Sony Online Entertainment, now Daybreak Game Company.

[SinisterDeath]

Source: Polygon

 

Sony Online Entertainment, developer of EverQuest, PlanetSide, DC Universe Online and the recently released H1Z1, has been sold by Sony to investment firm Columbus Nova, SOE announced today. The developer will now operate as an independent game studio under a new name, Daybreak Game Company.

"We are excited to join Columbus Nova's impressive roster of companies," said John Smedley, president of Daybreak Game Company. "They have a proven track record in similar and related industries and we are eager to move forward to see how we can push the boundaries of online gaming. We will continue to focus on delivering exceptional games to players around the world, as well as bringing our portfolio to new platforms, fully embracing the multi-platform world in which we all live."

Daybreak Game Company will continue to work on H1Z1, EverQuest Next, EverQuest Landmark and other game projects that started at SOE. Now that the studio is independent of Sony, it will develop its titles for Xbox and mobile platforms, not just PlayStation and PC.

"So what exactly does this mean for you? It will be business as usual and all SOE games will continue on their current path of development and operation," the developer said in a post on Reddit. "In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition. It also means new exciting developments for our existing IP and games as we can now fully embrace the multi-platform world we are living in."

"Can't wait to make Xbox games," John Smedley said on Twitter. He later assured fans that "All of our games are still here and will continue to be."

Sony Online Entertainment has developed online games since 1996, including EverQuest,EverQuest 2, Star Wars Galaxies, DC Universe Online, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes,PlanetSide, PlanetSide 2 and more. The company is currently developing PlanetSide 2 for PlayStation 4, H1Z1 and new EverQuest games.

Columbus Nova is a multi-strategy investment firm based in New York and Silicon Valley and manages more than $15 billion of assets. Columbus Nova Technology Partners' portfolio includes digital music service Rhapsody, video chat service Rabbit, online service marketplace Fiverr and more.

 

 

 

Looks like Sony has finally sold it's long neglected game developer, SOE to some company called Columbus Nova. They are supposedly going to be treated as an Independent game studio, with 'more' funding, and maybe just as much freedom as they've always had...

 

Just a little history for some.

Sony Online Entertainment, was formed after Sony merged Sony Online Ventures with Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Things get a little muddier, as S.O.E's flagship property was originally created under 989 Studios. Which then became Sony Interactive Studios. Verant Interactive split with 989 to finish EQ.

SOE then acquired Verant interactive.

It wasn't until 2008, that SOE came under the direct control of Sony Computer Entertainment. So effectively, after nearly 10 years when Sony originally just had Sony Interactive Entertainment, split into SIE, which later became 989, then became/gobbled up into Sony Computer Entertainment. Is now finally being sold - off (literally this time) again to another company. (Much like Verant became its own company back in 96?)

 

Hopefully we might see some good out of this. Like a game with more then 3 developers coding entire expansions.

[SinisterDeath]

http://www.pcgamer.com/daybreak-games-formerly-sony-online-entertainment-making-layoffs/

And it begins.