Rumour: PlanetSide 2 in the works

Comments from the Sony Online boss have heavily hinted at the existence of a sequel to the massively multiplayer FPS PlanetSide, suggesting that it could be released early next year.

Speaking to The Escapist, Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley said "We have a very big launch coming in the month of March. It's a big first person shooter franchise that we're really happy with." When pressed on whether it could be a sequel to PlanetSide, he said "Could be. We haven't technically announced it," before telling the interviewer that he could say he'd hinted at a sequel, without officially announcing it, adding that "the PR people are going to shoot me."

Smedley revealed that the working title for the game was Planetside Next, which he also mentioned more than a year ago on his blog: "Planetside Next means we get a chance to take the essence of everything that was fun in Planetside and make it a lot better. Massive battles on a scale no other FPS will touch. None of this 64 player stuff. REALLY MASSIVE. With much better organization, and a tight focus on making sure the action is always going on, with awesome graphics."

The original Planetside was released back in 2003, and featured huge territory scraps between the three factions of planet Auraxis. Battles were dramatic class-based rumbles that could support hundreds of players at the same time. Do you have any fond PlanetSide memories? Are you looking forward to the prospect of a sequel?