SOE Closes Three Studios, Forced To Cancel The Agency

Into every life, a little rain must fall.

In an effort to reduce costs and streamline its global workforce, Sony Online Entertainment has announced the closing of its Denver, Seattle, and Tucson studios. This will result in the loss of 205 jobs and unfortunately, the maneuver means SOE's promising project, The Agency, has been canceled. Instead, they're re-allocating resources to focus on two new MMOs based on their PlanetSide and EverQuest franchises. Sony also wants to make it clear that this move "will have no impact on SOE's current portfolio of live games." Therefore, if you're a fan of DC Universe Online, you needn't worry about losing one of your favorite games. The Agency was first revealed way back in 2007 but we hadn't heard much since that unveiling, and it seems the project wasn't far enough along to warrant further pursuit.

We never like reporting news like this, but when it comes to big business, it's never all roses.

Related Game(s): The Agency

Tags: the agency, soe, sony online entertainment

3/31/2011 8:48:05 PM John Shepard

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Comments (35 posts)

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PasteNuggs
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 9:12:53 PM
Reply

Wow, I was hoping this wouldn't effect Sony but I guess when your top quality games don't always get the attention they deserve you have to cut somewhere. Never good for the industry no matter what the circumstance.

2 up, 0 down

TheCrazyMerc
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 9:28:08 PM
Reply

I was so looking foward to Agency :'(

6 up, 0 down

OtisFeelgood
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 10:12:57 PM

You and me both. =(

3 up, 0 down

sirbob6
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 9:30:38 PM
Reply

Well then... That is sorta depressing...

4 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 9:38:35 PM
Reply

Ack, that first line gave me a serious Fallout 3 flashback. *shakes head*

What a shame, The Agency sounded sort of interesting. At least people won't mix it up with Agent anymore.

3 up, 0 down

Qubex
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 3:21:33 AM

Funny you say that, I thought for a moment it was The Agent that was being trashed... oh well... such is life in the games world!

Q!

"play.experience.enjoy"

0 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 10:08:08 PM
Reply

This is a huge bummer on all 4 fronts

1 up, 0 down

sha4dowknight05
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 10:13:06 PM
Reply

Well I never looked forward to that game anyways. That game seemed to complex and having text message sent to your cell phone would be cool and all but not a simple manner of the game.

1 up, 2 down

The Doom
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 10:34:09 PM
Reply

Those stupid ******

Last edited by The Doom on 3/31/2011 10:38:35 PM

0 up, 7 down

Underdog15
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 6:40:02 AM

All-stars? Shining stars? Northern stars?

2 up, 3 down

The Doom
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 9:21:02 AM

Was that supposed to be related to what I said about Canada? If so, then that's the lamest response from it I've ever heard. And if I'm right about that comment being about that ****ing country, then it seems I struck a nerve xD

1 up, 2 down

Underdog15
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 12:52:33 PM

uh, what??

It must look different on your screen, because I see a bunch of '*'s. Maybe your browser doesn't have it filtered or something? I dunno.

And I truly couldn't give two licks what you think of Canada. I don't even know where you're from or who you are.

Last edited by Underdog15 on 4/1/2011 12:56:55 PM

0 up, 0 down

DazeOfWar
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 10:36:33 PM
Reply

Sorry for all the people losing their jobs. I hope the best for them all.

2 up, 0 down

frylock25
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 10:39:35 PM
Reply

dude its april fools guys and you all just fell for psx's joke. duh hello. this game isnt canceled but i see quite a few people are falling for "John's" fun.

Last edited by frylock25 on 3/31/2011 10:40:46 PM

0 up, 2 down

Geobaldi
Thursday, March 31, 2011 @ 11:54:50 PM

This story has been reported on other sites too before it was posted here, so it's not PSX's April Fools joke.

2 up, 0 down

bigrailer19
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 12:03:59 AM

Well I'm on the west coast in the U.S. So either way, this was reported march 31.

3 up, 0 down

frylock25
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 12:12:22 AM

yeah im noticing its not just here. but do notice the date it is posted on. this story is for april 1st. sony has done this before. so yes it appears its not psx but actually sony. still i will bet this is an april fools joke.

ill go further to say we will see something about this game soon.

Last edited by frylock25 on 4/1/2011 12:13:23 AM

0 up, 1 down

kraygen
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 1:47:16 AM

I wish you were right, but this doesn't seem like it would be funny. I think it it's just news, yes it's april 1st, but stuff happens on that day too.

