Today is the third and final day of our in-depth training series for Unit 13, the PlayStation Vita exclusive released earlier this week. This three-part in-depth video series teaches you everything from the core fundamentals of how to play the game to tips on how to tackle each mission type and even how to fully take advantage of Unit 13′s networking features.

Today’s video, “Sharing and Competing”, covers Unit 13′s robust networking capabilities. Able to utilize PlayStation Vita’s 3G capabilities, Unit 13 features always-on leaderboards, Daily Challenges, High Value Target sharing via Near, and much more. We’re also going to give you a look at Unit 13’s new two-player cooperative multiplayer over WiFi. Two players can take on any of the game’s 36 main missions, mixing and matching operatives and arsenals any way you see fit. You’ll get scoring bonuses for working together as a team, and specialized co-op leaderboards will let you see how well your teamwork abilities stack up against the competition. This video will ensure that you’re fully versed on all of Unit 13′s online options and able to take full advantage of them.

If you missed the previous two videos, “How to Play” and “Game Types”, be sure to go back and check those out as they’ll give you a great overview of Unit 13′s core gameplay mechanics and the various operation types that you’ll come across in the game’s numerous missions.

Unit 13 is now available exclusively for PlayStation Vita, so check out the videos in this series and hone your skills to see if you have what it takes to make it to the top of the leaderboards.

We recently kicked off our in-depth training series for Unit 13, the PS Vita exclusive shooter that puts you in the middle of some of the world’s deadliest covert missions. This three-part in-depth video series aims to teach you everything from the core fundamentals of how to play the game to tips on how to tackle each mission type and even how to fully take advantage of Unit 13‘s networking features.

Today we’re unveiling the second installment, which introduces you to the various mission types in Unit 13 and gives you advice on how to best approach them. It goes over basic mission rules, tactical strategies for how to take on each objective and things to look out for along the way.

If you missed the first training video be sure to go back and check that out to get a great overview of Unit 13′s fundamentals, and come back on Friday for the final part of the series, “Sharing and Competing,” where we’ll cover the game’s robust connectivity features.

Unit 13 is now available exclusively for PS Vita, so now’s the time to hone your skills and discover if you have what it takes to make it to the top of the leaderboards.

Giving you a selection of six elite operatives, it's your job to quickly and efficiently infiltrate enemy strongholds and complete any objective thrown your way. You'll have to employ every trick in the book to make it out alive, but you'll need to rewrite the rules if you want to come out on top of the leaderboards.

Unit 13 has been created for on-the-go play, featuring 40+ missions that play out in bite-sized chunks that highlight its portable focus. Each of those missions begs you to come back and try them again as the game's scoring system and leaderboard support will show you exactly how you stack up against the competition; be it your friends down the street or strangers on the other side of the globe. A Daily Challenge feature provides you with a new mission every 24 hours -- along with a fresh chance to hit the top of the leaderboards. Cooperative multiplayer lets you tackle any of the game's 36 main missions and “near” support will let you share access to the elite High Value Targets with other players around you.

If you've downloaded the Unit 13 demo from the PlayStation Store and worked your way up the leaderboards then you’ll be happy to know that your save data, including your high scores and operative level progress, will carry over to the full game! Be sure to keep the demo on your PS Vita until you’ve launched the full game though – deleting the demo will remove the save file as well, so make sure your progress has transferred over before removing the demo from your system.

The team here at Zipper has worked hard on fine-tuning the experience in an effort to blend the best of the console world with the best of the portable world and we think you’ll agree that Unit 13 is a great fit in PS Vita‘s library. We’ll see you on the leaderboards!

Part 1, “How to Play”, shows you what it will take to run with the best-of-the-best. It covers everything from a complete control breakdown to tactical combat strategies to Unit 13′s in-depth scoring system. This is as close to a Unit 13 boot camp as you’ll get.

The next two videos in the series, “Game Types” and “Sharing and Competing”, will be released in the near future right here on the PlayStation.Blog, so check back then for more insider tips on Unit 13.

