MMORPG.com's Carolyn Koh recently attended an Open House for Sony Online Entertainment's Seattle offices where they are busily building the spy-based MMORPG, The Agency. Today, Koh brings us up-to-date on the game, its rating and more.

SoE took advantage of the 2008 ION Games Conference this year and had a media open house for The Agency at their Seattle offices.  The Open House started at 7:00pm and the last panel ended at 6:00pm, so a few of us hoped that there would be food.  There was.  Food, drink and a couple of booth babes, representing the U.N.I.T.E. and ParaGon agents.  I looked around for burly Duncan but was doomed to disappointment.  The presentation though, was no disappointment despite their showing the same trailer from CES 08. 

Media and friends were treated to a display of the concept art of The Agency, a small tour of the studio, many artists and devs to speak to, many whom sported a temporary ParaGon tattoo for the night and of course, the presentation by Lead Designer, Hal Milton.

Read it all here.

Anyone have an idea when this is planning for launch?

Thanks.

Since it is going to be a cash store MMO, you can chalk this up as another mediocre SOE offering.

Smedley has lost any sense of the MMO market he once had, time for him to be the big boot.

Originally posted by ssnautilus

Anyone have an idea when this is planning for launch?

 

Thanks.

I actually wonder if there are people that will play it?  I won't but if there are people still playing DnL and SWG, then I'm sure someone will play this one too.  Taking $OE out of the picture, I don't see this going well because its a store game, where you buy things for real money, yet is still free to play otherwise.

However, that formula kind of works for Guild Wars, but I think $OE is taking it to a different level.  I've this kind of system is popular with Korean MMO fans, but I've also read that the western markets can't stand this kind of system.

I suppose we will have to see how this plays out.

Originally posted by Ozmodan

Since it is going to be a cash store MMO, you can chalk this up as another mediocre SOE offering.

Smedley has lost any sense of the MMO market he once had, time for him to be the big boot.

Word.

Originally posted by m240gulf

 

Originally posted by ssnautilus

Anyone have an idea when this is planning for launch?

 

Thanks.

Doesn't matter, nobody is going to play it.

 

 

I actually wonder if there are people that will play it?  I won't but if there are people still playing DnL and SWG, then I'm sure someone will play this one too.  Taking $OE out of the picture, I don't see this going well because its a store game, where you buy things for real money, yet is still free to play otherwise.

However, that formula kind of works for Guild Wars, but I think $OE is taking it to a different level.  I've this kind of system is popular with Korean MMO fans, but I've also read that the western markets can't stand this kind of system.

I suppose we will have to see how this plays out.

 

 

I'm sure people will play it upon first release -- it's going to be free after all.  Depending on how much the mincrotransactions proliferate can dictate lasting power though.  Perhaps SOE will regularly open up new servers to bring new blood in (and then charge a hefty transfer fee to those who don't want to start again.)

Finally some new news on this!  I thought this game had been given up, with the lack of anything from SOE.  Still, I cant wait for it to come out, as this was the reason I signed up on MMORPG.com

It isn't a store game. They offer a service where people can buy loot from other players for real money. People are going to do this anyway, they offer a safe way to do it. All the loot can be found in game, you don't have to buy anything.

  The Agency is certainly getting alot of attention. If only this amount of attention was spend on other SOE MMO titles they would not have to put all of their eggs (talent and time)  into this title and "Free Realms"

 Its saddens the current and the Cancelled SOE customers that the same energy is spent on the older titles. 

I can hardly wait to see if these new PS3/PC MMOs from SOE will be all that and a bag of chips.

Based on Customer service history , I am betting not..

Originally posted by m240gulf

 

Originally posted by ssnautilus

Anyone have an idea when this is planning for launch?

 

Thanks.

Doesn't matter, nobody is going to play it.

 

 

I actually wonder if there are people that will play it?  I won't but if there are people still playing DnL and SWG, then I'm sure someone will play this one too.  Taking $OE out of the picture, I don't see this going well because its a store game, where you buy things for real money, yet is still free to play otherwise.

However, that formula kind of works for Guild Wars, but I think $OE is taking it to a different level.  I've this kind of system is popular with Korean MMO fans, but I've also read that the western markets can't stand this kind of system.

I suppose we will have to see how this plays out.

 

 

Of course people are going to play it. Not everyone is adverse to cash stores or the Sony system of buying from other players.

And since we all know people use real money to purchase currency and powerleveling on line, and since we know it's big business, it stands to reason that this will not phase many.

