Sony Online Entertainment today released a huge update for its free-to-play MMO shooter, Planetside 2, the most significant aspect of which is a whole new continent for players to explore and fight over.

Known as Hossin, the new “swamp continent” will present new obstacles for players to deal with as they navigate the environment. SOE says Hossin is home to “unforgiving marshes, low hanging tree canopies, and slow-moving, boggy terrain,” all of which sounds like it could get in the way when facing off against dozens of enemies (not an uncommon occurrence in Planetside 2).

“With its swamp-like terrain and natural barriers, players combat skills will be challenged like never before,” said creative director Matt Higby. “Facilities and bases are scattered throughout, making infantry combat the most important it’s ever been. Hossin adds an insane element to PlanetSide 2’s ground / air combat strategy. We are eager to hear community feedback, particularly since Hossin will be continuously updated and enhanced for a long time to come.”

Access to Hossin is free to all players on PC with the release of today’s update. Its release only further expands what was already a massive game world.

Also added today are several new features, including continent locking. As battles most often take place on one of the game’s three existing continents, players will now be able to prevent spawning on any continent by controlling all the points on the map.

Outfits–the game’s versions of clans or guilds–also have something to look forward to today. A new, improved system for recruiting has been implemented; outfits can now equip decals; and, most interestingly, an ownership system is now in place for bases. When capturing facilities and outposts, the outfit that contributed the most will gain temporary “ownership” over it, making it so that the owner’s decal is displayed above it.

Planetside 2 is currently available only on PC. A PlayStation 4 version is in development that was originally expected to have been released last year. Today’s announcement doesn’t provide any new word on that front; SOE only says it’s coming to PS4 “later this year.”

Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @TheSmokingManX
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