Sony has announced that it has sold Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) to an investment management firm. The developer of Everquest Next and other MMOs like DC Universe Online, Planetside 2, and H1Z1 now belong to Columbus Nova, and is being spun off into an independent game studio known as Daybreak Game Company.
Daybreak has stated it will continue providing support for existing SOE games. The company says that it has gained access to more resources necessary for them to develop games on multiple platforms as a result of the acquisition. The studio will be looking to expand into gaming platforms other than the Playstation and PC; with Daybreak President, John Smedley, excited about developing for the the Xbox One.
The game development studio was formed back in 1998 with the launch of its first game Everquest in 1999. By 2004, the game already had half a million subscribers with a sequel already in the works – Everquest Next and Everquest Landmark. Previously managed by Sony Computer Entertainment, the terms and pricing of the acquisition has not been disclosed.
[Source: Polygon]