Also, given that it is not sci-fi or fantasy, it offers another type of game to the genre.

Originally posted by JestorRodo

  The Agency is certainly getting alot of attention. If only this amount of attention was spend on other SOE MMO titles they would not have to put all of their eggs (talent and time)  into this title and "Free Realms"

 Its saddens the current and the Cancelled SOE customers that the same energy is spent on the older titles. 

I can hardly wait to see if these new PS3/PC MMOs from SOE will be all that and a bag of chips.

Based on Customer service history , I am betting not..

 

 

We get it, you're the clown all swg vets adore and you despise SOE.  Do you have something better to contribute?

Actually, Smedley has stated that it hasn't yet been determined whether "The Agency" will be subscription based or FTP. A lot will depend on the success of their upcoming FTP game, "Free Realms", targeted at the tweenybopper set.

As to whether the Western market will go for a FTP game, he cites the success of Runequest and their 11 million active players.

See www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24735969/

SOE's reputation for pulling the rug out from customers and fundamentally changing their games aside, this will be a RMT revenue game and I refuse to play any form of approved RMT including developer sponsored RMT. Why play a MMOG where people are allowed and encouraged to buy their way?

Originally posted by therain93

 

Originally posted by JestorRodo

  The Agency is certainly getting alot of attention. If only this amount of attention was spend on other SOE MMO titles they would not have to put all of their eggs (talent and time)  into this title and "Free Realms"

 Its saddens the current and the Cancelled SOE customers that the same energy is spent on the older titles. 

I can hardly wait to see if these new PS3/PC MMOs from SOE will be all that and a bag of chips.

Based on Customer service history , I am betting not..

 

 

It's really a shame that Apple isn't spending as much time working on the previous generations of their ipods too -- it saddens their current and previous customers.... 

 

We get it, you're the clown all swg vets adore and you despise SOE.  Do you have something better to contribute?

I have a great idea , Why don't you visit me at the Rodo Report

http://groups.myspace.com/Rodoreport

There we can talk  more freely - I am looking forward to it

JESTOR!

I am definatly going to try this. i thought SOE did a fantastic job ( and still are) with Everquest 2 and i want to support new innovations and environments in MMO gaming.

Looking forward to this

http://images.mmorpg.com/features/1953/images/1953_1_t.jpg

...And so we meet the 1st recipient of the SOE G.I.R.L (Gamers in Real Life) Scholarship program?  Way to go SOE!  Great job bridging that gender gap! 

If this game wasn't SOE I might look at it. I will never touch a SOE product no matter what it is. I don't care how good any game they make in the future is.  

Too many lies, scams, and bad buisness practices from this company.

SOE=bad buisness that will not hesitate to rip people off or lie to them if they see a potential $$.

No offense to anyone on a SOE game that is lucky enough to not experience this.

Originally posted by m240gulf

 

Originally posted by ssnautilus

Anyone have an idea when this is planning for launch?

 

Thanks.

Doesn't matter, nobody is going to play it.

 

 

I actually wonder if there are people that will play it?  I won't but if there are people still playing DnL and SWG, then I'm sure someone will play this one too.  Taking $OE out of the picture, I don't see this going well because its a store game, where you buy things for real money, yet is still free to play otherwise.

However, that formula kind of works for Guild Wars, but I think $OE is taking it to a different level.  I've this kind of system is popular with Korean MMO fans, but I've also read that the western markets can't stand this kind of system.

I suppose we will have to see how this plays out.

 

 

I certainly will play it. If the content and style will not change substantially, of course.

I'm assuming this is for PoS3 only?  Havn't cared to look, anyway I would try any MMO regardless if it was cash shop attached or not!  However I won't spend what little money I have for gaming on a PoS3 just for this....heh  I've played and enjoyed many of Asian F2P MMOs with cash shops too.

Would be nice if SoE would stop being so dumb about all their MMOs and stop ruining them!  Kinda odd that they keep doing this and makes me wonder how many players keep supporting these ideas for SOE to keep doing what they do.

Guess I missed the part about it being a cash shop game before :(

I'll try it anyway just because it has a different setting.

What I'd REALLY love to see is an MMO that transcends genre by allowing the character to jump from setting to setting [World 1 is fantasy, World 2 is "modern", World 3 is Modern + Magic, World 5 is a space opera, etc]  A GURPS or generic d20 skill set could form the backbone of the system with particular rules for each world [magic works here, but not there, etc]