Unit 13 will be available on March 6th exclusively for PlayStation Vita. A playable demo is now available in the PlayStation Store, so check out the videos in this series, download the demo and hone your skills in anticipation of the full release.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, we have to postpone the Unit 13 tourneys in LA, NY, ATL, MIA and Austin. Please stay tuned for new dates and details. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The release of Unit 13 is just a few weeks away now, officially launching on March 6th, but you don’t have to wait that long to get your hands on the game! On Monday, February 20th, Unit 13 is going to take over all eight Vita Hill Social Clubs, giving you the chance to dig in to the full Unit 13 experience and find out what it’s like to play a console-caliber shooter in the palm of your hands. The top scoring players at each location will be eligible for some pretty awesome prizes, so play as much as you can during the limited-time event and try to get your name to the top of the leaderboards. For locations and times, check out the official Vita Hill Social Club page.

If you can’t make it to one of the club dates you might miss out on the prize opportunities but you can still get an early taste of Unit 13 by checking out the downloadable demo via the PlayStation Store on Tuesday, February 21st. The demo gives you access to one of the game’s Direct Action missions and includes all six operatives and online leaderboard support. Perhaps best of all is that your scores and level progress earned in the demo will carry over to the full game once it’s released on March 6th!

As we get closer to Unit 13′s launch day we’ll be bringing you a lot more on the game, including a co-op multiplayer video walkthrough next week right here on the PlayStation Blog that you won’t want to miss. We’re also nearly finished putting the final touches on the official Unit 13 website which will provide in-depth character bios, scoring tips and breakdowns, level progression information and much more that you won’t find anywhere else, so stay tuned for news on that.

Everyone here at Zipper Interactive is really excited that PlayStation Vita fans everywhere will soon be able to get their hands on Unit 13, and we’d love to hear what you think of the demo next week.

First, in case you missed the announcement from the PS Vita CES keynote yesterday afternoon, Unit 13 is scheduled for release on Tuesday, March 6th. We are quite excited to bring this new title to PS Vita. Thanks to the excellent dual analogs sticks on the Vita, Unit 13 represents the first full shooter experience on a portable gaming device. But don’t take our word for it: the press have been playing it and really like what they see. Check out the recent coverage from Kotaku, Destructoid, and IGN.

We also have, as another PlayStation.Blog exclusive, the first view of the North American box front!

But what I am really here for is to provide an exclusive video walkthrough of a new level and game type in Unit 13. This is the first detailed video walkthrough of a Covert mission:

For those not keeping up on Unit 13, there are four different mission types. Direct Action missions are larger, multiple objective missions that reward tactical play. Deadline missions are medium-sized missions where players have to race against the clock; they reward speed over tactics. Elite missions are small- to medium-sized missions with no health regen or check points. Elite missions reward taking as little damage as possible. Finally, the Covert missions are stealth missions where you need to get in and out without the enemy knowing you were there. It rewards players for remaining unseen and you get a bonus for leaving enemies alive. However, if you are discovered, you can still recover if you take out the alerted enemies fast enough. Each different game type has different scoring rules and each one makes the best use of the six different operatives and their equipment.

With 36 missions playable in single player or co-op, along with dynamic versions of those missions; plus nine HVT missions to unlock and share via near; six different operatives; 10 levels per operative that unlock new abilities, weapons and equipment; plus the daily challenge missions and leaderboards for all 36 single player and co-op missions, I predict that Unit 13 will keep you busy for a very long time.

There’s no sense mincing words: The next game from SOCOM creator Zipper Interactive represents a fairly radical rethinking of the competitive shooter genre. The game doesn’t include a traditional single-player story or a conventional multiplayer battleground, instead focusing squarely on bite-sized, highly replayable scenarios that can be played alone or with a friend. In dropping the well-worn ways of the past, Unit 13 is positioning itself to be on the forefront of an entirely new way to think about multiplayer. The game will track and report your virtual exploits and broadcast them to friends both far (via PSN) and near (via…Near).

To get a handle on this brazen new approach to shooter design, we asked Creative Director Seth Luisi to outline Unit 13’s feature set and functionality in a video tour. Afterwards, we looped in with SCEA Producer Ara Demirjian to get answers to our burning questions. If you have any burning questions of your own, be sure to leave them in the comments!

PlayStation.Blog: In your mind, what’s key for a mobile shooter?
Ara Demirjian, assistant producer, SCEA:The ability to jump into a scenario, get your play time in, and feel like you accomplished something when you’re done. Unit 13 is set up to be an on-the-go game that gives you satisfaction when you play, especially when it propagates to your friends and your local area via near.

PSB: Will SOCOM fans find the mechanics and overall gameplay for Unit 13 familiar?
Demirjian: Yes. Zipper is known for contemporary third-person shooters — it’s what they’re good at! Unit 13 is built from the ground up for PS Vita and while the gameplay itself will feel familiar to SOCOM players, there are some different aspects given the PS Vita’s hardware features.

