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The Agency to be microtransaction free after all
While spending boatloads of cash on ritzy garments and top-of-the-line gadgetry may seem like a natural behavior for an international man or woman of mystery, gamers weren't keen to last month's announcement that Sony Online Entertainment's upcoming MMO The Agency would be riddled with character-customizing microtransactions. Fortunately, in a recent interview with Eurogamer, the game's developers set the record straight, ensuring that we won't be blowing all our real-world money on digital Emporio Armanis.The developers explained that they had not enlisted the aid of virtual trading house Live Gamer to establish a microtransaction system, but rather to create a real-world auction house to allow players to trade and sell in-game items (much like the Everquest II Station Exchange). It seems your operatives will have to secure new attire the old fashioned way -- by viciously bonking an appropriately dressed underling, pulling him behind a curtain, and performing a sartorial quick change that would put even Hannah Montana to shame.
Meet The Agency's two factions: ParaGON and U.N.I.T.E.
It has been our experience that all great spy organizations come in rivaling pairs -- take, for example, SD-6 and the CIA, CONTROL and KAOS, UNITY and H.A.R.M., and of course, the aptly titled Spy vs. Spy. Sony Online Entertainment's much anticipated MMO for the PS3, The Agency, appears to follow the conventions of spy fiction by including two main factions players must choose between: The United Nations Intelligence and Tactical Experts (U.N.I.T.E.) and The Paramilitary Global Operations Network (ParaGON).The above trailer is a delicious morsel of the espionage-heavy atmosphere featured in the title, but it doesn't do much to persuade us to either side. We mean, enlisting in a spy organization is serious business -- does U.N.I.T.E. have dental? What kind of insurance policy does ParaGON provide? We've heard good things about U.N.I.T.E.'s retirement options, but can we afford to miss out on ParaGON's frequent company picnics to Dollywood? Decisions, decisions!
SOE president sees more MMOs on PS3
In an interview with the Seattle Times, Sony Online Entertainment head, John Smedley, sees a future for MMOs on the PS3. He tells the paper that MMOs are going to be a "real strong selling point for the PS3" and uses The Agency as an example. More collaboration between the online and console divisions makes sense now that SOE reports to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.Smedley believes that MMOs will reach a 50/50 ratio between men and women over the next decade. He believes some of these games will be "as big as hit movies." Funny thing is that there's already a few out there, like World of Warcraft -- too bad that one only belongs to Blizzard.[Via GameDaily]
SOE to report directly to Kaz Hirai, SCEI
Sony has announced a change in the relationship between two of its, err, Sonys, namely Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and Sony Online Entertainment. If we understand the press release correctly -- the pop-up pictures were an immense help -- SOE will be reporting directly to SCEI president and group CEO, Kaz Hirai, as of April 1, 2008. The structural change is "designed to mutually benefit both companies by further accelerating the PlayStation business through SOE's strong online gaming expertise," which ultimately boils down to more "exciting entertainment offerings" to consumers.SOE will continue to develop said exciting entertainment offerings for the PlayStation 3 and PC, with company president John Smedley reporting to Hirai and making sure he says things like, "We are thrilled to become a part of the incredible team that has made PLAYSTATION 3 the premier platform for next generation online gaming." SOE is currently hard at work on The Agency, a promising spy-themed MMO shooter for PC and PS3.
Sony wants The Agency to be free to play
At this week's Leipzig Games Convention, the president of Sony Online Entertainment John Smedley held a talk on "Subscriptions vs Micro-transactions" in regards to MMO games. During the briefing, he indicated that Sony was looking at making their upcoming pc/ps3 spy-themed MMO a free play title, meaning there would be no subscription fee (unlike World of Warcraft). Instead, SOE would fund the title via micro-transactions and a 'velvet-rope policy' where certain area are only available if people pay for access.Smedley acknowledged that consumers are used to the subscription based model (as is SOE, considering their long history of subscription based MMOs), but said that they "believe very strongly that this is the future of MMO gaming, but we also know that it is something that players have an issue with... There's going to be an aftermarket, and we want to control it so that players don't get duped into having something switched out from them."So instead of paying a gold farmer or a rare-item hunter to hook you up with in-game goodies, Sony wants to have you pay them for the loot in a controlled manner so you don't have to deal with shady dealers. Also, this way you don't have to pay a subscription fee -- you just pay for what you want, in an a la carte method. An interesting idea all around, but sure to be controversial. Which would you rather do, pay 15 dollars a month in subscription fees or pay 5-20 dollars a month (depending on what you buy) in micro-transaction fees?
SOE: All our MMOs in development have a console component
Sony Online Entertainment has been responsible for some of the most popular MMO games ever. The studio behind Everquest (1 and 2), Planetside, Vanguard and a host of other massively multiplayer games has recently unveiled a new lineup of titles, including Gods & Heroes, The Agency, Free Realms, and the just-announced Ramayan 3392 A.D (see above image). Though only The Agency has been announced for the PlayStation 3, Nicholas Beliaeff recently tossed a bucket of gasoline on the rumor fire that we may be getting a couple more massively massive games on the PS3.When asked by Gamasutra if SOE is looking more seriously at console MMOs, Nicholas said, "Absolutely. We have EverQuest Online Adventures that came out on the PS2 four years ago, and that was one of the first, along with Final Fantasy XI, to be a console MMO. For us as a company moving forward, all of our MMOs in development have a console component."It's the last line that is the most exciting to us, it strongly indicates that SOE is going to be supporting the PSN in a big, BIG way. While this isn't as big as say, an announcement that Warcrack is coming to the PS3 -- the acknowledgment that every MMO that SOE makes from now on will appear on the PS3 is pretty amazing. So ... which SOE MMO do you want?
