{{Short description|American computer game developer}} {{Infobox company | name = Sigil Games Online | logo = | image = | native_name = | native_name_lang = <!-- Use ISO 639-1 code, e.g. "fr" for French. For multiple names in different languages, use {{lang|[code]|[name]}}. --> | former_name = | type = | industry = Video games | founded = January 2002 | defunct = May 15, 2007 | founder = Brad McQuaid <br /> Jeff Butler | hq_location = Carlsbad, California, United States | key_people = | products = ''Vanguard: Saga of Heroes'' | fate = Acquired by Sony Online Entertainment | owner = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> }} '''Sigil Games Online, Inc.''' was a video game developer based in Carlsbad, California that was founded in January 2002 by Brad McQuaid and Jeff Butler. The two had been key members of the development team that created ''EverQuest'', the most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game until ''World of Warcraft''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-the-highlights/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107073417/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-the-highlights |archive-date=2011-01-07 |title=The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: The highlights {{!}} Massively |work=Joystiq}}</ref> McQuaid and Butler left Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), the publisher of ''EverQuest'', and formed Sigil Games Online with the goal of developing "the next big thing".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20031204195234/http://pc.ign.com/articles/441/441980p1.html IGN]</ref> In 2003 McQuaid told ''IGN'' that he was "much happier" than he had been at SOE, where he felt "spread thin", now that he was working with "an all-star team" and "focusing on making one ground-breaking, unprecedented project".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20031204195234/http://pc.ign.com/articles/441/441980p1.html IGN]</ref> Following several delays and a change of publisher from Microsoft to SOE, Sigil released their only game, ''Vanguard: Saga of Heroes'', on January 30, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/delay-of-game?pager.offset=6 |title=Delay of Game from 1UP.com |access-date=2011-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019143343/http://www.1up.com/features/delay-of-game?pager.offset=6 |archive-date=2012-10-19 |url-status=dead |work=1Up Network}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/May02/05-16SigilPR.mspx |title=Microsoft Game Studios Teams up with Sigil Games Online: Microsoft Signs Publishing Deal with Designers of "EverQuest" |website=Microsoft |access-date=2011-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003062942/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/may02/05-16sigilpr.mspx |archive-date=2008-10-03 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://forums.station.sony.com/station/posts/list.m?start=0&topic_id=10700000142 |title=Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Finds a New Home |accessdate=2011-06-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314085730/http://forums.station.sony.com/station/posts/list.m?start=0&topic_id=10700000142 |archivedate=2012-03-14}}</ref> In May 2007, SOE acquired key assets of Sigil Games Online and became the game's owner.<ref>Sony Online Entertainment (May 15, 2007). [http://www.soepress.com/release.asp?i=111 Sony Online Entertainment Acquires Leading Online Games Studio -- Sigil Games Online] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070528213207/http://www.soepress.com/release.asp?i=111|date=2007-05-28}}. Press release.</ref>
==''Vanguard: Saga of Heroes''== {{main|Vanguard: Saga of Heroes}} McQuaid and Butler worked for Sony Online Entertainment on the team developing ''EverQuest''. After their departure, they formed Sigil. In May 2002, Sigil reached an exclusive publishing deal with Microsoft,<ref>Sigil Games Online (May 16, 2002). [https://archive.today/20070528213207/http://www.sigilgames.com/may-16-02.html Microsoft Game Studios Teams Up With Sigil Games Online]. Press release.</ref> and they began work on ''Vanguard: Saga of Heroes''. With the pedigree of an "all-star" team and the bravado of CEO Brad McQuaid, MMO fans and the press had high expectations.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060531161626/http://pc.ign.com/articles/708/708176p1.html IGN]</ref>
An early marketing fact-sheet<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/games/pc/vanguard.aspx |title=Vanguard™ - Saga of Heroes |website=Microsoft |access-date=2011-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131005012/http://www.microsoft.com/games/pc/vanguard.aspx |archive-date=2010-01-31 |url-status=dead}}</ref> said that ''Vanguard'' would be set in a "vast", "seamless", and "immersive" virtual world filled with the trappings of high fantasy and rendered in cutting-edge graphics. It said the game would feature innovative static and dynamic content, building upon the strengths of earlier MMORPGs while correcting their weaknesses. ''Vanguard'' would promote interdependence, challenge, and reward while addressing camping, excessive downtime, and other issues.
