Zipper announce MAG, supports up to 256 players

by Majed Athab { Jul 15th 2008 at 4:15PM }

Zipper, the developers of the PS2 SOCOM games, has a new IP in the works. It's titled MAG and is a massive online squad-based shooter that will support up to 256 players. Skirmishes will occur with teams divided up into squads of eight.

Tags: e308, mag, zipper

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Gil Roland @ Jul 15th 2008 4:17PM

WOW!!

TypeF @ Jul 15th 2008 4:17PM

that's just crazy 256 players >_

leiwei @ Jul 15th 2008 4:18PM

"So this is what it looks like to be an FPS in a Starcraft universe."

Gil Roland @ Jul 15th 2008 4:18PM

How are they gonna promote people up the ladder did I miss out on that?

Brodie-san @ Jul 15th 2008 4:22PM

"Recognised leaders will run the teams."

The more you play, the better you get. Probably based on points.

Dustin @ Jul 15th 2008 4:19PM

Like Quake Wars, but BETTER! Wonder if its FPS or what. Definitely looking into this game. 256 players? INSANE.

Nineteen88 @ Jul 15th 2008 4:20PM

I wonder if that's the top-secret game the bbc reporter mentioned? it looks great.

I hope i live to play it.

Sveakungen @ Jul 15th 2008 4:20PM

Looks so grand...what a scoop! This really could be fantastic!

uh-oh polio @ Jul 15th 2008 4:25PM

this is amazing. My favorite announcement of E3 hands down.

Wrathbringer @ Jul 15th 2008 4:26PM

Holy $#@%, that's INSANE. 256 players?!?!?? OMG I just thought about a full scale Normandy Invasion scenario, that would be SICK. I can't wait to hear more about this game!

doc j @ Jul 15th 2008 4:47PM

Full scale Normany invasion? Seriously?Man, I am as excited as anyone over this game. It looks to have absolutely incredible potential. But with 256 players that leaves them about 850,000 troops short... on the allied side alone. I mean, there were more than 256 PLANES involved in D-Day :)

More important to me is that this game totally did NOT feel worthy of being the keystone of the Sony E3. Just sort of a "ho-hum" way to finish things up.

McBonk @ Jul 15th 2008 5:12PM

doc j.... The Sony show was awesome. Everything looked fantastic. Totally blew Nintendo out of the water, and completely outclassed M$.

I admit this game didn't thrill me - not my type - but very impressive nonetheless. This will sell systems.

Big Ed @ Jul 15th 2008 6:45PM

Seriously McBonk,

The Sony conference was decent, but there wasn't really anything that surprised you at all. God of War III? That's a given. This MAG game was the only real bright spot for me. As far as outclassing Microsoft, Sony did not even come close.

Microsoft showed developer walk-thrus of hotly anticipated titles like Resident Evil, Fallout, and Gears of War. There was also that other announcement that needn't be mentioned that practically stole the show right then and there. What did Sony do? Show some pre-rendered trailers and announce a movie download service. That is okay and all, but not enough to beat Microsoft's presentation.

Nick @ Jul 15th 2008 7:31PM

Sorta agree with doc. But in a different light. I think it was definitely keynote worthy, but it was totally delivered with "ho-hum" enthusiasm. A better delivery could have completely made this thing explode as the "win all of E3" so to speak.

Bill @ Jul 15th 2008 4:28PM

Alright i'm impressed good show Sony!

TinyTim121 @ Jul 15th 2008 4:31PM

Is this exclusive to PS3??

Mein Bratwurst @ Jul 15th 2008 4:38PM

Sony owns Zipper, so yes. Also, in the press conference, Jack said something about it pushing PS3 to its limit and the game not being "remotely possible on any other console".

TinyTim121 @ Jul 15th 2008 4:42PM

Cheers Mein Bratwurst!!

Wow...im just wow...i thought resistance 64 player was huge....WOW!!! 256?!?!?!

