The Operatives feature is interesting - could you tell us more about how this works?
HM: Operatives are NPCs that you can recruit to help you out. The higher your rank, the more Operatives you can recruit and task to providing you goods and services over time. Some of these goods and services involve producing weapons, gadgets, outfits, aliases, and analyzing intel discovered in the field.
Other services may help you directly in the field. These include providing satellite scans of enemies in an area, hacking through difficult security and more. You'll be able to grow them over time, trade them with friends, and experience a host of stories as your Operatives complete assignments, interact with each other, and... okay, I've been told to shut up about that now.
Operatives will complete their assignments whether or not you are logged in. Even if they need to go away for work or a vacation, we'll be supporting alternate clients for players to log in and keep their Operatives rolling. This includes plans for optional cell phone, instant messenger, and web clients to keep in touch with the intrigues you've set in motion.
When do you expect to release both versions of the game, and what plans for beta testing do you have?
HM: We haven't announced a release date yet. We do plan on having robust private, closed, and open beta periods to ensure The Agency is the best game it can be.
How do you plan to support the game post-release? Will there be new content updates released, for example, and will these be free or paid-for?
HM: It's a little early to talk about content updates and business plans, but you can count on us releasing new content to keep The Agency operational for years to come.
Finally, why is now the right time to bring a game like The Agency to the gaming market?
HM: I think it's always been the right time for this type of game, it's just the technology hasn't been there to support it. Broadband connections are nearly ubiquitous, and the PS3 is perfectly set up to provide the solid visuals and online connectivity for this type of demanding application.
The world has gotten a taste for persistent online worlds and we want to expand their horizons beyond the norm. We would have done this a long time ago, but now we feel the players are there, the tech is ready, and we've got the plan to make it all come together.
For more top-secret information on The Agencyread our most recentpreview.
