As part of our continuing coverage of E3, we are very excited to report on a new mulitplayer game that was unveiled at Sony’s E3 press conference from Zipper Interactive. The new game, titled MAG (or Massive Action Game), seeks to raise the bar on current military games by interweaving both large-scale battles (in which up to 256 (!) players can be in-game) in addition to a squad-based leadership system that will work to preserve the close-knit team structure that is a basis for many successful online shooters.

MAG will include a variety of in-game features that will offer much in the way of long-term gameplay, such as the command system that will allow players higher on the in-game pecking order to alter their units to reflect the current battlefield objectives. Character growth will also be included in the game, though it was not explained how exactly it will work, and perpetual campaigns will likely keep players coming back. The game will also give players of MAG the opportunity to stage attacks in a variety of ways, from helicopter-based attacks to air drops and even the traditional front-line assault.

It’s clear that the scope Zipper Interactive is planning for MAG is epic, and the trailer looks fantastic (albeit wholly pre-rendered), but it remains to be seen how the infrastructure needed to support 256 players and a next-gen graphical system will work when finally released to the public. Still, this is a very exciting project, and we here at TGR will be keeping a watch for any further updates on MAG as its development cycle continues.