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SOCOM 4 lets you dance victoriously over your enemy's corpse
People will tell you they play games because they're "fun" or whatever, but since the advent of the tea-bag it's all about humiliation. What better way to humiliate an opponent than to dance, so full of life, over their dead, dead corpse? SOCOM 4: US Navy Seals knows what that new hotness is.
SOCOM 4 beta dated, PlayStation Plus members get early access
Everyone is invited to the SOCOM 4 beta starting April 5. But you'll have opportunities to get in earlier: March 15 - Private Beta. "We'll be contacting eligible players soon." March 22 - PlayStation Plus early access March 29 - Access included with Killzone 3 April 5 - Free public download on the PlayStation Store The beta will include all of the game's competitive multiplayer modes -- Suppression, Last Defense, Uplink and Bomb Squad -- playable on two maps: Port Authority and Assault & Battery. It's scheduled to conclude on April 13. Unfortunately, the beta won't give you a taste of the five-player co-op mode. You'll have to wait until April 19 to try that out.
SOCOM 4 bundled with Move in $150 'Full Deployment Edition'
If you're thinking about picking up a PlayStation Move controller with which to bust caps in the bottoms of your foes in SOCOM 4, Sony and Zipper Interactive have announced a pretty tight little bundle to fit your needs. It's the SOCOM 4 Full Deployment Edition, a $149.99 package which includes the game, a Move controller and Navigation controller, the "Sharp Shooter" gun attachment and a PlayStation Eye camera. The bundle will arrive on store shelves on the same day as the standalone game, April 19. That's a pretty sweet deal -- all those components sold piecemeal would run you over $200. More importantly, think about all the time you'll save if you purchase them altogether! Seriously, searching for these items and clicking "Add to Cart" five times would take you, like, three whole minutes. Three minutes! In this fast-paced, interconnected world, that's like, seven minutes.
SOCOM 4 co-op preview: Hey, hey, the gang's all here
The final major piece of Zipper Interactive's plan to put SOCOM back on the map -- five-player co-op -- has been fully declassified and I've given the latest Navy SEALs game, due April 19, a shakedown. Sony revealed at an event Tuesday evening that the cooperative mode will eschew a traditional "play through the main campaign together" setup in favor of letting players create their own full, multi-stage campaigns using a set of six maps and the ability to randomize normally scripted events on each play-through. I experienced some of this when playing through the same map more than once, with various difficulty and enemy density settings in effect. It was easy to tell that, while your group of friends might get used to the map layouts, the challenge you'll face will never be a known quantity. %Gallery-117449%
SOCOM 4 is so-coming on April 19, GameStop gets exclusive map
Zipper will finally return to the franchise that made it famous on April 19, the PlayStation.Blog confirms. But, if you want to get everything SOCOM 4 has to offer on day one, you'll want to pre-order at GameStop. The classic "Abandoned" map from SOCOM 1 and 2's Suppression mode is exclusively theirs. Check out a new trailer after the break.
MAG birthday celebrations net players extra experience points
Oh, MAG. You're such a sweetheart! It's your first birthday, and while customarily that means that we should be showering you with thoughtful presents and too-expensive, flowery-worded cards, you're the one who's giving gifts to us! For instance, you're increasing the game's "Happy Hour" experience bonus (a boosted XP rate the player has during his or her first hour of play each day) to 256 percent from January 26 through January 30? Oh, you shouldn't have! Other promotions planned for the massive shooter's first anniversary include a temporary switch to "Faction Neutral" maps for the Domination and Acquisition game modes (available for the same time period listed above), as well as a chance to play against the Zipper QA team on the morning of January 26. Actually, they're probably very, very good at the game. We're not sure that being repeatedly decimated by MAG professionals is a very good present, now that we think about it.
Killzone 3 includes admission into SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta
Yo, readers: Sony heard you like shooting, so it put a shooter in your shooter so you can shoot while you're shooting. More specifically, the publisher has announced that both regular and Helghast Edition copies of Killzone 3 will include vouchers which give early access to the SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the beta will arrive at the same time as Killzone 3's launch -- Zipper Interactive's Chris Roper explained on PlayStation Blog, "To find out when the SOCOM 4 multiplayer beta begins, be sure to check back at SOCOM.com once you pick up your copy of Killzone 3, hitting shelves on February 22nd." Perfect; so we'll have some time to get really used to Killzone 3's control scheme before switching over to SOCOM 4's presumably wildly different control scheme. We anticipate that we'll be eating quite a few of our own accidentally-thrown frag grenades.