When you pick up the PS Vita, it’s kind of like using a DualShock controller with a huge screen: it feels good in your hands, the analog sticks feel smooth, and all the controls operate exactly how you’d expect. We have implemented touch controls for picking up weapons, reloading, vaulting over barriers, completing objectives, and accessing your tactical map, among others. We kept the implementation straightforward, but it allows us to do a lot of new things. We also use the rear touchscreen for swapping shoulders when you’re aiming down the sight; it can help you get a better shot on your enemy when you’re peeking around cover.

PSB: So there’s no traditional single-player campaign?
Demirjian: Unit 13 is built to be a mobile shooter: it’s designed around instant action, not a lengthy story mode. The mission grid gives you 36 unique missions, all playable independent of one another. Across all the missions, you’re trying to achieve a wide variety of objectives whether it’s taking down high-value targets or destroying weapons caches.

The scoring component is a major focus for us here. We want to make this an asynchronous socially competitive experience, so your scores will post to PSN and the near leaderboards so your friends can see if you top their score on a given mission. With a 3G PS Vita unit, this data can be updated automatically, and you can browse the status bar to see who is doing what at any time.

PSB: What will bring players back to keep competing with one another?
Demirjian: We’re planning a number of Daily Challenges, which will bring a unique mission objective to the game every single day. We’re not planning on having any repeats for a looo-o-oong time! This is a great opportunity for a player of average skill to make their mark on the leaderboards: once that 24 hour period is up, nobody can post against your score. So if you’re aggressive, you might be able to hold a number one position on the global leaderboards and get some bragging rights with your friends.

PSB: The game features six operatives, but how different are they? Can I level them up?
Demirjian: Each operative has different statistics, play strategy, and weapon loadouts. Some are better at stealth, or run-and-gun, or assault, or infiltration. Things like ammo capacity, rate of fire, accuracy, health regeneration and many more factors are all in play, too. You have the ability to chose whichever character you want for any mission, but certain classes will naturally perform better in certain missions.

You can level up your operative through 10 levels, and the bonuses are different from class to class. If you level up as a stealth-based operative, you’ll gain additional stealth infiltration bonuses for your score, the ability to carry new weapons and explosives, and your ammo capacity and health regeneration may improve.

PSB: How will the co-op play work?
Demirjian: Every single mission will be available for two-player cooperative play. You’ll be able to go your own way and proceed the way you want, or work more closely together if you choose. You won’t have to worry about your buddy running deep into another part of the level because we break the mission into a series of objectives.

When you’re playing co-op over Wi-Fi, we also automatically turn on the PS Vita’s internal microphone to keep communication channels open. You can turn it off, of course.

PSB: Just to be clear, co-op will be available only via Wi-Fi, right?
Demirjian: Co-op is over Wi-Fi, yes. The 3G functionality is for stat sharing via near, for getting real-time updates on scores, and for seeing when new high-value target missions or Daily Challenges become available. 3G is about the social component and seeing what your friends have been up to.

Fast action, on-the-go gameplay was a key goal for the Unit 13 team. The game is designed for players to move quickly into the action, choosing from one of six Operatives with unique abilities to tackle 36 action-packed missions across nine unique locales. Missions come in a variety of sizes and difficulty. Some are smaller bite-sized battles; others are longer, more challenging, multi-objective missions that are a good test for any skilled shooter fan. As you make your way through the variety of missions, you unlock the right to take on the tougher High Value Target (HVT) enemy battles. After completing an HVT mission, you can share them with friends and nearby players through PlayStation Vita’s “NEAR” feature.

The Zipper team put considerable effort into leveraging Vita’s WIFI and 3G functionality to provide exceptional social gaming and competition with friends and opponents from around the world. Unit 13’s live notification interface, enabled through 3G, keeps players up to date on leaderboard positions, new “Daily Challenge” content, new unlocks, shared High Value Target missions, and challenges from friends as they move past you on the leaderboards.

In Co-op, you can play Unit 13 with a friend all with high quality voice chat enabled through the PlayStation Vita. Coop teams compete for top positions on the global, regional, and friend mission leaderboards.

We’re super excited for all of you to give Unit 13 a try. We believe it’s the perfect portable shooter on the best portable gaming platform, the PlayStation Vita. And it’s available right around Vita launch!

See you on the leaderboards!

