Ben Gibson 
Daybreak Games has announced its Planetside 2 spin-off Planetside Arena, to have its first season released on 29th January 2019. Footage and details of the game were shown off through a Developer Livestream.
The game will feature a variety of game modes, which will be released in a seasonal structure. Season 1 will launch with a 250 vs 250 player game mode dubbed ‘Massive Clash’, and a Battle Royale mode that can be played either solo or as part of a team of 3. Later modes will include
Search and Destroy, Deathmatch, Global Conquest, and others. In a Development Letter post on the Planetside Arena website, the developers have hinted that the Massive Clash game mode could be expanded to 1000 players or more.
The game is set several decades after Planetside 2, with the previous factions having collapsed, and only mercenaries fighting on the remains of Auraxis. Different story arcs will be uncovered as new seasons are released.
The game will launch with a reduced number of classes compared to Planetside 2, with Assault, Engineer and Medic available on launch, although new classes are planned with further seasons. You can also use vehicles, including the newly announced hoverbike, the Tempest.
On launch, the game will cost $29.99, and there are currently 2 pre-order options available. The Sanctuary Assault edition is $19.99, whilst the Legendary Arena edition is $39.99. Both editions come with the game, beta access, and the season one Battle Pass. Players who have a Battle Pass will be able to level them up as they play, which will allow them to acquire new weapon blueprints to use during matches. Players will start out a match on a level playing field, and can loot other dead players for equipment. They can also earn currency which they can use at an equipment terminal to purchase equipment for any one of the three blueprints they chose for the match. During the livestream, the developers stressed that all players will have access to the blueprints, possibly trying to alleviate fears that the Battle Passes would create a pay to win culture.
More information about the game can be found on the Planetside Arena website here: https://www.planetsidearena.com/home
