SOCOM 4 deploys April 19

At the 2010 Game Developers Conference, Sony showed off how the PlayStation Move would work with core games. One core game was shown, specifically SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs, the latest iteration of the popular tactical shooter series. The Zipper Interactive-developed game can be played normally with a DualShock 3 controller or with the Move controller and subcontroller for full motion control.

Now SOCOM 4 finally has a release date. Sony announced today that the game will ship on April 19 in North America, just over a year after it was first shown to the public. The game has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB and is exclusive to the PlayStation 3.

SOCOM 4 will be set in Southeast Asia after a revolution endangers a vital shipping lane similar to the Strait of Malacca. Players assume the role of the commander of a five-man squad of NATO commandos dispatched to prevent international trade from being disrupted. Their mission will only last six days, a time limit that Sony says will add urgency into the campaign.

As is a staple for the series, SOCOM 4 will have an extensive multiplayer component, allowing for teams of players to shoot it out in 32-player matches. Terrain types will include a hostile jungle and half-ruined cities.

For more on SOCOM 4, check out GameSpot's brand-new hands-on preview.