SOCOM 4 confirmed for April
After seeing its deployment delayed into 2011 way back in July of 2010, Zipper Interactive's latest entry in the SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs franchise finally has a more tangible release date: April 2011. The date was nonchalantly dropped in a Wall Street Journal article on PlayStation Move, which the game has become a key "core" title for. SCEA subsequently confirmed to Joystiq that its release is indeed set for April. Mark your calendar -- with a bullet! [Thanks, Devin]
MAG 2.10 update adds multiqueue, in-game screenshots
Though we've been lax, nay, negligent about tending the Joystiq clan we created, we're happy to see the under-appreciated MAG still chugging along. Today fans get the 2.10 update, which allows in-game screenshots and the ability to queue for several game modes simultaneously. There's an XP bonus for players who line up for more modes, which seems like an extremely smart way of managing a community that may be losing players to newer shooters. If you'd like to peruse the full list, you can find it right here. We hope it's enough to distract you from the sting of being abandoned by your fearless, absentee Joystiq leaders. [Thanks, Peter]
MAG Escalation DLC out November 2
The next round of MAG DLC, the Escalation pack, is set to arrive on November 2 for $9.99. The DLC adds the new Escalation mode, which some players may have tried during the recent beta. Escalation has each of the three 32-player teams attempting to take over two of three objectives. Should any team manage this feat, gameplay moves on to phase two, and said team must now defend a fourth objective for as long as possible. If the fourth objective falls, gameplay reverts back to phase one. Play continues until one team has reached a certain number of points or time runs out. In essence, Escalation sounds like a remixed version of Battlefield: Bad Company 2's Rush mode (which is by no means a bad thing). The Escalation pack also adds three new maps -- Isla de Magma, Silverback Ridge and Radiant Barrens -- along with nine new weapons. To celebrate the Escalation pack, some other MAG goodies will be discounted on PSN come release day. First up, the Interdiction DLC will be reduced from $9.99 to $4.99. A $14.99 MAG starter kit will also available, bundling together the Escalation and Interdiction DLC along with a 30-day trial of two additional character slots, six PS3 avatars and three dynamic themes. Sounds like a pretty good deal for MAG newcomers. %Gallery-106206%
MAG developer diary showcases Move support
If you need a little convincing before you think about introducing the PlayStation Move peripheral into your tightly regimented MAG strategies, you should probably check out the developer diary posted below. Don't think about it as a ball-tipped motion controller: Think of it like a marshal's baton.
SOCOM 4 to offer 3D mode
"We can confirm that SOCOM 4 will be released in 2011," SCEA senior corporate communications director Patrick Seybold told us back in July, right after the tactical shooter had been delayed. "The team is focusing on additional features which will help to deliver the most compelling and immersive SOCOM experience yet." As glimpsed in a gameplay video recorded at this year's Eurogamer Expo in London, one of those additional -- and don't forget compelling and immersive! -- features will be a 3D display mode. Responding to the discovery on the official SOCOM forums, Zipper Interactive community specialist Chris Roper explicitly noted that the game hadn't been delayed simply to cater to a small group of expensive televisions. "As I said I've said before and as [forum member] Tombstone mentioned, the game was not delayed to add 3D in any way, shape or form," he wrote. "Did the extra time allow for it? Well, you've seen the video. "Err, I mean, no comment. Or something." That 3D something joins SOCOM 4's other list of announced features, including PlayStation Move support and a soundtrack by Battlestar Galactica composer Bear McCreary. Marketing department, that's your cue to put "An astonishing sensory assault!" on the back of the box. [Thanks, David]
Get the 128-person gang back together: MAG 2.0 patch available now
It's probably been a while since you rallied your clan beneath the sacred banner of your PMC of choice for a 256-player skirmish in the conflict-torn battlefields of MAG. Today's as good a day as any to call your old war buddies to arms -- Zipper Interactive has activated patch 2.0 for the game, which introduces a wide variety of sweeping changes to a number of gameplay mechanics and character progression systems. The developer also increased the game's level cap, added Move support, and introduced a "clan deploy" feature, which lets your entire clan queue up for a match. Convenient! Also, they bumped up the maximum number of players in a single game to 257, and man, you can really tell the difference. That one dude adds a level of intensity that -- okay, fine, that's not one of the changes. The real changes can be read after the jump.
MAG joins PS3 'Greatest Hits' library this week
Haven't picked up a copy of PS3's massively multiplayer first person shooter, MAG? If you wait just a few more days, you'll be able to get the Greatest Hits version for only $29.99. Available on September 28th, the budget re-release comes just in time for the big 2.0 patch, which adds support for PlayStation Move motion controls and a whole slew of online fixes and tweaks. Considering Zipper's upcoming game, SOCOM 4, won't be available until 2011, this may be a good way of satiating your tactical shooting urges. [Thanks, frank!]
