Soon-Shiong’s NantWorks Invests in Daybreak Games

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Culver City-based NantWorks, a diversified holding company run by Patrick Soon-Shiong, announced Sept. 6 it invested an undisclosed sum into Daybreak Game Co., creating through the investment a joint venture titled NantG Mobile.

NantG Mobile will be responsible for creating mobile applications of Daybreak Games’ popular “EverQuest” series and “H1Z1” titles, built for PC gaming. Daybreak is also known for its role in publishing massive multiplayer online games, including “The Lord of the Rings Online,” “PlanetSide 2” and “Dungeons and Dragons Online.”

As part of the strategic investment, Soon-Shiong will join Daybreak Games’ board of directors. The investment represents Soon-Shiong’s increasing interest in e-sports; NantWorks is currently drafting construction plans for a new Los Angeles Times Center adjacent to its new El Segundo headquarters which will house “e-sports arenas with fiber interconnectivity at a global scale,” according to a press release. The Los Angeles Times, owned by Soon-Shiong, will reportedly also soon begin covering e-sports events in its Sports section.

In addition to the creation of an arena, NantG Mobile will reportedly soon establish e-sports leagues for numerous Daybreak titles.

“The growth of virtual sports has been explosive,” Los Angeles Times Executive Editor Norman Pearlstine noted in a statement. “We look forward to covering all the major games companies, including Daybreak,” Pearlstine said.

Tech reporter Samson Amore can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 556-8335. Follow him on Twitter @samsonamore.