‘PlanetSide 2′ PS4 Beta Release Date Next Month

[RoadWarrior]

PlanetSide 2 isn’t the only big console game release that missed 2014, but its absence is disappointing nonetheless. Released on PC in 2012 and originally scheduled for the PlayStation 4′s debut in 2013, PlanetSide 2 is a free-to-play shooter that sports gigantic maps and battles comprised of thousands of players. According to Sony Online Entertainment, the upcoming PlayStation 4 version should be a more-or-less faithful port of the PC original, with a streamlined interface and better tutorials being the only major changes.

Free-to-play games like PlanetSide 2, which offer the base game for free and then sell dedicated players cosmetic and “convenience” options (i.e. grind-free weapon and skill unlocks) for real-life cash, are increasingly common in the PC community, with Riot Games’ League of Legends being the most notable example. However, F2P hasn’t quite found solid footing on consoles. The combination of the relatively fresh revenue model and the game’s epic scope makes PlanetSide 2 an exciting title, and its omission from the PlayStation 4′s initial line-up was disappointing. Even worse, the game also failed to hit its second date at the end of 2014.

Finally, however, there’s a light in the darkness. According to Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley, the PlanetSide 2 closed beta should launch next month. Smedley apologized for missing 2014, but promises that the PlayStation 4 beta will be ready to go either January 13 or January 20.

That’s great news for PS4 owners. The original PC game received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising PlanetSide 2‘s gigantic battles and stunning graphics. Of course, the original game is two years old, and it’s possible that the game’s visuals might not have the same impact they did in 2012. However, PlanetSide 2 creative director Matt Higby contends that the game will look just as good as it did on the most powerful PCs.

Players can still register for the PlanetSide 2 closed beta, and anyone with a suitable Windows computer can try the PC version of the game free of charge. Sony Online Entertainment hasn’t announced the price structure for the PlayStation 4 version of the game, although it’ll likely match the PC marketplace, where gear and vehicle packs cost anywhere from $1.99 to $46.75. Players can also subscribe to Sony Online Entertainment’s “All Access” service for $9.99 a month, which grants benefits across a number of SOE games.

Of course, SOE argues that microtransactions aren’t necessary for players to stay competitive, and all of PlanetSide 2′s gear can be earned via in-game currency – it just takes a bit longer. PlanetSide 2 won’t be the first free-to-play shooter to hit the PlayStation 4 (Warframe and Blacklight: Retribution are already out there), but it’ll be the biggest by far; it remains to be seen whether the console version will see the same success as its PC brethren, or if the games’ reliance on microtransactions ultimately will keep PlayStation 4 users away.

PlanetSide 2 is out now for Windows. Closed beta for the PlayStation 4 starts next January.