March 31, 2011 by Paul Curtin
Sad news in the MMO world today, Sony Online Entertainment confirmed that they are closing their Denver, Seattle and Tucson studios. The company will be cutting 205 jobs in the process and worst of all, canceling the highly anticipated MMO, The Agency.
The spy-based MMO was set to feature first-person shooter-style gun fighting, with the ability to switch between third and first person views, with some driving and other vehicular segments as well. Skill was to be the primary determining factor in the success of the player, though the game would still use some RPG elements as well. One of the main features was the head shot system where one shot to the head would instantly kill any player, suggesting that it would have been somewhat realistic. The Agency, which used the Unreal Engine, was set for release on PlayStation 3 and Windows. Here’s an official statement from SOE regarding the situation:
“As part of this restructuring, SOE is discontinuing production of The Agency so it can focus development resources on delivering two new MMOs based on its renowned PlanetSide and EverQuest properties, while also maintaining its current portfolio of online games.”
“All possible steps are being taken to ensure team members affected by the transition are treated with appropriate concern.”
