SOE bought out + shipped off to India

Xisiqomelir · Post by **Xisiqomelir** » 2007-12-23 12:19am

NEW DELHI: Zapak Digital entertainment, the online gaming company promoted by Anil Ambani-led ADAG group, is all set to buy out Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) for around $300 million (Rs 1,200 crore).

According to sources close to the development, the deal will be finalised within the next few days. Sony Online was on the block for the past two weeks and Zapak, which has been looking for acquiring international studios, is finally said to have reached a consensus over the valuation of Sony Online.

“The deal is almost through. It is in the final stages of negotiations and by next week, Zapak will have a full right to all content, owned and published by Sony Online,” sources told SundayET.

Sony Online Entertainment is the game development and game publishing unit of Sony and posts revenue of around $ 150 million (the company doesn’t reveal the exact details for the division). It has in the past come out with popular games such as Everquest, PlanetSide, Star War Galaxies and Vanguard. SOE’s headquartered at San Diego, California, with additional game development studios located in Austin, Texas, Denver, Colorado and Seattle.

This acquisition is in line with the future plans of Zapak Digital, which is planning to enter the gaming space in China by early next year. “This makes perfect sense for us, as around 80% of content in the gaming industry is manufactured internationally. Buying out Sony, will not only give us access but also expand our reach in the global market,” said a senior Zapak Official.

The major expenses in the gaming industry is on content and marketing, and Zapak aims to reduce the cost of publishing a game by buying out those studios and relocating them to India. “This will reduce the cost drastically from $30 mn to $10mn, which will give us the advantage to channelise our funds towards marketing and other activities,” the official said.

In the recent past, Sony has aligned with Virgin Comics, a Bangalore-based collaboration of famed, self-help guru Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and Richard Branson of Virgin Group. After the proposed acquisition, Zapak plans to retain control over all the deals, which has been signed by Sony Online.

According to the latest IMRB report, there are about 2.8 million online gamers in India and the online gaming industry is worth Rs 21 crore. Zapak is one of the top players in the Indian gaming space.

Mauled until dead by Actiblizzion, and now carted away to be dismembered.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2007-12-23 12:49am

300 million, that's all Everquest, CoH, SW, Planetside and the rest are worth?

That's bloody cheap considering SOE has the rights to about twenty MMO's. Not good ones mind you but still.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2007-12-23 12:55am

Does that mean we can look forward to online games with more song and dance numbers?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-12-23 01:10am

MMO rhythm games? DDR-based combat? Resolving pressing social issues of the day through dance?

Post by **Vympel** » 2007-12-23 01:47am

Darth Wong wrote:Does that mean we can look forward to online games with more song and dance numbers?

We could definitely use more of This.

Flagg · Post by **Flagg** » 2007-12-23 01:52am

Darth Wong wrote:Does that mean we can look forward to online games with more song and dance numbers?

You seem to be implying that would be a bad thing...

Feil · Post by **Feil** » 2007-12-23 01:53am

I, for one, think that DDR-based combat is an awesome idea. It sure beats the "click attack and wait" method.

Balrog (dancing):
<
<>
^
^

Gandalf: You shall not pass! (dancing)
^v
<>
v
>

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2007-12-23 01:52pm

I've been wanting an adventure/RPG with dance-based combat ever since I saw that Japanese Zelda 3 ad.

The commercial, for reference.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2007-12-23 03:18pm

Ah dreams of DDR based combat

See such an epic battle here

Actually, I was kinda unhappy about this, but considering such gems in the past as Turkish batman and now Indian superman, who knows what wonderful things could come from this mating.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2007-12-23 07:09pm

Vympel wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:Does that mean we can look forward to online games with more song and dance numbers?
We could definitely use more of This.

This is one of the best things I have seen in my entire life. Thank you. *wipes tear from eye*

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2007-12-23 07:23pm

Latest word on the street is that the buyout is bogus.

Phantasee · Post by **Phantasee** » 2007-12-24 05:04pm

So you're telling me that there won't be Bollywood movie tie-in games?

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2007-12-24 07:24pm

You are meaning DDR with a tree in the middle right?

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2007-12-27 09:55pm

Darth Wong wrote:Does that mean we can look forward to online games with more song and dance numbers?

I can't imagine how that could make the genre any worse.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2007-12-28 04:07am

Phantasee wrote:So you're telling me that there won't be Bollywood movie tie-in games?

Bollywood movie games ?

That would be both the scariest and most awesome thing to happen to gaming.