Combat Arms deploys players into a dangerous war zone teeming with soldiers of fortune looking to make a mark. The online shooter will advance the FPS genre by offering a rich free-to-play experience and introducing customization features unavailable in the current generation of online FPS games. Players have the ability to tailor their gaming experience by customizing how their characters look as well as which guns and equipment to carry into battle. A large arsenal of deadly weapons can be modified with attachments such as silencers, scopes and extended magazines.

Combat Arms, which was launched in July of 2008, added large chunks of new content this past year, including the NutShot game feature, Quarantine Mode and Fireteam Mode. NutShot gave players a chance for a critical hit with a shot in the groin of male opponents, much like a head shot in all FPS games. Quarantine Mode gives players the opportunity to play as and against infected, zombie-like soldiers. Fireteam Mode allows teams of players to take on terrorists in a player-versus-environment setting.

“Our players have been asking for this feature and now they’ve got it,” said Min Kim, vice president of marketing at Nexon America. “And with Vivox as our partner, they’re getting the very best in-game voice chat service possible without paying a dime. Having voice available allows for an even more immersive combat experience.”

Combat Arms’ voice chat is designed to enhance the excitement of FPS gameplay as well as foster team building and community development. Players can make decisions faster, act more decisively and interact with other players freely and clearly. 

“Playing Combat Arms with voice is a blast, it is the only way to keep your squad organized in this fast-paced game,” said Rob Seaver, CEO at Vivox.  “Nexon has produced a fun, action-packed game and the addition of voice will make it easier for new players to learn the game and give veterans an indispensible tool.”

Players will be able to use Vivox services for free in all eight game modes currently available.  Specific voice channels will be created depending on the game mode. Those who enter Fireteam, One Man Army and Spy Hunt modes will have one channel for all players in the match. Elimination, Elimination Pro, Capture the Flag, Quarantine Mode and Search & Destroy will have channels for each team.

Voice chat channels will be created and removed on demand. Players will be able to push-to-talk with individual volume and mute controls. Presence and activity indicators will also allow players to see which players are online and available to chat.

Vivox Voice chat will be available next week on Nov. 25, 2009.

The game is beginner-friendly while providing great depth for veteran gamers. By rewarding players who win matches and make kills with in-game currency and experience points, Combat Arms extends the game beyond an individual match. Accumulating both will help soldiers rank up to unlock and acquire new weapons and equipment. Further, the game extends beyond the battlefield through an extensive set of community features with a focus on clans. Players can recruit, manage, and communicate with their clan members, all within the game. Additionally, players can maintain a persistent profile to track their experience and performance to see how they rank within the Combat Arms community.

Combat Arms focuses on improving accessibility and community while maintaining a high fidelity combat experience. The free-to-play offering combined with low system requirements will encourage new players enter the traditionally hardcore space.