terribly long time, but one that is as exciting as anything else we're covering just the game. The game is being developed by the team who worked on the classic S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise that we loved playing and hate typing out.

    Vostok Games, the studio working on Survarium, has opened up registration for players interested in taking part in the alpha test phase. At this point, Vostok is looking to fill a specific need in testing, so while everyone is encouraged to enter, not everyone will be chosen for alpha.

    Here are some things you should know about the alpha phase:

    • Vostok Games is looking for a wide variety of testing candidates, so when you fill out the form honesty is the best policy. Whether you play casually or are a hardcore gamer with a $2,000 PC setup, it takes all kinds to make a game great so be up front about yourself.
    • Filling out the form does not guarantee you a spot in alpha test. If you are chosen, you will be notified via email.
    • Invites will be going out in waves, so if you aren't selected right away, don't despair - there's always next time!

    Check out the alpha registration page for more information on what to expect, and to fill out your registration form!

    If you're looking for more information on Survarium, itself, be sure to visit the Survarium Wiki at http://survarium.gamepedia.com.

  • Blacklight Retribution Coming to PlayStation 4

    Zombie Studios has announced that Blacklight Retribution will be heading to PlayStation 4 when that console launches, presumably later this year. Retribution has previously been a PC-exclusive offering, whereas the first game in the series - Blacklight: Tango Down - was a console-exclusive.

    If you haven't played it, Blacklight Retribution is a really fun free to play shooter that steps up what players expect from multiplayer-only F2P games. Whether it's the enjoyable (and occasionally frustrating) Hyper Reality Visor which essentially gives everyone a wallhack built right into the game or the epic Hard Suits that you can pilot to deal death from the comfort of a mech, BlackLight Retribution has been a lot of fun over the last year or so.

    Now it's coming to PlayStation 4 and the free to play model is sticking around. 

    Check out the announcement trailer after the break and stay tuned for more details on the PlayStation 4 - we still don't know when it launches or what the hell it actually looks like.

  • ForgeLight, Game Update 5 and Other Assorted PlanetSide 2 Notes

    Sony Online Entertainment's in-house game engine is known as ForgeLight and it's a powerful specimen. You might be unfamiliar with the game engine, but that's to be understood as PlanetSide 2 is currently the only game making use of it.

    ForgeLight will also be the powerhouse being the next EverQuest game, but as of right now it is exclusive to PlanetSide 2.

    Here to give us something of a tech demo are PlanetSide 2 Senior Art Director Tramell Ray Isaac and Technical Director Ryan Elam. This demo comes as part of the latest Behind the Battle Lines episode, a series in which PlanetSide 2 developers share behind-the-scenes insight on the game.

    In other PlanetSide 2 news, game update 5 has gone out and includes a couple worthy updates to PlanetSide 2, namely; rocket launchers and account wide unlocks. Basically, besides now being able to access Empire-specific rocket launchers, players can now use items purchased with Station Cash across all of the characters on their account.

    SOE will also be releasing a PlanetSide 2 Play App on iOS and Android devices that will give players the ability to stay connected to the game, even when they can't be fighting for their faction directly.

    Finally, this weekend will be Double XP and Double SC so make sure you get in on the bonuses and fire up PlanetSide 2 this weekend. 

  • Hey, PlanetSide 2 Looks Awesome With PhysX


    PlanetSide 2 has officially added in support for Nvidia's hardware-accelerated PhysX system and as is the way with these things, a comparison trailer has been released. If Comparing Games With and Without PhysX was a game, I would buy it and all of the DLC expansion packs for it in a heartbeat.

    It is almost a double edged blade in a way, because even mundane things like blowing up tanks looks so bland and unsatisfying when compared side by side with PhsyX enabled. It kind of looks like the game looks like pure crap without PhysX and, of course, this isn't true. PlanetSide 2 can more than stand on its own legs in terms of visual quality but the addition of PhsyX sure does look beautiful.

    Check out the trailer above and make sure to check out the Nvidia booth at PAX for some free PlanetSide 2 loot.

  • We're Excited for Survarium and So Can You!

    In 2011, GSC Game World didn't so much close as it dissolved. To this day, there has never been an official announcement that the studio has been shut down and yet most of the original development team has moved on to Vostok Games to work on Survarium. Sadly, with the downfall of GSC comes the downfall of the classic S.T.A.L.K.E.R. brand which, as much as we hate typing it out, is something of a cult classic in gaming circles.

