PlanetSide 2 beta expected to hit PlayStation 4 this year
A PlanetSide 2 beta will release for the PlayStation 4 at some point before the end of 2014 according to creative director Matt Higby. Speaking in an interview with Eurogamer, the developer explained that more information about the beta and the overall game would be released at the PlayStation Experience event that is due to be held in Las Vegas during December. The title, which was first announced in 2013, was due to be fully available by the end of the year but the developers have pushed back the release date in order to make the game the best experience it can be.
“As much as it sounds like we’re blowing smoke, we’re working hard to release a game that feels like a full-on console experience and not just like a port,” said Higby. “So it’s taken us quite a long time to re-jigger our user interface and our controls. There’s a lot that needs to get done. But our goal is at the end of the day to have our launch on the PS4 feel like a great PS4 native console game. Not just a PC port. So it’s taking a while.”
In the interview the creative director also spoke about how the studio is trying to ensure that the finished product will run at a resolution of 1080p and have a frame rate of 60 fps. However, the frantic action in large scale battles means that this might not be attainable in the final release.
PlanetSide 2 first released for PC in 2012. It is a remake rather than a direct sequel to the original PlanetSide game which launched in 2003. The game is a cross between a first person shooter and an MMO, allowing large numbers of players to fight on huge open worlds as they attempt to take control of strategic areas. It is free-to-play, with aesthetic skins and certain upgrades and weapons available to buy, and this model will continue on the PlayStation 4 version. Since release, the game has received positive reviews and won numerous awards.