Cross-platform support still up in the air for The Agency
While it hasn't been completely ruled out at this point, SOE hasn't made a decision on whether to make The Agency cross-platform compatible between the PS3 and it's distant cousin, the PC. Lead designer Hal Milton said, "we're evaluating cross-platform support" and then completely closed the topic with the declarative "we're not prepared to make a statement at this time." The Agency isn't the only game set to release on PS3 and PC without the confirmation of dual-platform support between the two. Seeing as how we're breaching a new frontier here, we are beginning to wonder if PS3 gamers can, or even want to live a happy co-existence with their PC brethren. Although critically flawed, Shadowrun seemed to offer a pleasurable cross-platform experience between the PC and the Xbox 360. What do you think? Can SOE pull it off with The Agency? %Gallery-3823%
Joystiq interview: Sherry Floyd, producer, The Agency
Sherry Floyd is the red-headed fireball who currently spends her days and nights producing Sony's upcoming The Agency. While you might think producing a spy and espionage MMO for PS3 and PC is all fun and games (nyuk, nyuk), apparently there's some work involved as well. We caught up with her to ask a few questions, which she managed to work in between the firing range and ... mud-wrestling?Read on, dear readers, to get the complete scoop -- and also check out our interview with the lead designer of the game.%Gallery-3830%
Joystiq interview: Hal Milton, lead designer, The Agency
How much more proof to do you need that Sony's The Agency has a devious lead designer working on things? Here's a picture of the guy as a young lad, suspiciously posing with a handheld Merlin game. Remember all the codes and secrets you had to punch into that little red devil? Plus the little raspberry sound it made when you got things wrong, ah ... the memories.Joystiq caught up with The Agency's Hal Milton recently, between secret missions and long hours up in Seattle where he's hard at work on this new MMO/RPG/CIA/FBI/U.N.C.L.E. title. Check out our interview with him after the break, and visit us tomorrow where we'll be hanging from guy wires and wearing a stealth suit into producer Sherry Floyd's office for some answers as well.%Gallery-3830%
PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 24
PSP Fanboy offers the latest and greatest movie and game trailers, formatted for the PSP in this new weekly feature. Check it out every Saturday. PSP owners can download files wirelessly via m.pspfanboy.com.Instructions: Save all movie and thumbnail files to the VIDEO folder. These high resolution 480x272 videos require firmware 3.30 or above. (Note: OE custom firmware will also play these videos.)New for PSP: Get selected videos delivered automatically to your PSP via our new RSS feed. Haze [PS3]Download MP4 (21.5MB) | Download JPG The following videos are featured after the break: The Agency (PS3), Soul Calibur IV (PS3, 360), Stranglehold (PS3, 360), Time Crisis 4 (PS3), The Darkness (PS3, 360), Mr. Bean's Holiday
Join up for an eventual beta with The Agency!
Yes, we know, there was a lot of anticipation for the big June 11th announcement. Some of you were disappointed about the announcement of MMOG The Agency for the PS3 and PC. Others of you were surprised and pleased. We're not ones to discriminate, so to both parties, we'd like to direct your attention to the official site of The Agency and help you navigate its seemingly empty flash page.After getting the loading screen up to the point where you view a smoking gun, go ahead and click on the bullet that mysteriously wrote out the name of the game -- The Agency -- and you'll be welcomed with a note detailing a mailing list where you will be "recruited" by one of two factions: ParaGON or U.N.I.T.E., which we can only assume means a public beta at some point in the future. We thought you'd like to know, so go on, everyone! Shoot them an e-mail with the stuff they ask for (just an e-mail address) and wait until further details make their way to your inbox.[via N4G]
Become an elite spy in new online shooter, The Agency
Video games are all about wish fulfillment and role playing. Previous games have glamorized the life of the rock star (Guitar Hero), the football player (Madden), and the janitor (Mario Sunshine). Sony Online Entertainment is ready to make gamers turn into something cooler than all of that: an international spy. In The Agency, a new online shooter for the PS3, players will be globe-trotting all around the world, taking on missions ripped straight out of the James Bond series."The inspiration for The Agency came from the spy and espionage genre. We want to put players in the heart of the action to experience what it's really like to live the life of an elite agent," said Hal Milton, Lead Designer at SOE. "Players will jet set around this virtual world to exotic locales, infiltrate enemy organizations to steal secrets and perpetrate sabotage, all the while building their own agency with an eye towards global domination."Agents will have to use a variety of skills to achieve their objectives. Level objectives will range from sneaky assassination attempts to all out assaults. Not only will players want mastery of their guns, truly successful spies will also control a variety of vehicles, and partake in mini-games at the local casino.%Gallery-3823%
PSM confirms The Agency, PS3-exclusive spy MMO
Previously revealed at this year's D.I.C.E. summit as a Bond-inspired MMO codenamed: Vista, GamesRadar -- sister site to print mag PSM -- proudly reports that Sony has confirmed the SOE-developed title as ... The Agency. Not a lot of details available just yet, but they do hint at some of the varied game play options: dress in fatigues for a run-and-gun experience; don the spy outfit for something a little more covert. And where will you be covert? Why, in familiar spy locales like Eastern Europe and Venice (someone's been watching their spy-flicks). While no release date has been set, they expect that you'll be able to start spying this holiday season. And with a release date that close, we expect to hear a lot more about The Agency in the coming weeks ... Min-E3 perhaps?Read - Sony confirms PS3's first MMO (Games Radar)Read - PSM magazine scan (gameswank)
