While we have heard a lot about a certain superhero MMO recently that the community is attempting to resurrect, there are several other sunsetted MMORPGs that are being preserved and enjoyed by their devoted communities. One of these in particular may actually surprise you, as the first PlanetSide still exists in emulator form.
PSForever, as it is called, was launched in early 2017 following the classic PlanetSide’s demise in July 2016. The goal of this project was “to reproduce PlanetSide 1 server functionality in order to preserve its one-of-a-kind gameplay, forever.” The fans explained that “While PS2 looks better, PS1’s gameplay is truly unique. It’s not Yet-Another-Run-and-Gun game. It has real strategy, progression, and teamwork. This isn’t to say PS1 was the ‘best game ever’ — it wasn’t. But it was a unique, quirky, and overall a great time.”
For the past two-plus years, PSForever has not only endured but grown through several fan-made updates and server performance tweaks. The latest update, War for Auraxis, is scheduled to hit the emulator in time for PlanetSide’s 16th birthday in mid-May.
