I haven't personally heard any, but apparently there are some rumors going around that Sony Online Entertainment's The Agency (PS3, PC) has been canceled. We certainly haven't heard anything about the game in a while, but according to SOE president John Smedley, the FPSMMO hasn't been shelved at all.

The economy still hasn't gotten much better and the gaming industry still isn't past the layoff limbo. The latest company to announce a cutdown in the workforce would be Sony Online Entertainment, which has sacked 5% of their workforce, which would number at 41 people who now have to endure the rest of the summer in a different kind of heat.

A couple of Sony's massive online games -- Zipper Interactive's MAG and SOE's very own The Agency -- are rumored to be gearing up for beta releases soon. More after the jump.

Yes folks, the QJ Giveaway spree is well underway! SOE gave us a ton of beta keys so that people can try out their upcoming Free Realms MMORPG, and already, we've been able to roll out the first batch of keys to our lucky QJ.NET readers - congrats guys, you know who you are! More beta keys strung up on our belts and chains, meaning everyone's still more than welcome to join in on the fun! We've even included a full 10-minute dev walkthrough of the game in the full article, just to get you guys started. Have fun!

Meet the spy organizations U.N.I.T.E. and ParaGON, each offering a different type of service. You will have to join one of these groups in The Agency. What does each agency have to offer? Find out in the game's latest trailer in the full article!

With everyone talking about the dismal state of PC gaming nowadays, SOE President John Smedley decided to share his own opinion regarding the matter. He went against the grain and expressed his two cents about the positive state that the unconventional gaming platform is currently in. More about what Smedley said in our full article.

Sony recently did a bit of internal shuffling by moving Sony Online Entertainment under the direct supervision of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. president Kaz Hirai. The new structure change hopes to take advantage of the expertise of both companies to further extend the PlayStation 3 entertainment experience. More details on this interesting development in our full article after the jump.

To cross-platform, or not to cross-platform, that is the question for Sony Online Entertainment's upcoming MMO shooter, The Agency. The game will appear on both the PlayStation 3 and the PC. Unfortunately, SOE CEO John Smedley remarks that the chances of cross-platform play for the MMO are slim. Read the full story in the full article.

More information has arrived for The Agency, Sony Online Entertainment's exploration into the MMO arena for the PlayStation 3. In an interview with the game's lead designer Hal Milton and Design Director Matt Wilson, we find out more about how the game will release additional content in the future, whether we'll be able to see cross-platform play in the future, and more. Details in the full article.

The concept that video games are harmful is a topic that has long been debated on by members of the medical community. The country of Brazil seems to have taken an active stand towards this issue announcing a nationwide ban on the Online FPS Counter-Strike and MMORPG EverQuest.

More information in the full article.