Sony Online Entertainment Acquired by Columbus Nova

[The Blackrose]

https://forums.station.sony.com/soe/...D=A:6149513:CJ

Dear Players, Partners and Friends,

Today, we are pleased to announce that we have been acquired by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm well known for its success with its existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. This means that effective immediately SOE will operate as an independent game development studio where we will continue to focus on creating exceptional online games for players around the world, and now as a multi-platform gaming company. Yes, that means PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and more!

As part of this transition, SOE will now become Daybreak Game Company. This name embodies who we are as an organization, and is a nod to the passion and dedication of our employees and players. It is also representative of our vision to approach each new day as an opportunity to move gaming forward.

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. 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.

Our games and players are the heart and soul of our organization, and we are committed to maintaining our portfolio of online games and pushing the limits of where we can take online gaming together.

Thank you for your continued support. See you in game!

The Team at Daybreak

Press Release:

Columbus Nova Acquires Sony Online Entertainment

Leading Online Games Company Rebranded Daybreak Game Company

SAN DIEGO - February 2, 2014 - Columbus Nova, an investment management firm based in New York, announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) games and emergent gameplay.

Best known for its community-first approach, and blockbuster hits and franchises, including EverQuest®, PlanetSide®2, DC Universe™ Online, H1Z1™, Landmark™ and the highly-anticipated EverQuest Next™, SOE has developed compelling online entertainment for a variety of platforms since 1999.

With the completion of the transaction, SOE will now operate as an independent game development studio and will continue to focus on creating quality online games, providing excellent service to its extensive player base, while centering on its untapped potential as a multi-platform online gaming company. Along with the transaction, SOE will be rebranded and operate under the new name of Daybreak Game Company LLC ( www.DaybreakGameCompany.com.)

"Sony Online Entertainment, newly rebranded as Daybreak, is a great addition to our existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. We see tremendous opportunities for growth with the expansion of the company's game portfolio through multi-platform offerings as well as an exciting portfolio of new quality games coming up, including the recently launched H1Z1 and the highly anticipated EverQuest Next to be released in the near future," said Jason Epstein, Senior Partner of Columbus Nova. "The recent Early Access launch success of H1Z1 is just one testament to the talent and dedication of the studio's developers to create great online gaming experiences."

"We are excited to join Columbus Nova's impressive roster of companies. 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," said John Smedley, President, Daybreak Game Company. "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."

[Kirin]

Cutting out the first slice of the Sony pie?

[BaneTheBrawler]

Neat! I think.

[Bombur]

Sony is going broke and needs the cash. That said Columbus Nova is a company that just buys other companies that it thinks is can get a solid, consistent return on... that said, they own about 30 "tech" companies, only 2 of which I've ever heard of, one of which is Rhapsody... which has seen better days.

On a positive note, their senior managing partner owns Harmonix (guitar hero), bought in Dec 2010. So... at least someone in charge has some experience with owning a gaming company that is a end-user milker...lol

[notorious bum]

These poor bastards just invested in the biggest money vacuum of the foreseeable future.

[The Blackrose]

Columbus Nova is acting pretty damn fast.

http://kotaku.com/big-layoffs-at-eve...day-1685243961

The newly-titled Daybreak, which was called Sony Online Entertainment for close to two decades, went independent and changed its name last week after Sony sold it to a New York-based management firm. Although the company was all smiles about the deal in public, staff were immediately told that the company would be laying people off in order to become "profitable," according to a person close to the studio.

"Most of management keeps trying to get people pumped up about the new direction, but no one knows for sure they'll be a part of it yet," said that person, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with press about the layoffs.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Sounds like Chainsaw Al is back in business!