Oh, Global Agenda. This multiplayer MMO-lite seems destined to be one of those ghost games that not enough people remember – but those who do loved it. The last time we covered the original Hi-Rez game was over a year ago, when we recapped what had happened to it: The company had taken it off Steam but left the servers up, “marooning” the die-hards in their game alone. “[Global Agenda’s] server did not survive a multi-game internet center move/upgrade,” Todd Harris admitted. “Unlikely to be recovered […] Sorry… wish it could last forever.”
Well, maybe it can. As first reported on MMO Fallout, the trademark for the game apparently lapsed in 2019 because it wasn’t being actively used, prompting Hi-Rez to petition for an exception, which the trademark office denied specifically because Hi-Rez had not adequately explained why the game could not be repaired or why it deserved that exception when it appeared the trademark wasn’t in use. Undaunted, Hi-Rez began an attempt to file a new trademark, this time – wait for it – declaring to the trademark office that it planned to use the name for a new game.
“Concrete steps to resume use of the mark, including development and marketing discussions as to a new game, using the trademark GLOBAL AGENDA, for publication to new and former purchasers and players of the prior GLOBAL AGENDA game have taken place,” Hi-Rez wrote in its latest 2021 filing. “Additionally, meetings have taken place to discuss storylines and player formats. […] Registrant expects to resume commercial use of the mark by fourth quarter 2022.”
Now, longtime MMO players already know that Hi-Rez has teased Global Agenda 2 before. It was announced in 2012 and supposed to hit beta in 2014, but obviously that never happened. Four years ago when we spoke to the studio at its 2017 expo, the company message was that it was still a possibility but that it wasn’t working on anything specific. “I do think there’s something there in terms of a game that can be done again and still have success,” Hi-Rez’s Stew Chisam told our own MJ. But that’s almost ancient history in the MMO business. Either way, we’ll know whether this is just another tease or really happening by at least the end of next year.
Further reading:
This is a trick question, a better question would be which MMO Companies know how to communicate well with their communities.
I can think of 2.
Zenimax
SE or who ever does the Final Fantasy games.
Kinda funny, I saw this is one of those games on my Steam list that I logged hundreds of hours on, yet I don’t remember many details.
I think I remember there being 10 or 12 person co-op PvE and that it was fun playing different classes depending on mood. I certainly remember it being more fun than Firefall.
Chances are that it’ll just be more of what we’ve been seeing from HiRez, i.e. more multiplayer PvP arenas rather than the MMO and later sandbox-ish PvE areas of Global Agenda.
I’m not really getting my hopes up yet for it to be another crack at an MMO.
To be fair, GA had what, one open zone, right? So it wasn’t even that much of a MMO. It was really barebones and the core gameplay was fun, but it only had potential.
Yeah and I’d like to see them do more of that instead of just doing different flavors of PvP arena/team shooters. SMITE has flirted off and on with PvE co-op content, so I don’t see why they couldn’t do a game revolving around that for once.
I’m on the same page. GA was a MMO with a heavy emphasis with lobby shooter pvp. Hi Rez can do good lobby shooters. Honestly, Rogue Company shoulda have been GA, and had some sort of external character progression, and updates as the game went on, with open areas.
interesting.. still have two hard copies of the original game :D
HiRez always making games by what trading so i can’t see the game going to be an mmo and they already have Rogue Company as a tactic-ish arena shooter.
so maybe they going to bring it as looter shooter with the original modes we had.
I adored Global Agenda, but the way Hi-Rez treated the game and subsequently Tribes soured me on the company.
I really kinda got used to its type of shooting and wish the PvE part of it made more sense, seeing it wasn’t say quite there with the AI to be like a Destiny, but not quite structured like a WoW or even ESO tank healing dps triangle. But the PvP was still pretty good.
I played a bit of Global Agenda and actually liked it, flaws and all. I’m not going to get too excited over this, but interest piqued.
LETS
FUCKING
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Discussions and meetings? I dunno, seems like they just want the trademark back but who knows. Maybe we might get a sequel in 4-5 years : P
I still look at the game in my Steam library from time to time thinking of what could have been : (
Oh, yes please!