A couple of days back, Sony Online Entertainment announced The Agency. A spy-versus-spy type of MMO. To get through the news bits about it, check my newspost on GameClubCentral.com.
In my opinion, a very cool concept. And I'm definitly wondering how this will play out. There are a couple of brand new ideas here. It'll be the first MMO to cross-platform PC with PS3, and from the sounds of it, you'll have access to the same characters on both systems. I know it's not the first MMO to be cross platform, we have a couple there already. But seeing the PS3 has 8 cores available, it looks like this might be the first commercial MMO to propperly support multi-core systems.
In the behing-the-scenes movie they're talking about the current spy themed games, and how The Agency differs from them. While I'm sure they can't really do away with all the sneaking around, it sounds like the focus will be more on the shooter aspect. Or maybe along the lines of the old Spy vs. Spy comics.
The two sides you can choose from really look to be opposites. In the movie they show one busting in on the other (and subsequentaly getting the hostage killed). There is some big fun potential there, and they don't seem to be wasting it either.
Another concept is the one of Operatives. Operatives aid you in your missions through varrious means, and they seem to be some kind of "loot item" for this game. Better operatives work faster, and do more advanced stuff. And it seems that they will be working on, even if you're not. Definitly sounds a bit like Eve, and some of those web based games where things also continue after you log off. Like you may have to wait till they have constructed that new super car you ordered.
Ofcource most this is all drawing conclusions by reading between the lines, so take it as you will. If you are interresting in the game however, it looks like there's a way to get into some form of beta test around somewhere. However, I'm going to leave the spy work to you, to find the way to join up on that!
- SG