Sony Online Entertainment is no longer a thing.

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**Bromsy**

http://www.pcgamer.com/sony-online-entertainment-sold-becomes-daybreak-game-company/

Okay, hands up who saw this one coming. That's nobody, then. Sony Online Entertainment has been bought out by investment management company Columbus Nova, and as of right now will be renamed Daybreak Game Company. Which in no way sounds like a front organisation for a cult in a '90s thriller starring Ethan Hawke.

"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," the MMO publisher formerly known as SOE revealed in a statement. "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!"

SOE—that is, Daybreak—said it will be "business as usual," and that all existing SOE games will continue to operate normally. "In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition," it said. "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."

The price of the acquisition by Columbus Nova, which in no way sounds like an affordable hatchback, has not been revealed. We've reached out to the former SOE for further detail on what this means for their current and future games.

Wow, crazy.

I wonder how things are going to shake out.

**Shadow Captain Edithae**

Oh crap. I just started playing Planetside 2 a few months ago and have already invested quite a bit (both in time and finance).

Really hope this doesn't have a negative effect on the game.

**Bromsy**

I am far more worried about Everquest Next; that is still largely in development and was my next, best hope for a new thing in MMOs.

If this is a 'make a quick buck' type investment where they are going to mine SOE's assets for as much as possible as quickly as possible, that means EQ is over.

Oh, and H1Z1; but I only sank $20 into that.

**Eumerin**

Columbus Nova purchased Harmonix back in 2010, and afaik hasn't run the company into the ground. So I'm cautiously optimistic that the new ownership is looking at the long-term with this.

**LordofHats**

I find it odd that people are afraid a company already six feet under will be run into the ground.

SOE is a bottomless pit that money disappears into. They've been making an MMO for 5 years now (and another for 3), and support several other borderline failing F2P projects. Who here is honestly shocked that Sony wanted to sell it off to someone else? Be happy. It can't get worse. It's already at the bottom of the barrel, the only other way to go is up!

**Sasori**

I still play EQ2, so I hope it doesn't undergo any radical changes.

**Nevelon**

SOE generated so much bad blood with the original Everquest, a bunch of my friends and I won’t touch their games. Now that was a number of years ago, and they may have gotten better, but I don’t really care at this point if they fold and die.

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

I think they must have fairly long term plans.. pretty much the first thing one of their upper end folks tweeted was who wants to see DC Online on the xbox. So I guess that's going to be a bonus for Xbox gamers.

**Col. Dash**

Hope nothing negative changes with EQ. Be nice if they paid attention to the players and just made a classic server for the first few expansions and ended it there. Be a nice gesture to long time fans.

**streamdragon**

Nevelon wrote:
SOE generated so much bad blood with the original Everquest, a bunch of my friends and I won’t touch their games. Now that was a number of years ago, and they may have gotten better, but I don’t really care at this point if they fold and die.

I stopped playing EQ around Scars of Velious. What did SOE do that pissed people off so badly?

**Nevelon**

streamdragon wrote:
Nevelon wrote:
SOE generated so much bad blood with the original Everquest, a bunch of my friends and I won’t touch their games. Now that was a number of years ago, and they may have gotten better, but I don’t really care at this point if they fold and die.

I stopped playing EQ around Scars of Velious. What did SOE do that pissed people off so badly?

Releasing 3+ expansions a year, charging full price. And some of them were very content light. Or outright broken. IIRC one of them was designed for a higher level cap (which was pushed off to the next one) so nobody could actually do the content they just payed for. They also had the habit of breaking more things then they fixed in their “patches” and often you’d have to languish for months with core parts of your class borked. “Class Balance” was also a hot button issue, as was communicating with customers.

Honestly it’s been so many years, I forget most of the specific details. But there is a lingering cloud of hate for SOE among my gaming group.

**Ratius**

What other big games have SOE released? Im pleading fullblown ignorance here.

**Nevelon**

IIRC they had a Star Wars MMO that they jerked around a lot; never played.

**Psienesis**

Ratius wrote:
What other big games have SOE released? Im pleading fullblown ignorance here.

Everquest
Everquest 2
Everquest: Online Adventures
Star Wars Galaxies (Sony didn't kill that game, LucasArts did)
Planetside
Planetside 2
DC Universe Online
Freerealms
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
Pirates of the Burning Sea
H1Z1
Landmark (Still in development)
EQNext (Still in development)

... and a buncha Playstation games, many licensed from LucasArts.

**Darkjim**

Well, the first couple of years of the original Planetside was some of the best gaming I've ever experienced. They ruined it in the end with a couple of very poorly thought out updates bur pre Core-Combat it was so, so good. Thanks for that at least SOE

**Eumerin**

Nevelon wrote:
IIRC one of them was designed for a higher level cap (which was pushed off to the next one) so nobody could actually do the content they just payed for.

