Sony Online Entertainment, developer of EverQuest, PlanetSide, DC Universe Online and the recently released H1Z1, has been sold by Sony to investment firm Columbus Nova, SOE announced today. The developer will now operate as an independent game studio under a new name, Daybreak Game Company.

"We are excited to join Columbus Nova's impressive roster of companies," said John Smedley, president of Daybreak Game Company. "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. 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."

Daybreak Game Company will continue to work on H1Z1, EverQuest Next, EverQuest Landmark and other game projects that started at SOE. Now that the studio is independent of Sony, it will develop its titles for Xbox and mobile platforms, not just PlayStation and PC.

"So what exactly does this mean for you? It will be business as usual and all SOE games will continue on their current path of development and operation," the developer said in a post on Reddit. "In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition. 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."

"Can't wait to make Xbox games," John Smedley said on Twitter. He later assured fans that "All of our games are still here and will continue to be."

Sony Online Entertainment has developed online games since 1996, including EverQuest, EverQuest 2, Star Wars Galaxies, DC Universe Online, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, PlanetSide, PlanetSide 2 and more. The company is currently developing PlanetSide 2 for PlayStation 4, H1Z1 and new EverQuest games.

Columbus Nova is a multi-strategy investment firm based in New York and Silicon Valley and manages more than $15 billion of assets. Columbus Nova Technology Partners' portfolio includes digital music service Rhapsody, video chat service Rabbit, online service marketplace Fiverr and more.