3 up, 0 down

dante_zero
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 12:28:20 AM
Reply

i'm gutted tbh, i've been following the Agency since it was announced and had high hopes for it. seems such a waste to can it after it had been given a new release date for the end of this year.

1 up, 0 down

anti
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 12:49:38 AM
Reply

Unless they are in on it, the joke would not be very funny to the 205 people reportedly losing their job...the timing of this is suspect but I wouldn't be surprised to see The Agency canned. I hope it's a joke.

2 up, 0 down

kraygen
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 1:48:24 AM
Reply

One word for this,

Suckagawea!

0 up, 2 down

___________
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 4:24:27 AM
Reply

this is exactly why sony are reporting the biggest losses the company has ever seen!
there more interested in bringing useless features to the system, then they are giving us the games they promised!
sony, we dont want netflix!
we dont want a movie streaming service! (which charges almost twice what blockbuster does!)
we dont want qurocity!
we dont want facebook and all that other social service crap!
the ps3 is a gaming machiene, so why are you wasting your time, money, and resources on this crap?
would that not be better spent keeping these guys, and giving us our promised MMOs?
this is whats destroying the company, there more interested in turning it into a media hub then what its suppose to be!
you cant have the best of both worlds, there trying to turn the ps3 into GT5!
has everything, but does nothing perfectly!
id much rather it do only gaming, and do that perfectly!
can we please stop trading off development studios for useless services we dont need?
please!?

1 up, 13 down

Underdog15
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 6:40:48 AM

lol!

failpost.

4 up, 3 down

Looking Glass
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 7:16:28 AM

@Underdog15

You got that right.

3 up, 1 down

Looking Glass
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 7:26:34 AM

Anyway, this goes without saying but never mind that Sony-hating troll.

2 up, 2 down

Underdog15
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 8:45:26 AM

That one word was easier to write than addressing everything I took issue with.

3 up, 2 down

___________
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 10:41:18 AM

wait, so you would rather sony waste there resources on netflix, qurocity and all that crap then give us games they promised?
i dunno about anyone else, but give me 8 days, the getaway 3 and the agency over netflix any day of the week!

0 up, 5 down

rogers71
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 12:06:47 PM

Once again, you live up to what we expect from you 'Mr No Name'. Sony didn't have to put any resources into Netflix and they most certainly do not make any money from it. Netflix is on every freakin' thing you buy now.

The service is ran by Netflix, all Sony did was to allow the Netflix servers to be accessed by the PS3. Come on, just because you don't use it, that makes it obsolete. If that is the case, then your brain and common sense are extremely obsolete because you haven't used either when posting on this site. You are always entertaining though. I will give you that.

7 up, 0 down

___________
Saturday, April 02, 2011 @ 8:28:28 AM

right, so netflix, qrocity, the movie download service, facebook, twitter, vidzone, and others just magically flew onto the ps3 and the servers used for the services are magically run off wheat juice while hugging trees!
come on, you cant be that naive!

0 up, 3 down

Underdog15
Monday, April 04, 2011 @ 10:11:19 AM

We're naive? you think Sony runs every single server for every service and game run through the PS3?

1 up, 0 down

Excelsior1
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 6:44:16 AM
Reply

well, they should focus on games. there's nothing wrong with sony adding features, but it should me marketed primarily as a hardcore gaming machine. i will agree with that.

about the only beef i had with gt5 was it's weak online structuring, and inconsistent presentation. oh, and the shadows.

2 up, 2 down

Looking Glass
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 7:20:36 AM
Reply

I wasn't particularly looking forward to The Agency but this news saddens me all the same. I hope this new Planetside and Everquest stuff helps to ease the pain.

1 up, 1 down

Snorge
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 10:53:20 AM
Reply

OMG, I've been waiting for The Agency since it was announced. I was very interested in this. Damn, I HOPE this is a joke....but......we HAVENT heard anything cement about it for a while now....

0 up, 0 down

Danny007
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 2:50:07 PM
Reply

I read the title of this article way to fast. I thought it said that Agent was cancelled. I was about ready to kill someone. Good thing, I read it again.

1 up, 0 down

Nick Maim
Friday, April 01, 2011 @ 4:22:13 PM
Reply

First I thought this is April Fools joke day early. Then realized it's the Agency not AGENT, and went back to my regularily scheduled gaming.

1 up, 0 down

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