PlanetSide 2 free to play MMO shooter launches

Years ago, I played the original PlanetSide video game and found it more than a little meh. I hope that the new PlanetSide 2 is a more fun and enjoyable game. Perhaps the best news is that you can play the game for free without ever having to subscribe. You can also play the game free to begin with and then pay $9.99 per month for improved access.

PlanetSide 2 launched this week in North America and Europe allowing players to enlist with one of the three empires. Those three empires include the Terran Republic, New Conglomerate, and Vanu Sovereignty. No matter the faction, all players will be fighting for control of the planet called Auraxis.

Players will be able to fight using air and ground vehicles as well as hand-to-hand against thousands of players in massive environments. The game was built using a Sony Online Entertainment proprietary MMO game engine called ForgeLight. As players play the game, they can earn battle experience that increases their certifications and unlocks access to new roles in the game and customization options.

The longer players play the larger the variety weapons and vehicles that have access to. The game can be downloaded at no cost digitally and players can play all they want without having to pay. Players can choose a Premium Membership option starting at $9.99 per month that offers scalable gains for resources, XP, and passive cert points. Premium members also get priority login access, early access to new cosmetic items, and a monthly Station Cash bonus. The game will be supported using in-game content purchases with $15 PlanetSide 2 game cards sold at North American game stop locations.