EA / Playfish going for "total ownage" in Risk: Factions on Facebook

At EA's Summer Showcase, we were given a bit more to work with in terms of what Risk: Factions on Facebook will bring to the table. Spencer Brooks, producer for the game, was on-hand to give us a few details. First, yes, there will be donkey cannons in the game, as seen in its E3 trailer, and secondly, a whole new set of weapons will be added to the game, allowing for more strategy that we "haven't seen yet." What EA is really looking to capitalize on, however, is the game's player-vs-player aspects. Brooks was confident in saying that Risk: Factions has "the best player-vs-player of any social game out there."

In the Xbox Live version of Risk: Factions, the true factions system was first introduced, allowing players to be anything from a yeti to a robot, in addition to a human. However, the faction that you chose to be really didn't have a great impact on your game. In the Facebook version, that will change, as each faction has special weapons specifically tailored to it. Human weapons, for example, will focus on offense, while the cats' weapons (including a "Cat Dander Bomb") will focus on defense. Zombie troops, meanwhile, can be upgraded to be "better brain eaters."

As for the PvP itself, Risk: Factions will focus on definitive winners and losers. While many social games go for a combination of cooperation and competition, where everyone is a winner, Brooks says this "co-opetition" won't be found in Risk: Factions. Should you win a match against a friend, you'll be able to, and seemingly encouraged to, rub it in their face. "We're going for total ownage here."

Risk: Factions is currently in closed beta, but the second we get a chance to let you know more, you can be sure we will. If you'd like to see EA's complete Risk: Factions presentation, check out the re-cap on their Summer Showcase right here (skip the to 30:00 mark).

Are you excited for Risk: Factions on Facebook? Do you think a true PvP system can survive on such a "cooperation-based" platform? Sound off in the comments.