Vanguard to be Co-Published by Sigil and SOE

The following press release was issued by Sigil and Sony Online Entertainment. It regards Vanguard's publishing rights being handed over by Microsoft to the two aforementioned companies. ===============================================
VANGUARD: SAGA OF HEROES FINDS A NEW HOME - Sigil Games Online and Sony Online Entertainment In Talks To Co-Publish Sigil's Ground-Breaking New Game -
May 5, 2006 – Carlsbad & San Diego, CA – Sigil Games Online and Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry, today announced that Sigil is working with Microsoft Game Studios on an arrangement to acquire the rights to its highly anticipated massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. These efforts have resulted in a tentative agreement for Vanguard to be co-published by both Sigil Games Online and SOE. All three companies will be showing the game at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) as they work closely together for a successful transition. Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is scheduled to launch this winter. "As the development process is ongoing and constantly shifting, it became clear that MGS and Sigil had varying visions and direction for the title's development," said Brad McQuaid, CEO of Sigil Games Online. "In the best interest of Vanguard, it was decided that we would buy back the publishing rights from Microsoft." As co-publisher of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Sigil assumes greater control of marketing and PR, while maintaining responsibility for game development, community relations, media relations, customer support, and quality assurance. Under the terms of the agreement, SOE will provide distribution, marketing, hosting and back-end support -- including billing and technical support -- for the game. Additionally, SOE is tentatively planning on adding Vanguard, upon its release, to SOE's Station Access™ subscription plan. Station Access allows players to enjoy all of SOE's MMO titles for one low monthly price. "We are very excited to be working with so many old friends at Sigil," said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "Vanguard looks beautiful and has an incredibly rich game world. It's the type of game that will appeal directly to SOE's hundreds of thousands of players and should fit in perfectly with the current line-up of games available in Station Access." "This decision was made mutually by Sigil and Microsoft, in the best interest of the long-term goals for the title," said Phil Spencer, General Manager at Microsoft Game Studios. "As a key Windows development partner, we will continue to work with Sigil to ensure Vanguard's ongoing success." Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is the next generation of massively multiplayer online games. The journey takes place in the fantasy setting of Telon, a vast and ancient world of magic, intrigue and adventure. Facing the challenges of a war torn world, the diverse people here struggle to rebuild their once great civilizations. A fragile alliance has been struck, with the lands set upon by invading forces, the races must band together to survive. Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is currently in a closed beta phase. The game will remain available via Fileplanet for existing beta testers during the transition to SOE. New information will be sent out to testers as the changeover occurs. For more information about Vanguard: Saga of Heroes please visit www.vanguardsoh.com. About Sigil Games Online Based in Carlsbad, California, Sigil Games Online is a studio dedicated to creating massively multiplayer online (MMO) games. Founded in 2002 by Brad McQuaid and Jeff Butler, key figures in the development of award-winning EverQuest, the company plans to be a driving force in the continued evolution of this unique genre. Sigil Games Online is comprised of an all-star team of experienced developers with an impressive pedigree of commercially successful and critically acclaimed online games. For more information, visit www.sigilgames.com. About Sony Online Entertainment Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.

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Dang it All to heck!
# May 11 2006 at 2:04 AM Rating: Decent
Ya, I'm thinking this is the nail in the coffin. I havn't been in beta, but my roomate is, and I've stayed close to the community. Aperantly there is a solid game there, but nothing that set's it appart from anything that is already out there.

Allegedly, alot of what you would expect in an MMORPG is in there, and it runs like you would expect, only... that's the problem too, you expect it. And there's nothing that surprises you.

Grain of salt of corse, it's still in beta, and over the next couple of months they can still add content, but from what I'm hearing, it doesn't seem like there will really be anything to set it appart.

Now to partner with the company that gave use the NGE for SWG... it just seems like one more nail in the coffin.

I really hope I'm wrong, Brad's done alot for the the MMORPG community. He's definitly A if not THE founding father. so I'm really cheering for a stellar finnishing run as well. I just have to say, I'm not real stoked about seeing SOE get their tallons into it... you can bet there's gonna be a console version available not long after release. (as supported by the posting for a new job for console programer @ Sigil.)

well, that's my Two cents.

MMORPGjunkie -out.

