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.



Character customization is a huge focus of the title. Players will be able to collect and wear a huge variety of gear that'll endow them with a variety of cool spy abilities. Of course, you are what you wear: choosing the right outfit for each mission can be the ultimate determinant of a mission's success. Depending on which faction players choose, tactics and abilities will alter drastically: will you choose to be sneaky and stealthy, or will you go in with guns blazing? As players grow in notoriety, they may want to join other agencies, or create their own, akin to guilds and clans from other online titles.

One of the more innovative aspects of the game has to be its use of a persistent world. Although gamers will be able to simply jump into mission-based battles, the fight is far from over once the user logs out of the world. Whilst away from the PS3, operatives can be hired to gather intel for new missions, or scout dealings in the underground market. To encourage immersion into the game world, gamers can have these operatives send real-world e-mail messages and instant messages 24/7. Imagine how cool your dinner date will think you are as you pick up your phone, see new mission objectives, and rush out to join the latest case. (Just don't tell her that you're rushing to a video game!)


The Agency looks to have a lot of potential. Everyone that got to see it demonstrated at Sony Online Entertainment had nothing but praise for this ambitious innovative title. Interestingly, the title has been announced for development on both PC and PS3. While cross-platform play hasn't been announced, we're hoping SOE takes such a feature into serious consideration. Ultimately, The Agency can be the killer online app that PS3 fans have been waiting for. With good looks, great personality, and innovative gameplay, we can't wait to see more.

For even more on The Agency, don't forget to check out our gallery and listen to our latest PlayStation Fancast. Also, read the full press release on Joystiq. If you're still hankering for more, visit the official SOE website.