Planetside 2 beta invite waves detailed, Steam version confirmed

The Planetside 2 beta has begun, but access is being gently escalated over the course of the next week or so as SOE try to protect their servers from total meltdown. SOE sent over a statement recently detailing the order in which beta invitations will be sent out.

"External Beta invites will be sent out in waves on an as needed basis, with priority given to active Planetside subscribers, inactive past subscribers and then Priority Beta Code and opt-in registrants, in that order," they say, adding that "invitations to the External Beta will automatically be sent via email to the address associated with the Station Account utilized to register for Beta participation on PlanetSide2.com."

"Participants of the upcoming External Beta will be under a non-disclosure agreement if they accept participation and enter into the External Beta. We look forward to hearing players' reactions, feedback and comments so we can continue to refine and polish PlanetSide 2, making it even more awesome!"

But how awesome is it really, HMMM? Probably quite awesome, actually, which is why Rich has been vibrating faster than a pure vibranium nugget cloistered in jelly and pelted with a neverending torrent of bouncy balls. Luckily for his poor, shaken chair he's moved past that level of excitement, and now merely broadcasts a zen like calm. "It's fine," he says in a way that suggests it's really not entirely fine. "We'll all get to play it soon."

Exec producer Josh Hackney has previously confirmed that those who gained a key from one of our beta key giveaways ( PCG US issue 225 , PCG UK issue 241 ) will be among the "primary rounds" of invites , and so should make it in once Planetside 2 subscribers and past subscribers have taken up their places.

In bonus news, Planetside 2 will be coming to Steam. That's according to a Tweet spotted by VG247 in which SOE CEO John Smedley says "Planetside 2 will be on Steam. Yes it will." And THAT'S THE NEWS. *studio darkens, music plays, silhouette of reporter appears to be frantically refreshing email to see if invite has arrived yet.*

Tom Senior

Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.