'The Agency' cancelled, 3 SOE studios closed
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:12 pm
Update:
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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.
http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/115/1158571p1.html
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"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".
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