I decided I would take a look at the SOCOM 4 beta yesterday as I am interested in the game but have never played a previous title in the series. I wanted to know how it was before I spend my hard earned cash. The game is fine and controls well, I can see this being something I will like. I was enjoying the game until I switched modes to try something other that bomb tech.

When I got in the game, which was already in progress I was met by quite frankly some of the most disturbing chatter I have ever heard. It seems I joined a game where two or three players were involved in an argument about how to play. I found it quite amusing to listen to at the start where there were terms being thrown around like "noob" and "go back to call of duty". This soon descended into racial slurrs, name calling, kicking from teams, and finally death threats. This is the first game I have played where I have heard the phrase "where do you live, cause me and my posse are going to slit your throat". At this point I thought things had gone two far between these guys, but then one of the turned on everyone in the game for not talking and formulating strategies. Now I cannot afford a mic for my PS3 and never really want to chat to strangers anyway, but I can do without the abuse so finished the game at this point.

Having never heard anything like this in 4 years of online play on my 360  I have decided it must be a SOCOM thing as am no longer getting the game at release as Ido not feel the need to play the multiplayer if this is the sort of experience I can expect from the objective modes. I will still get the game but if I am not going to get into the multiplayer there is no need to get it at release and instead I will wait for it to get cheap.

Anyway just thought I would share my experience.