Planetside 2

What is Planetside 2?

- PlanetSide 2 is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online first-person shooter published by Sony Online Entertainment

What genre does the game belong to?

- Massively multiplayer online first-person shooter.

Planetside 2 developer/publisher:

- Sony Online Entertainment.

When was it launched?

- November 20 2012

How does the gameplay work?

- You join 1 of 3 “army’s” that you will represent throughout the game, the army’s follow as such:

The Terran Republic

The Vanu Soverignty

The New Conglomerates

You then have access to the free online gameplay.

What are the six different player classes in the game?

- Each class has several unique weapons and special abilities. For each class new weapons, upgrades, and abilities can be acquired using in-game certification points. In addition, each class can earn ribbons and medals which reward additional certification

What is the story or narrative to the game?

- The narrative of the game is set approximately 300 years after the discovery of “Auraxis”, however the chronology of the game universe begins a few years before. The Earth has come to the end of a shocking war, the world government united under one banner “The Terran Republic”. 175 years after the leader of The Terran Republic were appointed the world government him and the other leaders were killed therefore a war between The Terran Republic and The New Conglomerates break out. The Conglomerates then attack The Vanu Sovereignty.

Business model

How much does Planetside 2 cost to play?

- The game is free.

What does a subscription offer to players?

- The subscription offers the users of the game to purchase in-game features to boost their attack or defence, I believe this is also how Sony make money of the game.

What can the in-game currency be used to buy?

- I believe using the certification system, players will be able to customize how they play using different classes or vehicles. For example, a player can purchase certifications to alter the main function of the Sunderer vehicle, meaning they can unlock the ability to have fellow squad members spawn from the vehicle, or as an alternative, give the vehicle the ability to repair and restock the ammunition of nearby allied vehicles.

Why do some players dislike games in which users can buy additional weapons or health?

- Old school gamers are used to completing the game and enjoying the game with just the game however nowadays purchasing additional extras can somewhat ruin the games experience for certain players. Personally, I agree with additional content added onto games however only a small variety of things. I don’t agree with extra health, armour etc.

The three factions

Summarise the three factions that players can join in the game:

The Terran Republic:

- Their colours are red and black. TR forces are distinguished by their use of rapid fire weapons and mini guns, large magazines, and high speed medium tanks and fighters.

The Vanu Sovereignty:

- Vanu employ advanced plasma and taser technology on the battlefield, distinguished by lack of bullet drop, high accuracy and low recoil as well as highly manoeuvrable hovering tanks and empire specific fighters such as the Scythe.

The New Conglomerates:

  - Their colours are blue and gold. Conglomerates use hard hitting gauss weaponry that is devastating at short and medium ranges with a medium reload time, supported by heavily armoured assault troops and durable tanks and fighters that also have the highest damage per shot in the game.

Planetside 2: Target audience

Now write a target audience demographic for each faction from Planetside 2 – it will be similar to the overall target audience but think carefully about changes in age, education or employment:

The Terran Republic

The Vanu Sovereignty

The New Conglomerates

Now use what you have learned about psychographic profiling to choose potential psychographic groups for each of the three factions:

The Terran Republic

The Vanu Sovereignty

The New Conglomerates

Explain why those psychographic groups would fit that particular faction.