MAG was a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter video game developed by Zipper Interactive for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in North America on January 26, 2010, mainland Europe on January 27 and the United Kingdom on January 29. It was released in Australia and New Zealand on February 11, 2010. MAG received an award from Guinness World Records as "Most Players in a Console FPS" with 256 players.
On January 28, 2014, the online servers for MAG were shut down. Due to its reliance on online play, it is no longer possible to play the game.
Gameplay
MAG used a new server architecture to support online battles with up to 256 players, with users divided into eight-player squads, with four squads forming a platoon, and four platoons forming a company. Each squad was led by a player who has advanced through the game's ranking system. Character statistics and development also increased with frequent gameplay. The players assigned leadership positions were able to simultaneously direct the battle and participate directly in combat.
Version 2.0 introduced a new skill tree and also a supply depot for purchasing weapons. Now, in the skill tree there are individual classes in which players can spend their skill points Players now have a balance in the supply depot, which is money that is earned from every match. So instead of getting the weapons/attachments in the skill tree they can now be purchased separately. After an item is bought players have the choice of selling that item for half of its original price. Patch v1.05 introduced a modified leadership selection algorithm that relied on using leadership points that players earned by winning battles while being at least a squad leader and whether the player has a Bluetooth headset or not.
Basic battles take place within ongoing, faction-based campaigns to encourage the player to actively play. The game's E3 unveiling trailer featured large landscapes, tactics such as air strikes and parachuting, and a variety of vehicles, from tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs) to airplanes.
Players were able to customize the face, voice, and armor of their characters, as well as what weapons and kit they carry into battle. In game, the player could level up to 70 on any faction. After achieving level 70, players could enter the Veteran mode and be allowed to re-select their faction. Players lose progress by starting Veteran mode, although the medals, ribbons, statistics and the leadership points player has earned in the past remain intact. Players also received a +10% XP bonus which did not stack.
Gameplay Modes
Gameplay consists of six separate modes (two of which—Interdiction and Escalation—are downloadable content) and an additional training mode.
Suppression
The smallest gameplay mode in terms of scale and the only mode that did not influence the Shadow War, Suppression was a team deathmatch mode that pits 32 players of one faction against 32 players of another. Provided they meet the qualification requirements, players can be assigned leadership positions in this game mode, although they have no leadership abilities. There are 4 Squad Leaders (SL) and 1 Platoon Leader (PL) per faction in this game type. Suppression makes use of modified maps from the Sabotage game mode.
Sabotage
Sabotage was the smallest mode of those with Shadow War influence. It was played by 64 players from two of the game's three factions, 32 players to a side. In Sabotage, the attacking team must work to secure two enemy satellite uplink centers—objectives A and B. Once both centers have been secured and simultaneously held, objective C is unlocked—the defending team's base. The attackers then need to plant an explosive charge at C and defend it until it explodes to win. As in Suppression, there are 4 SLs and 1 PL per faction in this game type. Again, they have no leadership abilities yet, but communication and organization is the leadership key to victory in this mode. The game runs on a 20-minute timer, countdown of which is paused while a charge is active at C. If the time expires before the attackers have destroyed C, the defenders win.