Possible PlanetSide 2 character buffs stir up community

"Yoink!" That's the imaginary sound we hear when a long-planned feature in PlanetSide 2 gets yanked from an upcoming patch to the game. Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley tweeted yesterday that following community feedback, consumable, class-boosting implants would not be part of the free-to-play MMO shooter's next update.



Implants, mentioned by developers since at least January of this year, would have added a variety of ability boosts to the FPS as part of Game Update 13. Proposals for implants included consumables that would silence footsteps, reduce fall damage, and increase spotting sensitivity. The effect of these items on gameplay balance has been a topic of discussion in the PlanetSide 2 community ahead of the patch release. The implants were apparently purchasable with real money on a recent test server presentation of the game's new features.



Much of what PlanetSide 2 does so well relies on the way it manages confrontations between its three factions of players. The game feels immense, but it also gives you, the lone soldier, clear ways to make a difference for your team. With "player-driven content" so vital to the PlanetSide 2 experience, it's no surprise that an issue affecting the abilities of individual characters to change the flow of battle has been the most discussed topic on the game's July "roadmap."



GU13 should go live on July 24. For the full list of proposed changes, go here.



Thanks, Polygon.