That was the expansion that had six-man content with mobs that could one-shot a paladin or shadowknight. You literally had to have a warrior as tank to clear it.

Oops...

Haven't played anything by them in a while, but a lot of my old EQ guild mates relocated to EQ2 after first making a brief stop in WoW. And a Planetside 2 is fun.

**Torga_DW**

Interesting news. I wonder how eq3/next fits into the equation. Was discussing it last year with a friend regarding what they want to do vs what they're going to be capable of doing for it. My 2 cents is they've been throwing r&d money for it down a bottomless pit, and needed a way out.

**LordofHats**

That's also my opinion on EQNext. I know it looks really nice, but even for an MMO, 5 years is a long time for development these days, on top of all the other MMO's SOE operates. I just have a hard time believing that game is going to live up to anywhere near what people want from it.

**Psienesis**

It means that the investment company is now responsible for funding it. It also means the dev team is no longer being shuffled between different SOE projects... Daybreak is Daybreak, and they only work on Daybreak games.

**Torga_DW**

Yeah, but the investment company may choose to shelve it if they don't see a good outcome in the cards. The project just looks too ambitious, i can't see how they can deliver.

**Eumerin**

Torga_DW wrote:
Interesting news. I wonder how eq3/next fits into the equation. Was discussing it last year with a friend regarding what they want to do vs what they're going to be capable of doing for it. My 2 cents is they've been throwing r&d money for it down a bottomless pit, and needed a way out.

I think it's simpler than that. Sony likely just needed some cash. From what I've heard lately, Sony's got a lot of red in its bottom line.

**Torga_DW**

Thats the thing though, they were (are?) pumping all their money into their next big thing, and it looks like something that might never be released. They were even crowdfunding of a sort with eq landmark to get players to pay to help develop it. That's ignoring all the other things they were doing to try to consolidate money, it can't have been good for their bottom line.

**Psienesis**

And now SOE is no longer chained to Sony, Inc for its budget. It's in the hands of a company that has already bought other game-producing studios in the past, and did not do horribly by them (it bought Harmonix in 2010, who made Rock Band and Dance Central... I'm sure you've heard of at least one of those games, no?).

Sony Online Entertainment could make a bajillion dollars a year, but that did not mean that Sony, Inc, would give them a bajillion dollars in the next year to budget for games. Their funding was always at the mercy of Sony, who was free to spend the profits of that division however and wherever they saw fit.

**Bromsy**

Welp

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

Spoiler:

Doesn't shore up my faith in ongoing projects much.

**Psienesis**

A bit more in-depth on the layoffs:

http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=35707

Which, frankly, isn't surprising. Any time a company is bought out, this is the sort of thing that happens.

And this is from Holly "Windstalker" Longdale, on the EQ2 Forums:

Hail to all in Norrath!

As many of you know we had a challenging week as we repositioned our company for the long term. I apologize it’s been quiet and I know there have been concerns. First, let me say, this game and this team are busy planning and scheming – just as this team always has. Our focus is you and fun, and the future.

Also, as you may have deduced, I’m very honored to now work with the team and all of you as the executive producer. I have some big shoes to fill! I can already say….holy cow, this team takes no prisoners! We’ve already had lengthy chats and their passion for you all and the game is really unequaled. I can guarantee they remain “all-in” and we are forming the future of EQ based on all the feedback and input received over the years.

A bit about me and EQ… EQ was the first game I ever worked on and there was no better learning experience in game design and community. I started as an EQ player in 1999 and was a raider on Fennin Ro and then merged with Druzzil Ro. I was one of the first raiding beastlords and would two-box with my dark elf wizard (Woot)! I can’t tell you how amazing it is that I get to work with a lot of the same devs. It really speaks volumes about the dedication and love these devs have for EQ. And I love it too!

I’m in the ramp-up phase (again!), but I can tell you that more content is coming with our February update at the end of the month that will include the new player-designed missions in the 16th Anniversary Events starting on March 16. There are new marketplace items you asked for, bug fixes, and more. As for the future, including expansion plans, we’re reviewing everything together to be sure we’re doing the right content for the game and you all. As soon as we nail down some stuff, we’ll share it asap.

Bear with me as this hummie druid gets her feet wet and we’ll all dive in together.

What I’d really love is to hear from everyone directly and chat about all of this. To have an opportunity to do this, we’ll be hosting a Twitch livestream on Wednesday, February 18 at 2pm PT at twitch.tv/DayBreakGames. The team looks forward to having you tune in so we can address any questions you may have!

Thank you for the continued support! See you in game!

Holly Longdale
Executive Producer, EverQuest & EverQuest II

**KalashnikovMarine**

Sounds pretty positive over all.