GarageGames hits the big time

There are few studios more closely associated with independent game development than GarageGames. The Eugene, Oregon-based company is the creator of the inexpensive, indie-friendly Torque game engine. It develops its own games, publishes those of other indie developers, and even runs the annual Indie Games Con.

Now the company is moving out of the garage. It has sold a majority stake in the operation to IAC, the international conglomerate that owns dozens of brands, including Ticketmaster, LendingTree, Match.com, and Ask.com. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In a post on the company's forums, GarageGames CEO Josh Williams acknowledged that his team sold away much of the company's future economic rights. However, the structure of the deal means GarageGames will retain control over its own operations. He also explained the reason behind selling any part of the company away.

"[We've] never had the resources at hand to fundamentally change the game and carve out new space that'd really help developers be successful," Williams said. "With IAC, that is exactly what we're doing now. We've been dreaming of a new, better way to develop, distribute, and play games online for a few years now, and we've been working on the technology to support that dream for a couple years, behind the scenes."

That technology will be part of InstantAction.com, a new site that promises to deliver a wealth of Web browser-based games from a variety of studios. A placeholder site is currently up, but interested gamers can submit their e-mail addresses for inclusion in the upcoming private beta test.