Microsoft Acquires Digital Anvil; Roberts Leaving

Adding to its stable of game development talent, Microsoft announced this morning that it will acquire Austin, Texas-based Digital Anvil. Details about the terms of the deal are scarce, but what has been revealed is that Microsoft will gain rights to select DA titles including FreeLancer as well as a yet-to-be-announced Xbox title. Digital Anvil will continue to operate out of its Austin headquarters. Concurrent with the acquisition announcement, Digital Anvil's founder and CEO, Chris Roberts, said that he will depart the company when FreeLancer is finished to pursue "other creative endeavors". Digital Anvil's president, Martin Davies, is moving to internet consultancy Sapient as vice president for games. Davies will work with the former Human Code studio in Austin, where he will provide strategy and implementation for next-generation game development.