SAN DIEGO - Aug. 31, 2012 -  Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) kicks off its PAX Prime PlanetSide ^®2 presence by lifting the game's consumer NDA, allowing show attendees and beta testers to share, live stream and openly discuss their experiences battling thousands of other players in the war for Auraxis.

SOE kicked off external beta testing for PlanetSide 2 on August 3 ^rd. In that time, PlanetSide 2 beta has seen a massive amount of participation with each beta player averaging just over two hours a day in game. Other interesting beta statistics include: 

• 8.5 billion points of damage done to players[/*]
• 5.8 billion points of damage done to vehicles[/*]
• 535 million shots fired[/*]
• 194.6 million shots hit[/*]
• 6.3 million player deaths[/*]
• 2.3 million rockets launched[/*]
• 571 thousand grenades thrown[/*]
• Empire allegiance breakdown:
  • Terran Republic:  34.67% [/*]
  • New Conglomerate: 32.96% [/*]
  • Vanu Sovereignty: 32.37% [/*]
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PAX Prime is the first consumer showing of PlanetSide 2 in North America. There, players can get hands-on with the award-winning, highly anticipated massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS) at the Sony Online Entertainment PAX Prime booth #3317. Additionally, the PlanetSide 2 team will participate in a variety of panels and host numerous activities, including:

• Daily PAX Prime booth live cast from on Twitch.tv/PlanetSide2 featuring the PlanetSide 2 Development Team and gaming commentator TotalBiscuit
  • Friday, Aug 31, 3 PM - 5 PM PDT[/*]
  • Saturday, Sept 1, 12 PM - 2 PM and 3 PM - 5 PM PDT[/*]
  • Sunday, Sept 2, 11 AM - 2 PM PDT[/*]
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• Appearances at the Twitch.tv PAX Prime stage:
  • Friday, Aug 31, 2 PM - 2:45 PM PDT
    • Live gameplay with Creative Director Matt Higby and TotalBiscuit[/*]
    [/*]
  •  Saturday, Sept 1, 2 PM - 2:45 PM PDT
    • Q&A with Matt Higby, hosted by commentator and streamer DJ Wheat[/*]
    [/*]
  • Sunday, Sept 2, 2 PM - 2:45 PM PDT
    • Live taping of 'Command Center' with Matt Higby and Sr. Art Director Tramell Isaac[/*]
    [/*]
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• MMORPG.com's 'Future of Online Games' panel featuring Matt Higby
  • Saturday, Sept 1, 11:30 AM - Pegasus Theater[/*]
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• 'Your Careening Career: Starting Small and Making it Big in the Game Industry' featuring SOE Director of Community Linda Carlson and Matt Higby
  • Saturday, Sept 1, 6:30 PM - Wolfman Theater[/*]
  [/*]
• PlanetSide 2 is the Official Gaming Sponsor for Curse PAX Prime Party
  • Friday, Aug 31 ^st, 9 PM - 2 AM - Red Lion Hotel on Fifth Avenue (Seattle Ballroom)[/*]
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PlanetSide 2 is currently in external beta testing and will be available as a Free-To-Play. Your Way. ^™ game for PC systems via digital download later this year. Optional content will be available for purchase in the marketplace.

Players can sign up for beta access at http://www.PlanetSide2.com.

Players also can follow PlanetSide 2 on their favorite social media platforms:

facebook.com/PlanetSide2

twitter.com/Planetside2

youtube.com/Planetside2

PlanetSide 2 is not yet rated and may contain content inappropriate for children. Visit www.esrb.org for rating information.

Press assets can be found here:  http://bhimpact.gamespress.com/product_page.asp?i=1215. 

About PlanetSide 2

PlanetSide 2 takes all the groundbreaking features from the original game - massive multiplayer battles, distinct empires to rally around, and enormous continents where intense ground and air combat unfold - and adds features that modern gamers have come to expect of the FPS and MMO genres. With advanced technology, years of gamer feedback, and a new SOE proprietary MMO game engine called ForgeLight™, PlanetSide 2 offers a truly competitive and visceral FPS experience with massive warfare, massive customization and massive community.

Across the continents of Auraxis, thousands of players will come together in enormous battles to win control of critical territories and key resources for their empire. With an extensive skill tree and free-form class-based system, players will be able to customize their soldier, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, as well as the needs of their squad, outfit or empire. Battles can last for days or weeks, so players will need to build alliances and specialized combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With aircraft and ground vehicles, as well as infantry combat, the battles will be larger and more intense than ever before. 

About SOE

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games.  Best known for its blockbuster hits and franchises, including EverQuest ^®, EverQuest ^®  II, Champions of Norrath ^®, PlanetSide ^®, Free Realms ^®, Clone Wars Adventures™, and DC Universe Online™, SOE creates, develops and provides compelling online entertainment for a variety of platforms. SOE is building on its proven legacy and pioneering the future of online worlds through creative development and inspired gameplay design for audiences of all ages. To learn more, visit www.soe.com.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Champions of Norrath, PlanetSide, and Free Realms are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.