Big things are happening at SOE these days, and whether you're talking about the newly minted DC Universe Online or the company's PlanetSide followup and spy-centric The Agency, it's an exciting time to be a fan. Eurogamer brings us a bit of info regarding potential release windows for both PlanetSide Next and The Agency, and the former looks to be gracing our desktops much sooner than we expected given the general lack of information to date.
"We're looking at late first quarter, early second quarter [2011]," says SOE head honcho John Smedley in regard to the long-awaited PlanetSide sequel. Players will have to wait a bit longer to get their espionage fix, as The Agency is still slated to arrive "late this year."
Why so long? It boils down to SOE's desire to differentiate itself from the competition. "There's some stuff coming out in the next two or three months, MMO-wise, and a lot of it is generic copycats of other games," Smedley tells Eurogamer. He also talks a bit about the impending arrival of Free Realms on the Playstation 3, intimating that the free-to-play title will spread its console wings in early February.
Reader Comments (44)
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 3:03PM Dril said
SOE sure are unique all right.
They're the only company that charges you $60~ for things that virtually every other P2P MMO would include as part of an expansion, or, shockingly, for *free* as part of a content patch.
Long live the Freeblood, eh?
They're the only company that charges you $60~ for things that virtually every other P2P MMO would include as part of an expansion, or, shockingly, for *free* as part of a content patch.
Long live the Freeblood, eh?
Posted: Jan 19th 2011 4:38PM pcgneurotic said
@Dril
The Freeblood thing is a tiny drop of nothing in the face of the years of full expansions and epic patches. If you're a disgruntled EQ2er, fair enough; if you're just bashing.... (insert rolly eyes here)
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The Freeblood thing is a tiny drop of nothing in the face of the years of full expansions and epic patches. If you're a disgruntled EQ2er, fair enough; if you're just bashing.... (insert rolly eyes here)
Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 10:05AM (Unverified) said
@Dril Strange, I got my Freeblood race for ... free, stop commenting about the F2P version (even there gold and platinum players get the race unlocked for free too with the expansion).
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Posted: Jan 17th 2011 3:12PM Grumms said
Planetside Next better not suck.
All I'm going to say.
All I'm going to say.
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 3:13PM Vager said
It's kinda crazy that Planetside Next suppose be coming out in a few months and there's still no official announcement of the game existing.
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 4:35PM Tazuras said
@Vager - Yeah, the lack of info considering how soon it is supposed to be released is what has me most concerned about planetside next. The only two possibilities that fit with this is either the date is way off or SOE is setting it up to fail (possibly because it's no good). I would rather have them wait and do development not to mention more advertising and marketing so they get a good player base instead of release so soon.
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Posted: Jan 17th 2011 7:16PM easybakeevan said
@Vager
I am stumped by this as well. Why are they keeping us in the dark? Don't they know Planetside vets are absolute FANATICS.
You can't just mildly like Planetside. At least I couldn't. I was completely convinced it was the best thing that ever happened to PC gaming. The fights were so epicccc!
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I am stumped by this as well. Why are they keeping us in the dark? Don't they know Planetside vets are absolute FANATICS.
You can't just mildly like Planetside. At least I couldn't. I was completely convinced it was the best thing that ever happened to PC gaming. The fights were so epicccc!
Posted: Jan 18th 2011 12:12AM Anatidae said
@Vager Maybe SoE is going to employ smarter marketing than every other MMO on the block with Planetside.
Look at Apple. Do you see them leaking information left and right about their iPad 2? Are they showing demos at every show they can? Putting up screenshots of iOS 5?
No, Apple waits until they have a finished - or near finished - product to show the world. They then make killer sales on emotional hype that far outweighs logic.
If SoE releases information about Planetside right at the moment they go open beta with it, then they will have serious buzz going on. Further, if they actually had a solid closed beta and they launch a strong open beta, they will generate a lot of excitement around pre-orders. Now, if you know that you will actually have the release of the game within a month or so of all this hype.. cha-ching!
MMO Developers are the worst marketers. They get us excited and slowly bore us to death with years of "hype". Ever hear of the boy who cried wolf?
All that said - it will come down to Planetside being a good game or not. I hope that it, at least, is as good as the first (i'll be happy at least for a while with that).
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Look at Apple. Do you see them leaking information left and right about their iPad 2? Are they showing demos at every show they can? Putting up screenshots of iOS 5?
No, Apple waits until they have a finished - or near finished - product to show the world. They then make killer sales on emotional hype that far outweighs logic.
If SoE releases information about Planetside right at the moment they go open beta with it, then they will have serious buzz going on. Further, if they actually had a solid closed beta and they launch a strong open beta, they will generate a lot of excitement around pre-orders. Now, if you know that you will actually have the release of the game within a month or so of all this hype.. cha-ching!
MMO Developers are the worst marketers. They get us excited and slowly bore us to death with years of "hype". Ever hear of the boy who cried wolf?
All that said - it will come down to Planetside being a good game or not. I hope that it, at least, is as good as the first (i'll be happy at least for a while with that).
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 3:17PM Miffy said
I feel like we're in for such a let down with Planetside 2.
Probably be smaller scale so they can make it a PS3 and PC game. Which means it'll all be instanced and not massive and seamless like the original. The only reason we want Planetside 2 is fir it to be bigger and have better graphics. we just want a modern looking Planetside.
It'll probably be UE3 and in third person too lol, I just feel like it'll be such a let down.... SOE's track record isn't good.
Probably be smaller scale so they can make it a PS3 and PC game. Which means it'll all be instanced and not massive and seamless like the original. The only reason we want Planetside 2 is fir it to be bigger and have better graphics. we just want a modern looking Planetside.
It'll probably be UE3 and in third person too lol, I just feel like it'll be such a let down.... SOE's track record isn't good.
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 3:36PM Yellowdancer said
@Miffy
You're confusing me...The Agency is for PS3 and Planeside Next will be for PC only...
I think they're releasing two mmos next year also...or maybe the year after. They keep busy, thats for sure.
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You're confusing me...The Agency is for PS3 and Planeside Next will be for PC only...
I think they're releasing two mmos next year also...or maybe the year after. They keep busy, thats for sure.
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 3:35PM xyna031 said
I hope this is good, im not from the time of the old planetside but i just ear good things about it!
And like it was said SOE's track record its gettin really really baad.
And like it was said SOE's track record its gettin really really baad.
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 3:51PM winterborn said
Smedbucks Lies !!!!!!!!!!
It smells of a cheap texture overhaul and a big fat Smedbucks store.
Never again $oE..............
It smells of a cheap texture overhaul and a big fat Smedbucks store.
Never again $oE..............
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 4:00PM werewood said
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CipS7xscLDQ
there are 3 LONG 10 min video of EQ next on the net. With Smedley and co. answering questions and showing concepts. Two ingame pics too.
Interesting. thought to share as on general SOE future releases.
there are 3 LONG 10 min video of EQ next on the net. With Smedley and co. answering questions and showing concepts. Two ingame pics too.
Interesting. thought to share as on general SOE future releases.
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 4:05PM Zantom said
yay! Agency news! I love spy theme, first person shooters, and MMOs. Lets hope the three together will rock!
I hope they take a few pages out of the No One Lives Forever series :)
I hope they take a few pages out of the No One Lives Forever series :)
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 4:14PM Sharuk said
"Generic copycats", is he referring to DCUO.
Posted: Jan 17th 2011 4:38PM iowahawkeyedave said
@Sharuk I'm guessing no since DCUO is already out, and hes talking about MMO's that come out in the next two or three months. I do wonder which ones hes referring to though.
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