The MMO shooter Planetside 2 is vying for players’ favor in 2019. The player numbers on Steam are not looking good anymore. Therefore, some changes are planned for the future – Daybreak Games wants to make it easier for new players to get started.
We take a look at the MMO shooter Planetside 2. How is the game doing and what content is planned for the future?
Planetside 2 needs more players
How is the MMO shooter doing today? You only hear sporadically from Planetside 2, but the developers are still hard at work to develop new content and improve the gameplay.
The heyday of the shooter seems to be over at least for now. You can see this from the current player numbers on Steam.
According to the website, Planetside 2 had nearly 30,000 simultaneous active players at Steam launch in November 2012. Today, it’s only around 2,400 during peak times.
For a long time, the average player count on Steam was around 2000 – but this has gradually fallen and has been below 1500 for several months in 2019.
On average, around 1,470 players played the MMO shooter simultaneously in the past 30 days – however, these numbers only refer to Steam.
Planetside 2 still has its own launcher, and there is also a PS4 version. Nevertheless, it is clear that Planetside 2 needs more players as an MMO shooter.
Many on Steam love Planetside 2 – but demand changes
What do players say about Planetside 2? The reviews on Steam currently sit at 82 percent and “very positive”. However, you can also see that the ratings have dropped in the past 30 days. Because during this time, the shooter only received 65 percent.
It is criticized that the balancing is no longer right and that Planetside has turned into a “zerg fest”. In addition, spawn camping is said to be a problem, and newcomers have a hard time.
Many still consider Planetside 2 to be an excellent MMO shooter that the developers simply need to continue to optimize.
This is how Planetside 2 wants to win new players
What are the developers planning for the future of the game? After the Robo-soldiers of the Nanite System, the focus is now mainly on improving the experience for newcomers to ensure a flow of new players. Some adjustments are planned:
- Trusted players will be marked in chat so that newcomers know who to turn to
- After your death, a camera view will show you the player who eliminated you
- Loading screens will provide tips for newcomers
- A modular tutorial is planned, allowing newcomers to test individual elements such as classes and play styles
- With Sanctuary, a safe zone will be introduced that represents the first social hub in Planetside 2. Here, everyone can interact without fighting. The hub should also serve as a waiting area when it takes longer to jump into a match
- The mandate system will offer concrete challenges. These are special tasks that will also provide a reward. You can complete these tasks in teams, and they can even represent entire events
These contents are not the only things that Daybreak Games is currently working on for Planetside 2. However, they represent the current focus.
When can we expect these changes? The developers have not yet provided a specific date. However, it is planned that this content will be introduced in the MMO shooter in the autumn.