Edited, Thu May 11 03:09:13 2006
Hard headed visions dont sell a game.
# May 10 2006 at 1:59 PM Rating: Decent
19 posts
With no competition EQ was a winner in spite of the devs rediculous "vision" that was basically nothing that anyone but a ********* would enjoy if there were any other alternative..

In todays market EQ does not have a prayer, and brad is too stubborn to realize that.. He is to the point of making laughable business-retarded statements such as not caring if his game has hardly any subs as long as its what he wants and such things.. I know that if I heard that and I was at microsoft I would tell him to shove it too.

Brad is going to be the Delorian of the computing world, a visionary that gets so caught up with himself that he totally loses sight that he is creating for an audience and not for himself and wont realize it until he is trying to finance his game with the likes of SOE (I liked delorian's route of cocaine better) .



Pfft
# May 10 2006 at 12:31 PM Rating: Decent
I guess this went to everyone's main page? What's this have to do with WoW or FFXI? Why is this game special? It's not.
Dead
# May 09 2006 at 7:36 PM Rating: Good
****
6,357 posts
Oh well its dead.
SOE = death of a good idea.
# May 09 2006 at 12:55 PM Rating: Good
Ahh, Sony - let me re-cap some events from the past few years.

Sony BMG: Released over 1 million (music) CD's with spyware that reported your listening habits and provided a portal for hackers into YOUR box.

Sony Laptop: Comes embedded with advertisements in OS so deep you need to reinstall a NEW windows to be rid of them (they even pop when not connected to the net).

Sony Gaming: Took several good games and companies and proceeded to wipe the population via bad code and the absolute weakest customer service.

And don't forget about Nahtass. My end level character (EQ on PC) who was banned by SOE for theft. The claim that my IP logged into another account and took items. In fact the IP they have on record is not mine. Something I proved via my ISP record from the Comcast legal department.

Sony - burn in hell.
May your demise be slow and painful as you are cast aside by by better companies and the shining truth of good business practice and ethics.

For the Sony exec's who might read this post I have a link for you. Click HERE

Conclusion: Original Vanguard employees you need to steal all the office supplies you possibly can and then beg Blizzard for a job.
SOE is the devil
# May 09 2006 at 12:21 PM Rating: Decent
****
4,901 posts
The mere fact that SOE is affiliated is enough for me to not even consider the game. SOE has zero respect for its customer base. Ask just about anyone that played SWG.
____________________________
Love,
PunkFloyd
sigh
# May 09 2006 at 10:49 AM Rating: Decent
***
1,877 posts
hey, another game for Allakhazam's new owners to destroy with their chinese sweat shops.
RE: sigh
# May 09 2006 at 12:41 PM Rating: Decent
not a sweatshop game, just a uk one
oh ya
# May 09 2006 at 8:06 AM Rating: Decent
SWG was killed by SOE
Ok here's the point.
# May 09 2006 at 4:31 AM Rating: Decent
Ok, so like this is the point of posting this here. In the long run th point being made here is that with the new pay plan they are working on atm. We may see an increase in the monthly fee we pay at this time. So wouldn't you like to have a heads up as to why we may see are monthly fee go up in price? Or would you rather not know why you may be paying more for something... As for me, I like the it that the gang here at Alla. gave us a little heads up... Oh and by the way if you look back in the older post they posted that they are going to merge a bunch of differnt sites into a MMORPG community.
I don't care
# May 09 2006 at 3:32 AM Rating: Good
**
485 posts
What does this have to do with FF11? Nothing. Therefore, I don't care. I don't want to see it on the FF11 main page. No wonder there's so much off-topic crap in the forums when this is the example the admins set.
QFT
# May 09 2006 at 2:46 AM Rating: Decent
QFT
"Another game bites the dust, another game bites the dust.."
Eh
# May 08 2006 at 6:15 PM Rating: Decent
Wonder if Soe has the first purchasable expansion planed yet
Hum
# May 08 2006 at 5:42 PM Rating: Good
**
903 posts
Brad is a damn good guy; I hope this works out for him.
ugg
# May 08 2006 at 5:35 PM Rating: Decent
As long as SOE doesn't take control of the development of the game or the balancing issues as well as not being the one to be the server providers I think it might still be ok. SOE is known to say, "we use the best servers" and use the crappy 2nd rate hand-me-down servers and we all know what they did to SWG in there "balancing of the proffesions"...
Uh oh
# May 08 2006 at 5:07 PM Rating: Decent
Another game bites the dust, another game bites the dust..
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