    When Vostok was formed, they were unable to secure rights to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and decided instead to simply move on to a brand new, original IP. As sad as it was to see S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 put on indefinite hiatus, it was this decision that gave birth to Survarium. As the old saying goes, 'when God closes one door, He opens another to a post-pandemic, dystopian wasteland devastated by environmental catastrophe.'

    Or, you know, something like that.

    Survarium is an MMOFPS, a massively multiplayer first-person shooter, that puts players in the shoes of a survivor in the year 2026 (or so). The world has been ravaged by environmental disasters as mankind loses control of the world they created. New species have come into being and human beings are reaping the benefits of abusing the planet for so many long years.

    Like any good shooter, Survarium focuses on three core areas of gameplay; PvE, PvP and cooperative. PvE comes in the form of Free Play, where you are able to roam around the game world, carrying out tasks and struggling to survive in the harsh environment. It is in Free Play that the core storyline will unfold in Survarium and players will have to loot and forage if they want to survive for long.

  • PlanetSide 2 Game Update 04 Goes Live Today

    Big news for PlanetSide 2 fans out there as Game Update 04 goes live today, bringing some huge updates to the game!

    Perhaps the biggest feature included in today's update is the VR Training Area. Before you expend your resources on a weapon or vehicle that you've never actually used in battle, the VR Training Area will give you a chance to test these things out in a simulated combat environment. Not only can you test drive weapons and vehicles, but you can actually practice squad tactics and learn the mannerisms of different weapons without getting lit up on the actual battlefield.

    Other updates include a revamped respawn screen, some new weaponry, membership enhancements and some balancing changes as well. 

    The full changelog can be viewed in a post by Creative Director Matt Higby at http://forums.station.sony.com/.

  • Hi-Rez COO Todd Harris Chats About Tribes: Ascend GOTY Edition

    Earlier this month, Hi-Rez Studios announced a brand new one-purchase option for Tribes: Ascend. Previously, all of the content in Tribes: Ascend was available for individual purchases, allowing user to pick and choose what they wanted to equip their character with.

    As the game progressed, Hi-Rez got continual feedback from the community that players wanted a single-purchase option for the game. One transaction to kit them out with everything that the game has to offer. Couple that with the game receiving numerous editorial awards and Game of the Year honors, and Hi-Rez felt that they were at the perfect place to kill two birds with one spinfusor disc; enter the Tribes: Ascend Game of the Year Edition.

    This edition comes with - oh, never mind, we'll let Hi-Rez COO Todd Harris tell you about it. After all, he was kind enough to sit down and field some Q&A questions for us this week. Check it out below!

    So, Hi-Rez just announced the Game of the Year Edition for Tribes: Ascend - can you run through what exactly is included in that?

    The Game of the Year edition is really two things: Number one it is our eleventh content update to Tribes: Ascend. As an update it includes 6 new maps that are free to the entire player community. Number two, this edition gives players a single purchase option for Tribes, which is pretty unusual for a free-to-play game. So, you can pay a single price and get permanent access to all the gameplay affecting items - all the classes, over 100 weapons, and all the perks for a single payment.

    Ultimately, all of that content purchased individually must be much more costly to the player. Do you have a number on how much money they are actually saving with the Game of the Year Edition?

    The amount saved varies quite a bit. Some players would buy an XP boost and play during double XP weekends and unlock items more quickly. And a few weeks back we cut the XP cost of all the weapons in half to speed up the unlock process for free players.

    That said, we intentionally priced the single-purchase option to be a great deal compared to purchasing items individually via micro-transactions. Players can continue to enjoy the game for free and unlock purely based on time. But if you are just starting to play Tribes: Ascend today, and you want all the classes and weapons right away, you would save more than 75% by purchasing the single price Game of The Year edition.

    Keep reading for the full Tribes: Ascend interview with Hi-Rez Studios COO Todd Harris!

  • Composing the Soundtrack in PlanetSide 2

    Sony Online Entertainment has released a brand new video for PlanetSide 2, taking players back to the beginning of the development cycle for a session with composer Jeff Broadbent, audio director Rodney Gates and producer Assaf Rinde. This is the first in SOE's 'Behind the Battle Lines' series, which will take players behind the scenes on various aspects of PlanetSide 2 development at SOE.

    We're suckers for video game music so it was fascinating to hear some insight into the writing process that went into the main theme for each faction. As Gates describes in the video below, each theme was crafted not only to be a great musical piece, but to reflect the culture of each faction. Composer Jeff Broadbent actually sat down with Rodney Gates to discuss PlanetSide 2 and get a proper feeling for the factions and what they represent. Using that conversation, he was able to compose the unique themes that we hear in the game every day.

