''PlanetSide 2'' is a
free-to-play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
massively multiplayer online first-person shooter
A massively multiplayer online first-person shooter game (MMOFPS) is an online game which mixes the genres of first-person shooter and massively multiplayer online game. A MMOFPS is a real-time shooter experience where a very large number of play ...
developed by Rogue Planet Games and published by
Daybreak Game Company
Daybreak Game Company LLC is an American video game developer based in San Diego. The company was founded in December 1997 as Sony Online Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment, but was spun off to an independent investor in ...
. The game supports battles with thousands of players (up to 2,000 on a single
map
A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes.
Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...
) and incorporates modern first-person shooter mechanics. Six different infantry classes and over 18 ground and air vehicles are available to players and interact on the battlefield to simulate
combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme vio ...
warfare. As a "re-imagining" of ''
PlanetSide
''PlanetSide'' was a massively-multiplayer online first-person-shooter video game published by Sony Online Entertainment and released on May 20, 2003.
''PlanetSide'' chronicles the efforts of three factions as they fight for territorial contro ...
'', ''PlanetSide 2'' chronicles the efforts of three factions fighting for territorial control of the planet Auraxis.
Along with its prequel, ''PlanetSide 2'' is one of the very few massively multiplayer online first-person shooters to have ever released, and is presently considered one of the most successful titles in the genre. The game uses
ForgeLight
ForgeLight is a proprietary MMO game engine developed and used by Daybreak Game Company (formerly Sony Online Entertainment). The engine has been used for ''Free Realms'', ''Clone Wars Adventures'', ''PlanetSide 2'', '' Landmark'', ''EverQuest N ...
, a