• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The Agency (PS3/PC) cancelled, 3 SOE studios closed, 200+ layoffs across SOE studios

Kifimbo

Member
Sad for the employees, but it looked like a smart decision. You can't work for years on one project and not deliver.
 

V_Ben

Banned
[Nintex] said:
Ah yes for whatever reason, when people get fired in the gaming industry they inform George Broussard and I'm not even joking.

It's bizarre. He's taken on a new form as somewhat of a tipster.
 

TheOddOne

Member
[Nintex] said:
Ah yes for whatever reason, when people get fired in the gaming industry they inform George Broussard and I'm not even joking.
He knows a lot of people and they speak fondly of him. Its pretty great that he has so many contacts in the gaming industry.
 

bluemax

Banned
I remember interviewing with them back in 2008 right after I landed my first job in the industry. Hard to believe they *STILL* haven't released the game.
 

Grisby

Member
For a time I was really looking forward to the Agency. If they ever released it I'd still check it out.

Sad for the people though. Hope they land on their feet.
 
Damn. I hope the affected people get back on their feet quickly.

I also hope The Agency is fine. It was scheduled for a late 2011 release.
 
I'm not certain but wasn't there a similar story a few months back about this, Sony basically let a few people go and some of the senior members of the studio were upset and there wasn't an update to the story: until now I guess. Overall disappointing though because The Agency looked promising.
 

TheOddOne

Member
ElectricBlue187 said:
Holy shit. That's a really long time to keep a project going on the wrong track. Poor management
Seems UE engine might have contributed to it being so long in development.
 

Morn

Banned
SOE Seattle, SOE Denver (TCG studio), and SOE Tucson (PoxNora studio) closed.

Half of SOE Austin (DCUO, SWG) laid off.

Large number of SOE San Diego laid off.

Total of 1/3rd of the company.
 
Morn said:
SOE Seattle, SOE Denver (TCG studio), and SOE Tucson (PoxNora studio) closed.

Half of SOE Austin (DCUO, SWG) laid off.

Large number of SOE San Diego laid off.

Total of 1/3rd of the company.

So which are the SOE games that still have active development?
 

Morn

Banned
BrokenSymmetry said:
So which are the SOE games that still have active development?
EQ, EQ2, SWG, DCUO, FreeRealms, EQ Next, and PlanetSide 2.

The SOE Austin layoffs are most likely the standard post-launch MMO downsizing that happens after every launch. The Live Team doesn't need to be nearly as large as when the game was in development, so most get axxed about a month or two after the game ships.
 

Morn

Banned
Galvanise_ said:
So The Agency is probably 99% cancelled then.

Jeez. A third of the company. Shit must be going down behind the scenes.
Digital TCGs are extremely niche (SOE Denver), PoxNora was never popular (SOE Tuscon), and The Angecy was in development hell for about six years. Even for a MMO that's a bit extreme and when the studio heads gave up on it and left, the writing was on the wall.

I don't think The Angecy should come out. SOE should cut their losses and focus on getting both PlanetSide and EQ Next in beta.
 
Morn said:
EQ, EQ2, SWG, DCUO, FreeRealms, EQ Next, and PlanetSide 2.

The SOE Austin layoffs are most likely the standard post-launch MMO downsizing that happens after every launch. The Live Team doesn't need to be nearly as large as when the game was in development, so most get axxed about a month or two after the game ships.
Phew. Was worried there for a minute. I want to see how these two games turn sout.
 
Top Bottom