At first Sigil worked with Microsoft to co-publish ''Vanguard'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/May02/05-16SigilPR.mspx |title=Microsoft Game Studios Teams up with Sigil Games Online: Microsoft Signs Publishing Deal with Designers of "EverQuest" |website=Microsoft |access-date=2011-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003062942/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/may02/05-16sigilpr.mspx |archive-date=2008-10-03 |url-status=dead}}</ref> but less than a year before the game was scheduled to release the partnership dissolved. In May 2006, Sigil bought the rights to ''Vanguard'' back from Microsoft, at the same time arranging a co-publishing deal with Sony Online Entertainment.<ref>Sigil Games Online (May 5, 2006). [http://www.sigilgames.com/sonypressrelease.html Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Finds a New Home] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20060615030510/http://www.sigilgames.com/sonypressrelease.html|date=2006-06-15}}. Press release.</ref> ''Vanguard: Saga of Heroes'' was released on January 30, 2007, co-published by Sigil and Sony Online Entertainment. Although pre-release coverage of the game had been positive<ref>http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/vanguard/news/6123602/vanguard-saga-of-heroes-e3-2005-preshow-report?sid=6123602&tag=result;title;8&mode=previews {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> the launch was followed by negative reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/special/26.html |title=GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007 |access-date=2008-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106173928/http://goty.gamespy.com/2007/special/26.html |archive-date=2008-01-06 |url-status=dead |work=GameSpy}}</ref>
==Acquisition== Sigil Games Online had around 150 employees at the time they released their only game, ''Vanguard: Saga of Heroes'', on January 30, 2007. The development team continued to address the well-documented technical issues users experienced at launch for several months. Four months later, on May 14, the staff of Sigil Games Online were told to meet in the parking lot at 4:30PM and to take with them what they would need for the rest of the day. The employees were told that the launch of the game had not gone well, the company was in financial trouble and they were selling the company to Sony Online Entertainment. Director of Production, Andy Platter, then told the employees that they were all fired.<ref>{{cite web | title=Interview with former Sigil Games Online CEO | url=http://f13.net/index.php?itemid=562 | date=2007-05-17 | accessdate=2007-05-17 | author=Smedley, John}}</ref>
The following day, Sony Online Entertainment acquired Sigil's "key assets", stating that they will hire approximately fifty of Sigil's employees and that Brad McQuaid would be consultant to SOE as a creative advisor for ''Vanguard''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.silkyvenom.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21099 |title=Official Press Release Regarding Sigil Acquisition - Silky Venom |access-date=2011-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723052127/http://www.silkyvenom.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21099 |archive-date=2011-07-23 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Sony Online Entertainment's President John Smedley communicated the announcement to ''Vanguard''{{'}}s playerbase via the game's official forums.<ref>{{cite web | title=SOE and Vanguard | url=http://forums.station.sony.com/vg/posts/list.m?topic_id=9105 | date=2007-05-15 | accessdate=2007-05-15 | author=Smedley, John | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523080300/http://forums.station.sony.com/vg/posts/list.m?topic_id=9105 | archivedate=2007-05-23}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.mobygames.com/company/sigil-games-online-inc Sigil Games Online] at MobyGames
Category:Defunct video game companies of the United States Category:Video game development companies Category:Software companies based in California Category:Companies based in Carlsbad, California Category:Video game companies established in 2002 Category:Video game companies disestablished in 2007 Category:2007 mergers and acquisitions Category:2002 establishments in California Category:2007 disestablishments in California Category:Defunct companies based in California Category:Defunct software companies of the United States