The Agency downplays subs, will have ads

By Oli Welsh Published 27 November, 2008

Spy MMO considers revenue options.

We've known for a while that Sony Online Entertainment hasn't decided exactly how its PS3 and PC espionage MMO, The Agency, is going to make money.

In an interview with Kikizo, designer Kevin O'Hara has revealed that the jury's still out - but that SOE is leaning away from full subscritptions and towards advertising revenue.

"We're acutely aware that shooter players are not used to playing monthly fees, so I doubt we'll go for an outright USD 15 a month," O'Hara said.

"We'll definitely have some ad revenue models. The Agency's the perfect place for some in-game product placement," he added, presumably meaning the contemporary setting and aspirational materialism of the glamorous spy lifestyle. The producers of recent James Bond films would certainly agree.

As the company has noted before, The Agency will follow the findings from SOE's forthcoming family MMO Free Realms, a free-to-play game which includes every kind of revenue stream imaginable, from advertising to premium subscriptions, micro-transactions and a trading card game to be produced by Topps.

"We're checking out Free Realms to see how they're going to do with their micro-transactions, and we might incorporate some of that," O'Hara said.

However, earlier this year, lead designer Hal Milton told Eurogamer that micro-transactions wouldn't be used to sell game items.

We'll be seeing more of The Agency next year, and we can't wait.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • the_dudefather #1 3 years ago

    'he producers of recent James Bond films would certainly agree.'

    Casino royale's product placement was hilarious at times, security camera monitoring rooms commonly use blu-ray to store footage :D

  • Dizzy #2 3 years ago

    As if we do not have enough ads in our lives.

  • levitate #3 3 years ago

    This is not something that would interest me. I'd rather pay the £8 and not have advertisements everywhere in the game.

  • skullstorm #4 3 years ago

    If microtransactions aren't going towards game items then I suppose it could possibly be ad-removal. I don't mind ad support as long as theres an option to pay and not have them. Personally I think they have the right idea in mind about people that dont usually play mmo's and don't like the monthly fees. As for the game itself, I'm intrigued, I just hope it has full fledged mmo elements and isn't just a suped up GUNZ or something.

  • DFawkes #5 3 years ago

    I'd like the option. Ad-fests for cheapskates like me, non and perhaps some extra bits and pieces for subscription.

  • PearOfAnguish #6 3 years ago

    If it's free to play then I'll tolerate ads. Don't make them jarringly out of place and most people won't even notice. Well placed ads can sometimes help the atmosphere, they look great in racing games, for example.

  • Whatsfor #7 3 years ago

    Ads can be subtle, look at Burnout Paradice. Regular updates in exchange for a few billboards you barely notice...

  • Gurgeh #8 3 years ago

    "This boss was brought to you by Walmart, your friendly neighbour store, and by Pepsi, the drink of champions"

    "The door will open in 60 seconds. In the meantime please enjoy this video of the Ford Fuelburner 4x4"

  • The-Bodybuilder #9 3 years ago

    At your local car dealers, right next to a canyonero.
    Edited by 1 at 27/11/08 @ 13:32

  • kangarootoo #10 3 years ago

    "This is not something that would interest me. I'd rather pay the £8 and not have advertisements everywhere in the game."

    I'm not sure why they can't present both models. Premium membership for no-ads, or free-to-play with ads.

  • kangarootoo #11 3 years ago

    As Whatsfor says, examples of ads being bad for games are usually just examples of bad ad implementation. Ads can work perfectly well in games, and sometimes they can even improve the experience.

    Cola banners on the side of cola vending machines, Gillette adverts in billboards next to roads, real products advertised on TVs in shop windows. These are all fair uses that I think can enrich a game world.

    Massive hi-res banner for modern film on side of medieval castle. Bad implementation.

    I always cite this as an example, but take a look at the Bladerunner film. HUGE Coke ad floating over the city was completely appropriate to the scene, and the scene was improved as a result due to the grounding it provided.

  • sneetch #12 3 years ago

    So long as its restricted to real-world advertising spaces (like billboards, bus shelters etc.) then I don't really mind, they're part of the world so they won't seem out of place. It'd want to be free to play then, no nickle-and-dimeing on top of the ads. I sure as hell don't want to see it weaseled into the game content.

    "[Agent_Name], one of our informers is missing!

    He was last seen enjoying a delicious ice-cold Coca-Cola[tm] and eating a mouth-watering BigMac[tm] at the wonderful McDonalds[tm] family restaurant in Plazastreetplace.

    We need you to take the Ford ThunderCougarFalconBird[tm] and go find him, and feel the gees!"

  • Eraysor #13 3 years ago

    I'd rather have a monthly fee than have to pay microtransactions or endure thousands of ads.

  • JediMasterMalik #14 3 years ago

    I find it rather amazing that people would rather be less well of each month then endure a few extra ads that they probably wouldn't even notice. Are you people just saying that because you're trolling or would you genuinely rather pay a monthy fee then see a few extra ads?

    I'd have thought the current economic climate would have people thinking twice about spending extra money, apparently not.

  • kangarootoo #15 3 years ago

    I've seen the word "few" featured in this thread, and also the word "thousands", and I think that knowing which (if either) is in the pipeworks is really core to this whole discussion.

    If there are only a few ads, carefully squeezed into nooks and crannies, then all is well.

    If there are shed loads of them pasted onto every flat surface, then clearly the game experience will suffer.

    Until we know how, what, where and when we can't really make a judgement on whether this is a good idea or not.