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.”

The developer of Kings of Kings III decided to close the servers on the 31st of March 2015. But before they sing the blues, they will do a last celebration with a Goodbye Tourmament and 100 % additional cashbonus.

• 1st prize – 300 EUR Gamigo cash
• 2nd prize – 200 EUR Gamigo cash
• 3rd prize – 100 EUR Gamigo cash

But also, the 4th to 50th prizes will get a surprise: Terrified animals have scattered far and wide across the lands of Tangramia. Your quest is to track down the animals so they can be returned to the zoo. If players can see any of the missing animals, contact zoo officials immediately, or better yet, send in a monster card as proof. The more monster cards players send in, the more points you get.

Bonus points: Everyday you can win 50 extra points. How? Here you can find the answer.

The player with most points wins the tournament. Good luck.

For more info, visit http://kingofkings3.gamigo.com/en/

WEBZEN, a global developer and publisher of free-to-play games, has announced the release of Battle Core, MU ONLINE’s latest content update.

After the scheduled maintenance on February 3^rd (UTC), newly updated features of Battle Core will be available for all players.

This new content update focuses on Battle Core, a new server for the battle field of the heroes of the MU continent. Battle Core is a place where users from different servers can come together and fight each other to find the strongest among them. Players will be able to join several battles and competitions in this server, and characters from each server can apply for the Battle Core through the NPC ‘Ellin’.

Once players enter the Battle Core server, they will be able to participate in the Chaos Castle Survival of the Fittest and Tormented Square Survival of the Fittest Events through the NPC ‘Mite’. Both tournaments will be organised by the MU ONLINE team from the 3^rd through to the 9^th of February (UTC).

Chaos Castle is a daily event that allows you to enter the Battle Core according to your level. Tormented Square is the Survival of the Fittest tournament of the “Devil Square Event” which is very difficult. Each team of 2 people competes for monster kill points and survival points, testing their character’s limit in the Survival of the Fittest Event.

The winner of the Chaos Castle Survival of the Fittest Event will receive the ‘Conqueror’s badge’ to get the ‘Wings of Conqueror’, and the winner of the Tormented Square Survival of the Fittest Event will receive the ‘Badge of Hardships’ to get the ‘Dark Transformation Ring’ via Noria Chaos Goblin. In addition, all of the winner’s character names will be listed on the Hall of Fame. Full details about the Survival of the Fittest Events Rewards can be found at:
http://muonline.webzen.com/guides/73/1974/update/season-9-rewards-renewal

Meanwhile, the Battle Core schedule is changed every month, and will be announced separately. More content will be available soon, so stayed tuned!

More information about the Battle Core is available on the official MU ONLINE website: http://muonline.webzen.com/

Vainglory, Super Evil Megacorp’s unapologetically core MOBA, is releasing an all-new hero via an update for the game that is now available. The game’s newest hero, Ardan, is designed to be played as a Protector Tank and also plays well as a Warrior Bruiser. Ardan controls team fights differently than other heroes, and has a special energy mechanism called “Vengeance.” By filling Ardan’s Vengeance meter during battles using basic attacks and by protecting teammates, players can unleash powerful attacks that deal serious damage to the opposing team. Ardan is the first of three related heros joining the ranks in Vainglory, and more information about the next two heroes will be released soon.

For more info, visit http://www.vainglorygame.com/

OGPlanet is excited to announce the newest expansion for Uncharted Waters Online ‘Gran Atlas’. The expansion will bring many new features within the game for players to explore. Players will have over 200 accurately modeled ships to choose from, 180+ port towns to visit and 2000+ discoveries to make with this new update. Uncharted Waters Online is the most challenging, comprehensive, complex, and focused historical high-seas experience any MMO has to offer players.

The newest major expansion Gran Atlas will be updated and ready for players to begin their journey on February 12, 2015. All areas of the world map, which is based on real life, will be opened and players may explore, trade, and battle freely in it. Three major storyline quests, new features and balances have also been added.

Join us from February 1st, on our daily login pre-launch event!

For more information on Uncharted Waters Online, visit http://uwo.ogplanet.com/en/main.og