    Check out the video below!

  • ¡Que Bueno! Arctic Combat Launches South American Server

    Webzen has announced the launch of a brand new South American server for their excellent first-person shooter Arctic Combat. This new server will open up the game to a whole new audience that no longer has to connect over a distance, providing an overall better experience. With the new server, Webzen is also localizing Arctic Combat in Spanish and Portuguese, making the experience for folks in South America that much better.

    “We’re very pleased to introduce the new server for our players in South America,” said Webzen head Jihun Lee. “We are dedicated to providing localized service to the Arctic Combat community, and committed to continuously introducing new content to the experience.”

    The new content mentioned by Lee was released alongside the new server and includes one new weapon and a new map. The new gun is the TAR-21, an assault rifle that has seen some love in the FPS community before. The new map is called 'Highway' and will be available in Team Deathmatch. Last, but not least, players will be able to purchase limited edition Valentine's Day editions of certain weapons.

    If you're looking to chuck heart-patterned grenades and wield pink assault rifles, this content is your time to shine.

    Arctic Combat is available now and is free to play. Check out the new content in the game on Steam or at http://ac.webzen.com/main.

  • Hi-Rez Releasing Tribes: Ascend Game of the Year Edition

    Hi-Rez Studios has announced that they will be releasing a Game of the Year Edition for Tribes: Ascend that will include all of the unlockable content in the game for one single purchase. Previously, Tribes: Ascend has been strictly free to play with optional micro-transactions to unlock new weapons and equipment on a per-class basis. With the Game of the Year Edition, all of that content is available for a single purchase.

    This new Game of the Year edition celebrates the editorial honors that Tribes: Ascend has been given and includes:

    • All 9 classes
    • Over 100 weapons
    • 21 class perks
    • Every DLC weapon and item

    In addition to the Game of the Year Edition, Hi-Rez is releasing a brand new content update that introduces the Shocklance weapon, two new skins and six brand new maps. Read the full patch notes on that right here.

    As for players who have already purchased the content in Tribes: Ascend, nothing is changing for them. They will be able to continue enjoying the game and the content they have purchased with no additional fees or changes at all. The upcoming patch will be available for all Tribes: Ascend players.

    The Tribes: Ascend Game of the Year Edition will be available on Friday, February 15th for $29.99 at www.tribesascend.com and on Steam. Check out a video of the brand new content in action after the break!

  • Giveaway: Try Out District 187's New Content For Free

    FPS General has teamed up with District 187 developer CJ Games Global to give away a ton of in-game goodies for the free to play urban first-person shooter! The game is completely free to play and features dozens of weapons, maps, game modes and items to experience. As with any free to play game, District 187 features optional micro-transactions for weapons, weapon mods or other cosmetic items.

    These items are in no way required to play the game, nor do they give you an advantage in the game, but they're totally badass and you should definitely check them out.

    Case in point, take a look at the Azure PDW which was just released in District 187's Winters of War update. The Azure is District 187's first permanent weapon (as opposed to the normal rental structure seen in other free to play titles) and is a blast to use.

    The 'bread and butter' of the SWAT team, the Azure is a tactical rifle with a pretty high rate of fire that we've really been enjoying since the content debuted earlier this week.

    Now, not everybody is ready to dish out the money for content so that's where we come in.

    We're hooking you up with 24 hours of access to all of the content that was released in the Winters of War update, giving you a chance to check out these awesome new weapons in action before plunking down the cash to make it yours on a permanent basis. If you haven't had a chance to check out District 187, this is a great time as there are now more weapons, maps, game modes and items than ever before.

    These codes are available on a first come, first served basis so make sure you visit http://www.fpsgeneral.com/digital-giveaways/district-187 and pick yours up today! Note that the codes are available for North American servers only and redemption instructions are available on the giveaway page.

    See you in the game!

  • District 187 Gets Huge Content Update, Still Totally Free

    District 187 is a free to play shooter from CJ Games that we've sunk more than a few hours into over the past few months. The game takes place in an urban environment, featuring battles between ruthless gangs and S.W.A.T. team members, which is a huge breath of fresh air to the genre, ditching the modern military themes we've become so familiar with.

    The Winter of Wars content includes:

    • Three new maps: Hope Clinic, Underground and Chem Lab.
    • Ten new weapons, including three new melee weapons and four new primaries, not the least of which is the Azure PDW K101 - District 187's first permanent weapon.
    • New cosmetic items, including costumes and items.
    • Achievements.