SIIIICCKKKKKKKKK

Anybody know a release date?

Man i am so hyped lol

Mark @ Jul 15th 2008 4:31PM

yeah this looks awesome! finally a game to replace CoD4. i just hope this game comes out before Infinity Ward's next CoD game.

TinyTim121 @ Jul 15th 2008 4:32PM

HOLY SHIT!!

WOOT!!!

Is this exclusive?

TinyTim121 @ Jul 15th 2008 4:40PM

*groans*

Sorry for double posting...first one didn't apear...actually this was the first one...number 12 was my second lol

Mo @ Jul 15th 2008 4:32PM

wOw

they can have final fantasy...

wOw

Mark @ Jul 15th 2008 4:43PM

lol, yup. i bet this will keep me occupied WAYYY longer than FFXIII. but then again those FF games take a wicked long time to beat. haha

Stoo @ Jul 15th 2008 4:35PM

I'm surprised people are so excited about this.
My initial reaction was "oh...this is the last anouncement of the keynote"

I guess shooter fans will love it but I was hoping for something else.

KarlW @ Jul 15th 2008 4:47PM

Same. I was disappointed by the Keynote. I like games with great stories - like the MGS series and the FF series. That said, I adored the LBP presentation. Looks like more fun than most Wii games.

Was really hoping for an FF7 remake. I'm still sure they'll make one. Possibly after 13 (there are usually a few FF games per generation).

ps3 rules @ Jul 15th 2008 4:35PM

when is part 2 starting? or was that it

Stoo @ Jul 15th 2008 4:43PM

Yeah, well E3 has been lame for everyone so far I think. Ubisoft and a couple of other publishers are still coming but I guess see what Liepzig and TGS bring.

jay @ Jul 15th 2008 4:36PM

This looks totatlly awesome.
Socoms got nothing on this.

Caleb @ Jul 15th 2008 4:37PM

This was the only impressive announcement by Sony @E3 this year, game sounds fantastic...but overall very, very lackluster as far as the showing went. I kept hoping for "that mega-ton bomb announcment" and was (like many others) let down.

Phantom @ Jul 16th 2008 3:04PM

well , if Sony had more stuff to show theirs would have been the best . The had the best presentation and special effects , you could see the effort .

Riley Freeman @ Jul 15th 2008 4:40PM

i hate the breaking up into teams. why cant we just go 128 versus 128?

by the way does anyone know if resistance is doing this too?

or will be 30 vs 30? cuz to me thats a lot more fun

Shaun @ Jul 15th 2008 4:46PM

Talking to 128 people at one time on a bluetooth headset would not be fun.

G-Unit @ Jul 15th 2008 5:01PM

You dont need to talk to 128 people at once, because there will be 8 player squads

matthew_neitzer @ Jul 15th 2008 5:25PM

In Resistance you will have the option to set the game up however you want. In other words, you can make it free for all deathmatch against all 60 players.

Riley Freeman @ Jul 15th 2008 5:57PM

awesomeeeeeeee. cant wait for resistance

MegaMayhem @ Jul 15th 2008 4:41PM

yes Zipper is back at it

anthonyjh @ Jul 15th 2008 4:47PM

I really don't understand how this is going to work. Like, at all.

HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE!?!?!?

If it all works out, than I think we may have something revolutionary all to ourselves. Teehee!

frankym @ Jul 15th 2008 4:49PM

First off Sony: Superb Conference!! (PS3 just made 360 look like a fisher price toy)

Second: MAG will rewrite all the rules. I love how tretton stated that this game absolutely pushes the PS3 to its technical limits and is absolutely impossible on any other console.

Very happy PS3 owner.

reson8er @ Jul 15th 2008 4:57PM

+1 for me.

Great conference.

To top it all off, we STILL are the lead development console on FFXIII so most likely it will have to be scaled back or diminished somewhat, assuming they use the white engine and don't switch to (god help us all) the U3 engine.

