Sony Online Entertainment and Twitch Invite Players to Share Their Most Epic Gaming Experiences With First-Ever in-Game Direct Live Streaming Integration in Upcoming Video Game PlanetSide®2

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Twitch, the world’s largest video platform and community for gamers, today announced its partnership with Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) to integrate live broadcasting functionality into SOE’s upcoming games. The first video game title to feature the ability to stream gameplay directly to the Twitch platform with a single click will be PlanetSide^®2, the highly anticipated massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS), which will launch in North America and Europe on November 20, 2012.

“With the Twitch community now in excess of 20 million gamers, live broadcasting has evolved from a niche novelty to an integral part of the gaming experience”

“With the Twitch community now in excess of 20 million gamers, live broadcasting has evolved from a niche novelty to an integral part of the gaming experience,” said Matthew DiPietro, VP Marketing of Twitch. “By partnering with Sony Online Entertainment to allow gamers to stream titles like PlanetSide 2 directly to Twitch at the click of a button, the community to will continue to grow since the biggest barrier to entry has been removed. There is no easier way to broadcast game play to the Web than this.”

PlanetSide 2, which is a free-to-play title with optional content available for purchase in the marketplace, offers an unprecedented gaming experience. Players battle in massive environments alongside and against thousands of players engaging in intense air and ground combat that spans the alien planet of Auraxis. Because of its giant fan base and the competitive nature of first-person shooter games, it is the perfect title to enable fans to live broadcast in a seamless, non-disruptive fashion, creating additional content.

“At SOE we believe very strongly in providing deeper social and emergent gameplay experiences,” said John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment. “With more than 21 million PlanetSide 2 minutes streamed to date, the ability for our players to broadcast their gameplay directly to Twitch will provide Twitch’s huge user base a chance to see the massive scale battles in PlanetSide 2 for themselves. We’ve gone out of our way to make the interface extremely easy to use and allow players to cast with just one-click.”

Scheduled to deploy in an external beta game update for players to begin testing this weekend, PlanetSide 2 marks the inaugural title in the Twitch and SOE partnership. Future relevant SOE titles will look to incorporate Twitch integration as well.

“We’re in discussions with the industry’s largest developers and publishers, so there’s no question that integrating turn-key live broadcasting into games is the future of this industry,” adds DiPietro. “With SOE being the first to illustrate the appeal of instant in-game streaming on Twitch, we couldn’t ask for a better partner to validate this movement.”

About PlanetSide 2

PlanetSide 2 takes all the groundbreaking features from the original game – massive multiplayer battles, distinct empires to rally around, and enormous continents where intense ground and air combat unfold – and adds features that modern gamers have come to expect of the FPS and MMO genres. With advanced technology, years of gamer feedback, and a new SOE proprietary MMO game engine called ForgeLight™, PlanetSide 2 offers a truly competitive and visceral FPS experience with massive warfare, massive customization and massive community.

PlanetSide 2 is currently in external beta and will be available as a “Free-To-Play. Your Way.^™” title on PC systems via digital download on November 20, 2012. For players who are interested in an enhanced PlanetSide 2 experience, a Premium Membership option will be available for US$14.99/month and will include scalable gains for resources, XP and passive cert points. Additionally, Premium Members will receive priority log-in queue access, early access to new cosmetic items and a monthly Station Cash bonus. Players who maintain their membership over time will accrue enhancements to their benefits, and players who purchase their membership in multi-month blocks will receive an increased benefit gain immediately. For more information about PlanetSide 2 or to sign up for Beta access, visit: http://www.PlanetSide2.com.

ESRB Rating: TEEN with Violence. Visit www.esrb.org for rating information.

About SOE

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games. Best known for its blockbuster hits and franchises, including EverQuest^®, EverQuest^® II, Champions of Norrath^®, PlanetSide^®, Free Realms^®, Star Wars^®: Clone Wars Adventures™, and DC Universe Online™, SOE creates, develops and provides compelling online entertainment for a variety of platforms. SOE is building on its proven legacy and pioneering the future of online worlds through creative development and inspired gameplay design for audiences of all ages. To learn more, visit www.soe.com.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest, Champions of Norrath, PlanetSide, and Free Realms are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

About Twitch

Twitch is the world’s largest video platform and community for gamers. More than 20 million gamers gather every month on Twitch to broadcast, watch and chat about gaming. Twitch’s video platform is the backbone of both live and on-demand distribution for leading video game broadcasters including casual gamers, pro players, tournaments, leagues, developers and gaming media organizations. Twitch is leading a revolution in the gaming community, working to create a participatory experience that transcends gameplay. Learn more at http://twitch.tv.

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