    This brings District 187 up to 30 weapons, 9 game modes, over a dozen gun mods and 18 maps to battle on. The game is completely free to play, with optional microtransactions for weapons, mods and cosmetic items. We'll be honest, sometimes free to play games put us off but if they are done right and avoid the 'pay to win' curse that plagues so many games, we're on board.

    District 187 gets it right.

    Check out the game on Steam, it's free and available to download anytime.

  • We're Livestreaming The PlanetSide 2 Ultimate Empire Showdown!

    Sony Online Entertainment has announced a really exciting PlanetSide 2 tournament, taking place later this week in Culver City, California. This is the first major PlanetSide 2 competition and SOE is pulling out all the stops to ensure that this is an event to remember. FPS General will be on hand at the event, and we're going to livestream the whole thing for you guys at http://www.own3d.tv/PlanetSide2. 

    The event sounds great and will feature three hand-picked teams to guarantee some amazing battles. Team captains will be on hand in the form of YouTube icons Total Biscuit, SeaNanners and Level Cap. These three captains will be joined by both members of the PlanetSide 2 community as well as Sony Online Entertainment developers to form some pretty intense and competitive teams. Only the most powerful faction will survive.

    In addition to the tournament, SOE has teased some exciting PlanetSide 2 announcements including information on their roadmap for the game throughout the next few months and some pretty interesting eSports initiatives. While we're down there, we'll be sure to do our best to grab some interviews with the team working on PlanetSide 2, so if you have any questions you'd like us to ask be sure to drop us a line in the comments below.

    We'll post an update on Friday with more information on when we will be streaming so make sure you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for the latest updates.

  • SOE Teaming Up With MLG For eSports in PlanetSide 2

    Earlier this week, Sony Online Entertainment announced that they would have some exciting updates on PlanetSide 2 this week, teasing that they would have some eSports news and a content roadmap to share in the near future. Well, it looks like the near future is now and SOE has spilled the beans on both fronts. First, let's take a look at the eSports initiative.

    SOE is teaming up with Major League Gaming (MLG) to work side by side in implementing competitive gaming features and settings into PlanetSide 2. MLG understands how to create successful eSports leagues and what it will take for PlanetSide 2 to develop a long-lasting competitive scene, and they're bringing that experience to SOE who is committing the time and resources into turning PlanetSide 2 into a major eSports player.

    In addition to making PlanetSide 2 flourish in the competitive community, SOE and MLG will be creating original programming that will air on http://www.majorleaguegaming.com/. We're not sure what this programming entails just yet, but details and a programming schedule will be revealed in the near future.

    The second announcement today was the interactive Roadmap for PlanetSide 2 updates. Never before has a studio unveiled this level of transparency and community interaction in the development process of a game like this. Here's how it work: players can visit http://www.planetside2.com/roadmap to check out a 6-month projection of what is in store for PlanetSide 2 development. Every single stop on the roadmap includes a place where players can discuss these specific changes and share their feedback on how it can be implemented more smoothly.

    For example, this month SOE plans to introduce quite a few measures to protect players against spawn camping. One such addition will entail adding more windows and doors, so that you are more well concealed when you spawn. But maybe you think that SOE should not be affecting spawn camping? Simply hit the roadmap and let your thoughts be known.

    Don't forget, today is the Ultimate Empire Showdown and FPS General has boots on the ground in Los Angeles. Tune in later today as we live stream the entire event for your viewing pleasure!

  • Exclusive PlanetSide 2 Developer Q&A: Senior Designer, Jason Good

    We're proud to bring you a brand new interview this morning with Sony Online Entertainment's Jason Good, who is currently serving as Senior Designer and Project Manager on the awesome free-to-play shooter PlanetSide 2. Jason is responsible for both managing the team working on PlanetSide 2 as well as acting as senior designer on the game, although he tells us that his work definitely focuses more on the management aspect.

    This interview is the first in a series we will be releasing, in which we chat with folks working on PlanetSide 2 about various aspects of the game and the development process.

    You can read Jason's answers to our first PlanetSide 2 Developer Q&A below. Enjoy!

    Hey Jason, nice to speak with you today, so first off let's get you introduced to our readers. So, who are you and what do you do for SOE?

    My name is Jason Good, and I’m Senior Designer that is currently masquerading as a Project Manager for PlanetSide 2.

    If you don't mind, can you give us a little history of your work for SOE or PlanetSide 2 in general?

    I’ve worked at SOE for almost 10 years (yeesh, that’s a crazy statement to write). Many of those years I was with the Quality Assurance department, working on games like EverQuest, EverQuest II, Champions of Norrath and Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom. Around the time I had worked my way toward the management end of the spectrum in QA, the opportunity to move into development opened up, and I took it.

