SOE to be purchased by India's Zapak Digital Ent.

[Zeli]

source: www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSBOM22006020071223

MUMBAI, Dec 23 (Reuters) - India's Zapak Digital Entertainment Ltd, part of the Anil Ambani-led ADAG group, is set to acquire Sony Online Entertainment for about $300 million, the Economic Times newspaper said on Sunday quoting unnamed sources.

Sony Online is the game development and game publishing unit that is part of global electronics maker Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) group. Sony Online had revenue of about $150 million, the paper said.

"This makes perfect sense for us, as around 80 percent of content in the gaming industry is manufactured internationally," said an unnamed Zapak official in the paper.

"Buying out Sony will not only give us access but also expand our reach in the global market."

The deal is expected to be finalised by next week, the paper said citing unnamed sources.

Sony Online, which has developed games such as EverQuest, PlanetSide and Vanguard, in August tied up with Richard Branson's Virgin Comics to launch a multi-player online game based on the Hindu epic Ramayana. (Reporting by Bharghavi Nagaraju; editing by Louise Heavens)

© Reuters 2007 All rights reserved

Some are saying it's not true though, so who knows.

[Winin]

seems odd. They are pretty strong. Why would sony want to get out of the market?

[Zeli]

Someone from SOE reportedly denied it, but then there is this from VirginWorlds.com that makes a pretty good point:

Why is the SOE buyout so hard to believe?
hgamer.blogspot.com/2007/12/why-is-it-so-hard-to-believe.html

1. EA scooped up Bioware out of nowhere.

2. Blizzard and Activision merged out of the blue.

3. Mythic denied any buyouts. A month later they became EA Mythic.

4. SOE and Sigil repeatedly denied Vanguard being bought out, before SOE promptly bought the rights to Vanguard."

Submitted by Heartless on Dec 23, 2007 16:46:52 CST

I guess we'll know by January if it's true or not.

[Snocone]

Thank you very much for playing Everquest, would you like a Squishy with that, thank you, come again.

Glad I dont play any of their games.

[Thrakus]

I played most of their games before they owned them

SWG, EQ never played Vanguard though. Heard it sucked and I'm not the exploring type lol

They have the anti-midas touch so I hope it's gone now.