Feels good to be a PS3 owner :)

Davedrastic @ Jul 16th 2008 5:08AM

Yeah, I agree. I was initially impressed by the MS press conference, but really what have they brought to the table? Singstar and Buzz ripoff, a Banjo Kazooie and Viva Pinata game - oh come on, please. It seemed their big announcements were the shift to 60gb (just before E3) and their Netflix deal, both of which have been pissed on by Sony. Avatars, new dashboard - I just see derivitives, no innovation. MS are just playing catch up all the time - sure, they're not too far behind but it's like the Zune - why buy one when i can get an ipod, or a sandisk, or a samsung, etc

I'm thinking theres some truth in the PS3s' got more to come argument. We see it in Resistance 2, and like everyone else my jaw dropped at MAG - I think that's the real Halo killer - unless they do a Haze it should be a social phenomenon, I reckon. Resistance on PSP is pretty cool too.

B4DKARM4 @ Jul 15th 2008 4:57PM

anthonyjh, Its possible. Funny thing is, its already been done before. Planetside has around 400 players on a server at one time, Novalogics Joint Operations had about 160, both games sucked donkey.

This aint nothing new to PC gamers. Its been tried, tested and failed horribly. Demanding that kind of unit cohesion from 250 strangers let along 8 in a squad is laughable. Real question is, whos going to foot the bill for server hosting? Cause you dont honestly think the average ps3 player is going to be able to host 249 players on his DSL do you?

Wait I know whos gonna pay for the sever.

Its you. =D

If you really want to see what large scale battles feel like with that many people online at the same time, go sign up for a planetside account.

Be prepared to be underhwlmed.

anthonyjh @ Jul 15th 2008 5:09PM

I'd have to imagine Zipper would be providing the servers.

I don't see why you would doubt a game simply because of the amount of people playing it. You don't know what they have up their sleeves, and for all we know it could be brilliant.

Riley Freeman @ Jul 15th 2008 4:58PM

Shaun

i personally turn off the mic. i understand if theres squads of 8. but it should still be 128 vs 128

like 8 squads come from various places. cars or air and only those 8 can talk to each other. and the commander for each 8 groups can talk to each other

sgt barone @ Jul 15th 2008 5:00PM

that was the only good thing sony announced. until then, that conference was a snorefest. really only 1 new game announcement. lame.

Popfrogs @ Jul 15th 2008 5:50PM

An x360 troll not liking Sony's E3 conference, now that's a shocker.

dw2surf @ Jul 15th 2008 5:05PM

Has anyone thought about the amount of lag with that many people?

Seba501 @ Jul 15th 2008 5:15PM

Dedicated servers maybe, or P2P. but, they wont release a game for 256 players, if the game will suffer Lag.

Past year Warhawk, This year Socom, Next year MAG

SOCOMRAIDER @ Jul 15th 2008 9:39PM

Not so much the lag with 256 players, but lag because it's Zipper.

The Aggie CEO @ Jul 15th 2008 5:10PM

GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ

I REALLY hope they can pull this off.........

B4DKARM4 @ Jul 15th 2008 5:19PM

anthonyjh, cause its already been done before.

It failed for very valid reasons. The average attention span for your average FPS player is somewhere between a walnut and a rock.

Planetside went down the toilet because people didnt want to pay to play what basically just boiled down to every person playing how they saw fit with little to no unit cohesion.

It basically just boils down to either everyone doing what they wanted to do, or everyone rushing one particular objective and lagging the dedicated servers they had so bad it was nigh unplayable.

Joint operations failed because no one in their right mind was going to foot the bill out of their own pocket for a server back then that could hold 160 slots considering that the brou ha ha for the game died down shortly after it was released.

Im not trying to shit in your cheerios, im just saying, this has already been attempted twice by other devs, and in both instances its failed horribly.

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