Microsoft gets Big Huge Games

Microsoft has announced that it has bought an equity stake in Big Huge Games, and will be publishing their titles in future as part of the deal. Big Huge was founded by Brian Reynolds, the designer who worked with Sid Meier for many years, and was the real brains behind classic games such as Civilization II and Alpha Centauri. With the company's first release expected some time in 2002, details are scant at this point, although we are fairly sure that it will be a real time strategy game with a scope closer to that of the Civilization games than the likes of Command & Conquer.