The Agency interview PC

This month in PCGZine, we've been talking to producer of The Agency Dan Myers. The Agency is due out later this year, and will be a online multiplayer shooter set in the murky world of espionage. With a strong PvP element, is The Agency really an MMOFPS or a huge online shooter? How will the NPCs interact with your character? And what spy games have influenced the development? We've asked all the questions and we have everything you need to know about The Agency in this issue.
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The Agency interview for the PC

Sony Online Entertainment is no stranger to multiplayer shooters, with the classic MMOFPS Planetside a great success back in the day. But times and tastes have moved on, and where Starship Troopers was the order of the day in Planetside's time, we're now Bourne again into a world of modern espionage, shifting allegiances and slick action. The Agency Producer Dan Myers brings us in from the cold...

How many players will be supported in PvP gameplay? Is this an MMO or a large online shooter?
We're developing a more focused shooter, and not building large scale PvP combat like PlanetSide. Expect focused PvP that is similar to other modern shooters. The combat style and some gameplay elements take cues from action shooters, while much of the gameplay structure (progression and exploration) is similar to MMOs. The best way to think of it is as an online persistent shooter combining the best elements of both worlds.

The style is slightly cartoon-like, why did you prefer this to a more realistic look?
There are a lot of reasons to not go with a more realistic look. It can be awfully difficult to go for a realistic look and not end up with something that turns off players. Also, The Agency is going have a lighter, more humorous take on the spy genre.