Back in 2009, after the release of the nextGrand Theft Autogame in the franchise, Rockstar Games unveiled a completely new project in development. Placing players in the world of clandestine espionage during the Cold War, the game would simply be titledAgent. This game was set to be Rockstar’s “ultimate action game,” coming exclusively to the PS3.
Several years have passed since that reveal, and yet the game never came out. It was almost as ifAgentcame and went as soon as it was announced. Fans waited several years for more information on the intriguing Cold War spy thriller, but Rockstar never publicly acknowledged the game again. The only evidence left ofAgent’s existence is a section on the Rockstar Games website, an epitaph for a project put on ice and presumably cancelled.
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A Revolutionary Spy Thriller
Sony teased in 2007 that the company had established a partnership with Rockstar Games to develop a new franchise exclusive to the PS3. Michael Shorrock, Sony’s director of third-party relations, issued a statement on the PlayStation blog confirming the exclusivity without any details on what the franchise was. Two years later, Rockstar Games would confirm the result of this partnership wasAgent, a game the two companies believedwould revolutionize action games. Other than confirming the Cold War, spy thriller setting, nothing else was announced or shown.
Years would go by after that announcement, with only a logo and short description on whatAgentwould be. Radio silence would persist from 2009 all the way until 2018, without so much as a peep from the publisher or the developer. There weresome renders leaked and early screenshots ofAgentreleased in 2011 and 2015, respectively. Other than that,Agentwas never seen again. Eventually in 2018, it came time for the trademark ofAgentto be renewed, but it seems Rockstar Games abandoned the extension request and the trademark lapsed for the game.
Signs of Life for Agent
Interestingly, an entry on the Rockstar Games website under the “Games” section still listsAgentamong the rest. All that remains is the game’s official logo, along with a Rockstar Newswire article answering a fan’s question aboutAgent. A desperate fan looking for just a morsel of details on the game received a reply from Rockstar only to state that “it’s not likely we will have any more news this year, but the game is shaping up to be something truly spectacular.”
Even in 2009, it seems the lack of information was so palpable fans were begging Rockstar Games for more information. In retrospect, it’s a sad reminder of how hyped the game was initially, compared to how quicklythe game’s existence seemed to slip away year over year. At least in the beginning fans likely wrote it off as Rockstar sticking to its guns as a publisher that’s notoriously tight-lipped. Even though it’s unlikely to be cancelled, Rockstar is under a similar situation withGrand Theft Auto 6and the mystery surrounding that game’s existence.
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No More Hope
It’d be one thing if Rockstar Games maintained the trademark forAgent, at the very least helping tide fans over with a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, it seems the publisher is intent on letting the spy thriller lie dormant for the foreseeable future. A little over a decade of no news usually doesn’t bode well for game development, as isthe case with many games stuck in development hell. Although the game has never been officially cancelled by Rockstar, the lack of statement of any kind about the franchise speaks volumes.
Strangely, thatAgentpage still exists on the Rockstar Games' website despite seemingly letting the project die. That last sliver of hope still remains, even after Rockstar updated its website’s layout and design andAgentwas still there. Other than that, there’s really no point in hoping for anyAgentannouncements soon.Maybe one day the franchise will be revived, but the chances of that are minuscule.
Agentwas announced for PS3 in June 2009.
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