In 2003, Sony Online Entertainment attempted to take the first-person-shooter genre to the next level with pay-for-play MMOFPS PlanetSide. If SOE succeeded depends on who you ask, but the publisher confirmed it's preparing to try, try again with PlanetSide Next.

In an interview with Eurogamer, SOE President John Smedley confirmed news that first surfaced in 2009: a new PlanetSide is now in development, codename PlanetSide Next, and the game should be ready to go live sometime this spring.


The first details about PlanetSide Next are expected soon, followed by a beta. Smedley has stated in the past that current PlanetSide subscribers will be the first ones invited to take part in the beta.

In addition, Smedley confirmed that SOE is also planning to launch espionage MMO The Agency late this year and a PlayStation 3 version of Free Realms around March.


Sharkey says: I got in on the original PlanetSide launch and had a blast. The focus on team play, capturing bases, and truly massive battles (Battlefield looks tiny in comparison) were right up my alley. However, the game cooled off fast, and as the server numbers shrank so did PlanetSide's allure. There was nothing worse than roaming around the game's gigantic maps and not encountering a single enemy. Here's to hoping PlanetSide Next catches on.