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MAG, SOCOM PS3 servers signing off for good
Servers for MAG, SOCOM 4, and SOCOM: Confrontation are shutting down on January 28, 2014, Sony has announced. As it stands, the server shutdowns will essentially make MAG and Confrontation obsolete, due to their reliance on online play. The news follows the closure of MAG and SOCOM studio Zipper Interactive last year. When asked then about future SOCOM entries, Sony Worldwide Studios chief Shuhei Yoshida said his company never retires a franchise. Nonetheless, today's news will sound like a death knell for fans of the long-running shooter series, and certainly as one for MAG, which will go offline two days short of its fourth birthday.
PlayStation Home integrates into games, beginning with SOCOM Confrontation
We've seen many games unlock new content in PlayStation Home, like the Batcave from Batman: Arkham Asylum. However, what we haven't seen yet is the ability to unlock content in-game from Sony's online world. That changes this week, with the addition of the SOCOM OPFOR game space. A Home-exclusive minigame will challenge players to assemble an assault rifle in 12 seconds or less. The prize? A golden AK-47 that can be transferred into SOCOM Confrontation. Likely, this is just the beginning for expanded Home integration. Associate Producer KC Coleman commented on the PlayStation Blog: "It's truly a win-win-win situation. It's a win for Home because we have opened up a huge door that will allow developers to continue to blur the line between PlayStation Home and PS3 games." See a trailer after the break.
Slant Six enacts 'temporary' layoffs; Star Wars Battlefront Online rumored to be canceled
SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo and Confrontation developer Slant Six has instituted layoffs, according to statements given to GameSpot by managing director Brian Thalken. Thalken called the dismissals "temporary," with the goal to bring back as many of the affected staff as possible at a later date. He did not specify just how many employees had been laid off, but said the company will continue to offer benefits to those affected. "Our current project needs do not align with our current staffing levels," Thalken told GameSpot. The studio's last release was SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 in February. Additionally, Kotaku reports that, according to its sources, the rumored Star Wars Battlefront Online, which Slant Six was reportedly developing, has been canceled by publisher LucasArts. The game was never announced, and its existence was only suggested by an earlier rumor. As such, its possible relationship to the recent studio layoffs is unconfirmed. We've contacted Slant Six to clear up the issue.
SOCOM: Confrontation 'Cold Front' trailers arrive, DLC coming later today
Detailed a couple months back, SOCOM: Confrontation's DLC pack "Cold Front" arrives later today on the PlayStation Network for the introductory price of $10 ($15 after December 20), though we're just seeing it in action today with a couple of gameplay trailers. The DLC includes not just five new maps, but snow effects, a new gameplay mode and ... wait, what's this? Fancy new clothes! Nothing says "tactical warfare" like goose down jackets! Get a taste for the DLC, then test your mettle against the urge to get fashionable, just after the break. [Thanks, Edgar]
SOCOM Confrontation 1.6 patch now available
Done with the MAG beta? Bored? Well, you could always jump back into SOCOM Confrontation, especially now that the long-teased 1.60 update is live. Highlights from 1.6 include the addition of new special forces: Dutch KCT and the Italian COMSUBIN Special Forces teams, each equipped with unique weapons, and four new weapons for all players: the 9mm Sub and M82A1A for the Mercenaries and the AK-74 and SR-25 for the Commandos. In addition to the new content, the 1.6 patch fixes a number of bugs ranging from serious "players were being booted out of the game to the XMB while loading into and during gameplay" to minute. The full patch notes can be seen on SOCOM.com. [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
Cold Front DLC sweeps across SOCOM: Confrontation
Listen up, soldiers -- we've got new intel from the PS Blog on the enemy and it appears your unique set of SOCOM: Confrontation skills are needed in the snow-covered lands of eastern Europe. If you've got the mettle, we'll be taking the fight to the enemy in five new warzones: Uprising; Entrapment; Blizzard; Night Stalker; and Vigilance -- two of which are brand new zones of conflict while the remaining three war zones are from previous SOCOM campaigns. We'll also be needing those of you brave enough to enlist to hit the books and gain intel on Arms Run, an all-new multiplayer mode where players must destroy or activate a series of dynamically placed missile silos.Considering we're tossing you out into these icy, blinding conditions, we're also providing you with more than the fancy white goose-down gear you see above (we pay extra for goose feather because we care): soldiers who enlist in the new Cold Front DLC pack will also gain access to a new thermal scope attachment, allowing you to spot the enemy much more effectively. You'll be dealing with the Russian Spetsnaz in these new areas, soldier -- so we're also going to give you some new weapons, ordinance and the option to choose primary and secondary specializations with unlockable equipment unique to the specific skill set you choose.Finally, the bad news: due to the current economic conditions affecting the country, you'll need to help us recoup some of the cost of keeping the war machine oiled up trying to make a better tomorrow. As such, all soldiers who sign up for Cold Front will be required to pay an initial fee of $14.99 -- however it'll only set back our most dedicated troops $9.99 if they sign up in the first 24 hours, the SOCOM Blog reports. The information on when Operation: Cold Front DLC will deploy is currently on a need-to-know basis and we'll be sure to let you know when you need to know.
