Alpha Squad gives you instant Planetside 2 beta access

Listen guys, Joaby won't shut up about Planetside 2. It's at that stage where you mention something completely unrelated, like spaghetti and he will tie it back into the game. The worst part though, has been my not getting into the beta - and therefore unable to see what the hell he is talking about.




Until now. On the weekend, Sony Online Entertainment announced the Alpha Squad - for $39.99 you get 4000 Station Cash (redeemable in any SOE game) along with a 'Founder' title, exclusive decal, camo for your character, weapons and vehicles, three weapon unlocks for the three Planetside 2 empires and a boost to your XP and resources for 6 months. Most importantly however, it also nets you immediate access to the beta! I think we can all agree it seems like a pretty sweet deal.

The Alpha Squad follows another announcement at SOE of a new direction for the company. Last week Sony Online Entertainment's President, John Smedley announced Player Studio - in which players will be able to create and upload their own content for SOE titles Everquest, Everquest 2, Free Realms, Vanguard and Planetside 2 - content which users will be able to purchase, a la Team Fortress 2 or Second Life. Said Smedley of the announcement:

For the first time in SOE history, players will be able to build and sell their own items, truly creating a unique, customizable online marketplace within our games. At SOE, we believe everyone is a gamer at heart, and our goal with Player Studio is to provide a platform on which our players can further explore their inner gamer while showcasing their passion for the games they love. We are looking forward to seeing our players' creativity come to life in an entirely new way."

Coupled with Planetside 2 and the plans for player-run and owned bases, it sounds pretty outstanding. You can read more about the Player Studio via the offical site and you can snap up the Alpha Squad package via Planetside 2's official site. Have you played PS2 yet, or are you going to grab the Alpha Squad pack now? Let us know in the comments below!