    Keep reading for from our discussion with Jason Good on all-things PlanetSide 2!

  • Hands On With Webzen's Free to Play Shooter Arctic Combat

    Arctic Combat has been available in open beta on Steam for a week or so now, and we've been able to sink a healthy few hours into the free to play shooter. So, how does it stack up?

    First off, a little bit about the game. Arctic Combat takes place in the future but most of the weaponry and environments are set in a familiar urban environment. World War III is in full force after a mass amount of resources were discovered beneath the Arctic Ocean. As economic crises begins to ravage the worlds largest nations, the people begin to protest against their governments. World leaders once again turn to these untapped resources in the Arctic Ocean as battles for control begin to spring up in the region. 

    When we initially heard it took place during World War III and in a future setting, we were anticipating some more futuristic weaponry akin to Battlefield 2142. This isn't actually the case, as most of the rifles (M4A1 and AK47 to name a couple) are prevalent in modern culture and have been for decades. While the lack of these futuristic elements isn't necessarily a detracting factor in the game, it's something you should be aware of going into it.

    Webzen is stressing the skill-based aspect of Arctic Combat and this is obvious from your first match in the game. If you're accurate and smart, you're going to do infinitely better than the guy who is rushing match after match. The gun mechanics are superb, easy to get the hang of but difficult to master. With a focus on aiming and quick reflexes, Arctic Combat has been a very satisfying shooter to play. We've been using the hell out of the AK47 and AK74-u and definitely recommend those guns when you acquire the in-game funds to purchase them.

    Gameplay in Arctic Combat is reminiscent of Counter-Strike, albeit in a more casually accessible fashion. Players can aim down the sights of their weapon for starters, as Counter-Strike purists froth at the mouth around the globe. In this day and age, ADS is more important than most people will admit and we were glad to have seen Webzen incorporate something this basic into their game. While we understand that ADS wouldn't be a smart fit for the style of play that Counter-Strike features, we can't say that this is something developers should adopt universally.

    Keep reading for more on Webzen's free to play shooter, Arctic Combat!

  • SOE Releases PlanetSide 2 Faction Trailers

    Sony Online Entertainment has released a few brand new trailer for their free to play shooter, PlanetSide 2. Each trailer is designed to showcase one of the three factions in the game; Vanu Sovereignty, Terran Republic and New Conglomerate.

    Whichever faction you support, this is your chance to show off a little faction pride! In case you're unfamiliar with the game, here is a little bit of lore behind each faction:

    Terran Republic – Like a militaristic government, the Terran Republic uses its Imperial authoritarian might to impel humanity to peaceful coexistence through any means necessary. 

    New Conglomerate – A loosely connected group of rebel factions and idealistic freedom fighters. They fight against the hegemony of the Terran Republic and the fanatical alien influence of the Vanu Sovereignty. 

    Vanu Sovereignty – A technocratic Empire that believes humanity can only evolve by rediscovering and tapping the lost technology of an ancient alien race.

    At the top of this post, you can check out the Vanu Sovereignty trailer and after the break, you'll find the Terran Republic and New Conglomerate trailers respectively.

    Show your pride by liking and adding your faction's trailer to your favorites on YouTube!

  • Arctic Combat Entering Open Beta, Steam Release on December 7th

    Webzen has announced that their debut first-person shooter, Arctic Combat, will be entering open beta on December 7th - just two days from the time of this post.

    Arctic Combat takes place in the future, during World War III. The team has been working on the game since 2007, fine tuning the mechanics and building a great gameplay experience. Webzen has put an emphasis on the skill-based nature of Arctic Combat, making this a really good fit for the eSports community. Indeed, the team has already hosted several closed beta Arctic Combat tournaments in both North America and Europe.

    When the game launches in open beta on Webzen's own Global Service Portal, the publisher is simultaneously releasing a Steam version of the game for players who prefer that method of playing. Both games connect to the same servers, so no worry that Steam players won't be able to play with GSP folks.

    “With its strong competitive component and community features, Arctic Combat is a fantastic fit for the Steam community,” said Webzen's Jihun Lee, in today's press release. “We’re pleased to open up the game for NA/EU players, and we look forward to delivering news about a series of eSports tournaments featuring Arctic Combat.”

    Arctic Combat is, of course, a free to play title just like the rest of Webzen's catalog. The open beta is set to kick off on Thursday, December 6th so make sure you check back in with us at FPS General for more information when it goes live.