MAG 2.0 to add in-game economy, PlayStation Move support, and more
MAG's latest patch is so significant that the developers are actually referring to it as MAG 2.0, and it's less than a month away. The developers have been working with the participants of theMAG Beta program, and a long list of suggested changes and additions have been made and are ready to be implemented. Of course we knew that integration with the PlayStation Move was coming, but it's exciting to know that it's this close. MAG 2.0 will also add an in-game economy, and you'll be able to earn credits to spend on gear at the Supply Depot. Yes, the depot is also new. Bug fixes, upgrades, even a news feature that brings you up-to-date on everything when you log in, and much more round out this patch. Check out the notes on the MAG site, and we'll keep an eye out for that patch date!
MAG '2.0' due within a month; adds Move support, weapon purchases and more
No, MAG 2.0 isn't the supposed sequel we've seen pop up in at least one retailer's inventory computers. It's version 2.0 of the original game, and it's "less than a month away," according to developer Zipper Interactive's blog. The update looks to pack some pretty big additions -- hence the big two-point-oh. The previously announced PlayStation Move support headlines a roster of improvements, and will make MAG one of the first "core" titles to implement Sony's motion controller. Zipper is also upping the level cap from 60 to 70, introducing changes to the skill tree designed to give MAG "the deepest character customization and specialization ever found in a first-person shooter," boasts Zipper. Additionally, the update will institute an in-game economy where match winnings can be used to buy new weapons and gear from a "Supply Depot." Of course, 2.0 will also usher in a host of fixes and tweaks intended to "streamline the overall experience." And if you can believe it, Zipper is teasing that there's even more content in the upcoming patch to be revealed before it goes live. Now we just need to know exactly when that'll be, so we can start shoving aside all personal and professional obligations.
MAG offers extra character slots, on the cheap
If you're an altoholic playing Zipper Interactive's MAG MMOFPS, chances are you're probably a fan of the recently announced extra character slot promotion. The new service debuted yesterday, and allows players to create two new in-game avatars. For $.99 (US), you can purchase one of the two slots and take it for a 30-day trial run. After your free month is up, you can opt to subscribe the new characters or keep them for a rainy day, locked up tight in cold storage, where they'll retain any gear and advancements you may have acquired. Check out all the details on the official MAG blog.
MAG now offering extra character slots for a buck a month
We know you're awfully loyal to your chosen MAG army (S.V.E.R.4.E.V.E.R., suckas), but haven't you ever wondered how the other half two thirds lives? A new option will give you the ability to do just that -- players can now purchase a second and third character slot for $0.99 a piece. Here's the rub: These paid character slots will only be active for 30 days, at which point they'll need to be reactivated with another $0.99 payment. Don't worry if said renewal slips your mind -- any additional characters' info will be stored on the MAG servers until you decide to reactivate the extra slot. Judging by the reaction to this announcement on the game's official forums, we're not sure everyone's going to spring for the extra slots. We know we certainly won't, because we wouldn't dare gird our loins with the colors of Raven and Valor, because that would be shameful.
MAG's Escalation 3-way battles revealed
OK, we should get this out of the way up front, because it comes up every time we cover MAG: yes, it is an MMO. Massively? Well, 256-player battles are about ten times larger than those your average MMO can handle without lagging to hell and back. Multiplayer? Covered that. Online? Duh. Moving right along, Zipper Interactive's Jeremy Dunham has posted a new entry on the official MAG blog detailing the upcoming Escalation mode. The new game-type, which will be deployed as downloadable content in the near future, is a 96-man three-faction battle royale, the ultimate goal of which is to earn more points than your enemies before time expires. Points are earned by holding objectives, but unlike your standard "run to the flag and stand there for 20 seconds" capture model common to objective-based FPS titles, Escalation features a phased approach that encourages continuous frenetic combat. You can get your first taste of the new mode by downloading the MAG beta client from the Playstation store on August 24th.
New MAG beta downloadable for existing players August 24
Move support isn't the only sweeping change (and change in sweeping arm movements) coming to the world of MAG. Several new gameplay additions are on the way, and Zipper is recruiting current players to make sure those changes don't ruin the game forever. The beta, downloadable from the PlayStation Store starting August 24, includes the "Clan Deploy" feature, allowing leaders to choose gametypes and clan members; a new skill tree (with new skills!); a system that allows players to earn and spend "Credit Points," and even, yes, multiple character slots. Players will also get early access to the upcoming "Escalation" gametype, which will be released for real in future DLC. That mode has 96 players, representing all three factions, facing off in the same maps. Smells like the kind of thing you'd want to beta-test before releasing.
