SOE acquires Sigil Games

Sony Online Entertainment announced yesterday that it had completed a transaction to purchase "key assets" of Sigil Games Online, developer of the recently-released MMO, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.

The deal between the two Californian online gaming companies means that SOE now wholly owns Vanguard, which it formerly co-published with Sigil.

Vanguard launched in January of this year, and has sold nearly 200,000 copies to date.

The majority of the Sigil team will now join SOE and integrate into its group of studios.

"With an unparalleled team and exceptional product, Sigil has been a creative force in the online games space,â said John Smedley, SOE's president.

âWe look forward to continuing the vision for Vanguard and to continue to deliver some ground breaking game play."

Sigil was founded in 2002 by two SOE employees, Brad McQuaid and Jeff Butler, who worked on the development of its hit MMO EverQuest.

McQuaid now returns to SOE as a consultant, with the title Vanguard Creative Advisor.