SOCOM Confronts the 1.50 patch next Tuesday
After months of silence, Slant Six and Sony have finally announced the deployment date of SOCOM Confrontation 1.50. Supposedly PSN's biggest first-party multiplayer game (so far), the long-awaited 1.50 patch adds a number of key features, such as Clan Ladders, Tournaments, Calendar, Follow-A-Friend, and Private Games, in addition to fixing a number of issues. The full list of updates can be seen after the break.Of course, this isn't all that's coming for SOCOM. After 1.50 will be the even-more-long-awaited 1.60 patch, which will add free DLC to the game. Considering the lengthy wait for 1.50, it might take quite some time before we see that one ship.
Uncharted, SOCOM Confrontation going Greatest Hits on August 16
According to a recent Sony press release, two more best-selling PS3 titles are getting the ol' "Red Box" treatment. Beginning Sunday, August 16, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation (sans headset) will reach "Greatest Hits" status, dropping their respective MSRPs down to a reasonable $29.99.Fans of the SOCOM series will likely be thrilled about Confrontation's markdown -- but every self-respecting PS3 owner needs to have Uncharted in their collection. Now that you can make that happen with just a Hamilton and a Jackson, you've really got no reason to go without.
SOCOM Confrontation bigger online than Killzone 2, Sony producer says
What's the biggest online game on the PS3? No, it's not Killzone 2. No, it's not even Resistance 2. According to SCEA senior producer Mark Rogers, SOCOM Confrontation stands above both of Sony's high-profile first-party FPS offerings by having the most simultaneous online connections on the PlayStation Network. He attributes Confrontation's success to the community's commitment to the franchise. Whereas other gamers may play an online game for a few weeks and move on, SOCOM fans have proven to be far more dedicated (despite the game's ... troubled launch). The devotion of the SOCOM community will be rewarded by an upcoming patch, Rogers promises. While the Slant Six team has been largely quiet about progress on the patch, he says the massive scale and scope of the patch has led to an extended testing cycle. With the promise of DLC in the future, it's clear that SOCOM addicts will find even more reason to avoid playing other games for a long time.
SOCOM: Confrontation DLC available later this summer
SOCOM: Confrontation will soon join the DLC fold, with new content scheduled to drop later this summer. While details on the new content are slim, the game's official site promises more information will be made available in the upcoming weeks. What we do know is the content will include a new area of operation, a new game mode, along with new maps (teased in the tiny image above), characters, weapons and attachments. Audiophiles will also be happy to hear the game's music will be updated and players can select a new voice-over when the content arrives. Now that SOCOM: Confrontation has evolved beyond its original feature-sparse retail release, we're excited for new ways to get tactical on our online enemies.%Gallery-3193%
SOCOM 1.60 patch gives players free DLC
With SOCOM's 1.50 patch finally "feature complete," the guys at Slant Six decided to announce plans for patch 1.60. The release will add new Special Forces to the game: the Dutch KCT and the Italian COMSUBIN. Each Force will include new heads, voices and outfits. Each of the Forces will also don special weapons: the 417 assault rifle for the Dutch KCT and the SPAS 15 shotgun for the Italian COMSUBIN Special Forces.Additionally, four new weapons will be available to all players with the 1.60 patch. These are the 9mm Sub Machine Gun, M82A1A, Ak-74 and SR-25. The patch will also include a number of weapon updates and adjustments to existing weapons.Beyond patch work, Slant Six has also been working on "a major content release/pack," which will be revealed later this month.[Thanks, Tim B.!]
SOCOM and Ghostbusters join PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is getting yet another update today, with the introduction of a new SOCOM Confrontation game space and a new for-purchase personal space based on Ghostbusters.The "SOCOM Tactical Operations Center" space is actually the first half of the SOCOM Home hub. This space will allow players to gather and create strategies around the Telestrator. Sounds a lot like the Warhawk game space.The Ghostbusters firehouse personal space is a three-story complex, ripped straight from the Ghostbusters video game. The personal space will come with unique items, like an Ecto-1, and features Stage Set functionality, so players can create their own Ghostbusters-themed movies. Finally, you'll be able to fly around as Slimer as well. Both these updates should be available in Home later today.
SOCOM Confrontation gets 1.41 patch
Slant Six released a version 1.41 patch for SOCOM: Confrontation this morning. It's available for download right now and fixes some of the game's slowdown issues. It also adjusts some minor display settings and tweaks a bit of the gameplay.The last patch for Confrontation was the 1.30 update in January, which added Trophies. So, why are we now on 1.41 without a 1.40 update? Slant Six had this to say: "The 1.40 was intended to support the European release, we combined the 1.40 and the 1.41 together to speed the deployment of the above fixes." Check after the break for the full list of patch notes.
