'The Agency' cancelled, 3 SOE studios closed

The Agency Cancelled, Layoffs at SOE
Over 200 employees let go. Three studios closed

Sony Online Entertainment has gone through a company-wide reorganization today, and in the process cancelled the long-developed massively multiplayer online project The Agency and closed studios in Denver, Colo., Seattle, Wash., and Tucson, Ariz.

The reorganization, which will eliminate approximately 205 jobs, was done to "reduce costs and streamline its global workforce." The company also cancelled The Agency, first revealed in 2007, so it could "focus development resources on delivering two new MMOs based on its renowned PlanetSide and EverQuest properties." SOE claims this move will not affect its current portfolio of titles available now, such as DC Universe Online.

Below is SOE's statement in full:

As part of a strategic decision to reduce costs and streamline its global workforce, SOE announced today that it will eliminate 205 positions and close its Denver, Seattle and Tucson studios. 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.

This strategic decision will have no impact on SOE's current portfolio of live games; additionally SOE will transition development efforts for the Denver and Tucson studios' suite of products to its San Diego headquarters. This strategic alignment of development resources better positions SOE to remain a global leader in online gaming and deliver on its promise of creating entertaining games for players of all ages, and servicing the 20 million players that visited SOE servers in just the past year.

"No reboot" to The Agency as staff leave

Eurogamer has learned that several senior staff have left Sony Online Entertainment's Seattle studio - the developer currently making espionage MMO The Agency for PC and PS3 - including the studio head.

Studio director and executive producer Matt Wilson, art director Corey Dangel, and producer John Smith left at the start of July to form a new studio called Detonator Games, as confirmed at the Detonator Games website.

"It's true that Corey and I no longer work for SOE," Wilson told us. "This was a very hard decision to make, but it's the right decision for both us and the project. There were a variety of factors into making this decision, but we wish SOE and The Agency the best success."

Wilson and Smith were founding members of the Seattle studio, which was formed from their previous start-up, Fireant. Prior to that, they, along with several other SOE Seattle staff, worked at Microsoft on the cancelled MMO Mythica.

SOE declined to comment on their departure, saying it was a personal matter.

The move naturally raises questions about the future of The Agency, which has been in development since the formation of the SOE Seattle studio in early 2005. Sources in the Seattle game development community suggested to Eurogamer that the game will now undergo an extensive rethink and may be delayed beyond its current projected 2010 release date.

However, SOE flatly denied this, telling Eurogamer that "The Agency is not undergoing a reboot of any sorts - that is incorrect." The spokesperson added that "the team in Seattle is still working diligently on this project and we're looking forward to showing you new content in the future".

The Agency was demonstrated at E3 and as recently as the SOE Fan Faire in late June, where a friend of Eurogamer told us it was playable and "really quite good".

Sony closing The Agency dev today?

The studio developing PS3 spy MMO The Agency, Sony Online Entertainment Seattle, may be closed today. Will The Agency be cancelled as a result?

Duke Nukem creator and 3D Realms co-founder George Broussard broke the news on Twitter.

"Word that Sony Online Entertainment Seattle is having lay-offs and that studio closure is possible," he tweeted last night.

"To be more clear, the lay-offs may be SOE wide and not just limited to Seattle. So, Austin, San Diego, etc..." he clarified.

Hours later, Broussard added: "SOE Seattle and other studios (Denver is rumored) will be closed tomorrow. Good luck to all impacted."

Following a recent delay, The Agency was given a new release date of late 2011. Eurogamer spoke to Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley in January who insisted that "late this year" was still very much the launch plan.

Smedley elaborated, telling us there were slightly under 115 people working on the spy-themed MMO, and 50 were to be reserved for post-launch development and patches.

MMOs are notoriously expensive games to make and, ambitiously, Sony Online Entertainment has (had?) more than one in development: PlanetSide Next, EverQuest Next and The Agency. SOE also has the upkeep of Free Realms and DC Universe Online to see to.

But they were successful, weren't they? DC Universe Online became SOE's fastest-selling game ever, according to a John Smedley tweet earlier this year. Free Realms, meanwhile, enjoys 17 million registered accounts and has just welcomed a PS3 version across North America (European launch forthcoming).

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011- ... -dev-today

Magius wrote:I rather liked the idea of The Agency. Oh well, nevermind.

Garth wrote:This topic is nearly two years old!

Updated with the latest.

At least the new PlanetSide isn't affected by this!