MLG Boot Camp

Boot Camp gives anyone who registers and completes a match the chance to win awesome prizes regardless of skill. Registration is open now, and Boot Camp ladder play is currently running through July 13th. Registering your 6-man team on MLG’s Gamebattles.com and playing at least one match will put you in the running for both Boot Camp prizing and the Official $20,000 Ladder Tournament. If you’re a lone soldier, check out the MLG forums where you can team up with other players of your skill level.

Boot Camp prizing includes:

• Two-hour gaming sessions with the Zipper Interactive dev team

• ASUS professional gaming monitors

• Full Astro A40 Systems (SOCOM 4 Customized)

• MLG Gunnars

Official SOCOM 4 $20k Online Ladder

Those of you with a competitive streak should use this time wisely because every battle counts towards your team’s position on the leaderboard and your chance to win money. The top teams will qualify for the finals and a share of the $20,000 prize pool. We’re looking for the best SOCOM 4 teams to step up, so we’re putting cold hard cash on the line. Here’s the prize breakdown:

• 1st Place Team: $8,000

• 2nd: $4,000

• 3rd: $3,000

• 4th: $2,000

• 5th: $1,000

• 6th: $1,000

• 7th: $500

• 8th: $500

See below for your deployment schedule, soldiers! Be sure to check back often on Gamebattles.com and SOCOM.com for regular tournament updates. And don’t forget to catch up on PlayStation giveaways and events by following us at @HeyPlayStation.

Good luck to you all!

SOCOM 4 Boot Camp Schedule:

6/24/2011: Registration begins

6/24/2011: Ladder play begins

7/13/2011: Ladder play ends (9:00PM EST)

SOCOM 4 $20,000 Ladder Tournament Schedule:

6/24/2011: Registration begins

6/24/2011: Ladder play begins

8/27/2011: Registration closes

8/28/2011: Ladder play ends

9/9/2011: Double elimination bracket tournament begins

We’re very happy today to announce that SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs is now offering free maps and weapons to all PS Plus users! You might remember that we gave away the classic SOCOM map “Abandoned” and a couple of exclusive shotguns as an incentive to pre-order the game through GameStop. All PlayStation Plus users can now download “Abandoned” and the shotguns free for the next month! For those of you without Plus yet, don’t worry–your time will come shortly. Recall the blog announcement a couple weeks back announcing that, as a token of appreciation, the PlayStation Network will be giving all users 30 days free PlayStation Plus membership, coming soon. After a month of PlayStation Plus availability, “Abandoned” and the shotguns will continue to be available for SOCOM Pro members.

But that’s not all. When we announced SOCOM Pro shortly before SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs hit stores, we promised that we’d be delivering the oft-requested M16 and AK-47 shortly after release. We’re happy today to not only say that they’re almost here, but that they’re being packaged alongside a set of new competitive multiplayer maps!

Dubbed the SOCOM Pro Assault Pack, this bundle will be available as a free download exclusively to SOCOM Pro members and features three all-new competitive multiplayer maps: “Red Line”, “Double Cross” and “Driftwood”, as well as two fan-favorite weapons, the M16 and AK-47. The maps, inspired by missions from the single-player campaign, have been designed to feature tighter spaces with intense 8 vs. 8 matches in mind (not that 32-player skirmishes aren’t a blast on all three maps).

Assault Pack Maps:

“Red Line” – A monorail depot highlights this small and highly war-torn urban location.

“Double Cross” – A plane has crashed into a small mountain village, leaving wreckage and burning debris scattered throughout the area.

“Driftwood” – A small fishing village with a tight layout results in intense close-quarter battles.

Assault Pack Weapons:

M16 – This highly accurate Spec Ops weapon is great at range and, with a suppressor gained at Mod Level 2, can be used in stealthier situations as well.

AK-47 – This Insurgent weapon is difficult to control but inflicts a high amount of damage. It’s also capable of holding a large amount of ammo at Mod 5, making a very deadly option for aggressive players.

And last but certainly not least, don’t forget that our Double XP bonus promotion is currently underway and affects not only every game type but both your player level and weapon progression!

“Abandoned” and the pre-order shotguns are now available for free to all PlayStation Plus members while the SOCOM Pro Assault Pack will be available this month as a free download exclusively for SOCOM Pro members, so be sure to check back for more news in the coming weeks. SOCOM Pro comes free with new copies of SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs, and is also available for purchase on the PlayStation Store for $14.99.