SOCOM Confrontation gets European release date
Hi Europe,It's me! SOCOM Confrontation! Did you miss me? I know I've been gone for a while, playing with Americans. But, I thought you wouldn't mind. I'll finally visit you on these dates: 13th March (UK), 18th March (EU) and 19th March (PSN).I know you're totally eager to see me, so I hope to see you soon. Wait, hello? Where are you going?[Thanks, Jeremy S.!]
SOCOM: Confrontation 1.30 patch finally brings Trophies, Party system, bug fixes
If you've been putting off SOCOM: Confrontation until developer Slant Six worked out all the bugs (oh, and added a Quick Match/Party system ... and Trophies), then today's your lucky day, friend. The long anticipated 1.30 update was pushed out early this morning, bringing with it the aforementioned features and fixes. Will it be enough to restore Sony's once-proud franchise to the top of your multiplayer shooter-heap? We won't pretend to know the answer to that, so we'll ask you. Is SOCOM back in action?
SOCOM 1.30 patch brings Trophies and more tomorrow
SOCOM: Confrontation's highly-anticipated 1.30 update, which has been met with delay after delay, will finally be released on January 9th, at 5AM EST/2AM PST. Hey, that's in a couple of hours! The patch brings with it Trophies (a list of them can be viewed here), D-pad lean-in, a Quick Match/Party system, as well as key bug fixes and new features.The update will take an hour or two to happen, so the game will be down until approximately 7AM EST/4AM PST. And ouch -- this patch will also wipe out all player statistics. It's been a long time coming, Slant Six! Let's hope everything goes smoothly.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Trophies: SOCOM Confrontation
Read more 'SOCOM Confrontation' stories The 1.3 patch for SOCOM Confrontation adds a ton of new features, such as Trophies. The PlayStation Network-exclusive online game will certainly test your skill. These are Trophies for the truly dedicated SOCOM soldier. View Trophy List | Visit Trophy Portal
SOCOM Confrontation 1.30 patch ready to go live ... in January
SOCOM fans looking forward to playing Confrontation over the holiday break won't be able to enjoy patch 1.30. Those expecting all the features of 1.30 will be disappointed to hear that the patch won't be available to download until the new year. "Unfortunately, due to the Holidays the update will not be approved by SCE Format QA until early next year. Our QA staff will be here, testing the game over vacation, but the SCE QA teams which must approve the update before release will not."As of now, it appears the patch will be available during the week of January 5th or January 12th. While it's disappointing to have to wait so long, SOCOM fans have proven to be some of the most patient gamers out there.[Thanks, Devin93!]
Quick match, party functionality coming to SOCOM: Confrontation in patch 1.30
Try and stay SOCALM as we relay this exciting news! Sony's frequently updated SOCOM: Confrontation blog has been firing off tons of posts over the past two weeks releasing details about the trophy-infused "patch 1.30" that will eventually be making its way to the game. A recent entry into the blog revealed the addition of two oft-requested matchmaking features that are SOCOMpletely overdue -- a "quick match" mode and a party system which allows you to join games with groups of friends with ease.The two features are actually linked -- selecting the quick match option will take you into a party lobby, where you and your PSN friend platoon can congregate. After your party is built, you can choose one of the three match types to join (16 v. 16 Ranked, Unranked and Respawn) and be automatically matched up against similarly skilled parties. However, no word has been given on a specific launch window for the much-anticipated patch -- SOCOMe on, Slant Six! The anticipation is killing us!
Quick match and party features added in SOCOM patch 1.30
This is what we're talking about! SOCOM Confrontation has had a less-than-stellar launch, but it looks like things are finally turning around. The upcoming version 1.30 patch is quite the biggie -- it add features like Trophies, revised items and controls, and the return of the prone move. However, it also significantly expands upon the game's lobby system, allowing the online experience to go more smoothly. For a game that has no single player component, this is quite crucial.The Quick Match/Party system will be added in the upcoming patch. What does this mean? It means that SOCOM players will be able to jump into appropriate games, with the friends, in a much faster and organized way. "Once you select quick match you are taken to the party screen where you can invite other players to join your party. On the party screen, you can chat with your party while you are waiting for everyone to join. Once everyone has joined, select join game and your party is matched with other players of similar skill. For the 1.30 update, you can select from 3 different game types for the quick match; 16x16 Ranked, 16x16 Unranked and 16x16 Respawn. All large maps and game modes are available and the playlists are selected at random."It's great to see Slant Six finally making Confrontation a game worthy of the SOCOM brand. While it's unfortunate that it has taken so long to get to this point, we're reminded of the old saying -- better late than never.[Thanks, John!]
