Online entertainment sold to US investment company

Sony has sold its online gaming unit a US investment company, in a bid to enable it create titles for other consoles beside PlayStation.

In a statement released on Monday, February 2, 2015, the companies said the New York investment management firm, Columbus Nova, has acquired Japan's Sony Online Entertainment, maker of the popular 3D fantasy multiplayer game, EverQuest.

Though financial terms were not disclosed, the deal will see the former Sony unit operate as an independent game development studio under the name Daybreak Game Company.

The New York-based Columbus Nova, already owns the maker of the music video game, Rock Band.

This means the renamed company can develop games for mobile devices and non-Sony consoles, such as Microsoft's Xbox.

EverQuest competes with the popular World Of Warcraft title.

Sony has been offloading a string of assets, including its laptop business and Manhattan headquarters, in a bid to claw back to steady profitability after years of massive losses.

Founded in 2000, New York-based Columbus Nova manages more than $15 billion in assets, through its own funds and affiliated portfolio companies, according to the statement from the company.

In 2010, it bought Harmonix Music Systems, maker of Rock Band and Dance Central, from Viacom.