Is something in the air? While this week saw ZeniMax's acquisition of industry legend id Software, last month saw newcomer 38 Studios' acquisition of Big Huge Games, THQ's troubled developer that, like id, has rockstar status of its own. We had a chance to talk with 38 Studios' CEO Brett Close shortly after the announcement last month. On the plate: What will Big Huge be working on now? What's happening to the two titles BHG was working on for THQ? And when could we see something Copernicus-themed from Big Huge Games?

Joystiq: Why Big Huge games? And were you looking or considering any other developers to bring into the 38 Studios family?

Brett Close: Well, we've got 36 studios to go, of course.

Looks like THQ's short-lived ownership of Rise of Nations-developer Big Huge Games has finally come to a close, with upstart MMO dev 38 Studios announcing an acquisition today. According to this here press release, the "acquisition is a critical step in 38 Studios' strategy to deliver a broad range of entertainment products centered on its original fantasy IP, codenamed Copernicus."

So, Copernicus-themed projects only from here on out? 38 Studios' CEO and President, Brett Close, says, "The acquisition enables us to develop and deliver top-quality games in multiple genres that are based in a shared world, ultimately maximizing the value of our Copernicus MMOG and the intellectual property as a whole." However, the presser also mentions that BHG is actively developing an unnamed RPG for 360, PS3, and PC (ostensibly the rumored Ascendant), but makes no mention of God: The Game, in development for Wii. Will Ascendant be relocated into the world of Copernicus? We have no idea, but we do know that while BHG will be integrated into [Massachusetts-based] 38 Studios," the Maryland-based developer will stay put.

More as we learn it.

Focusing on riveting hot-button issues like "digital distribution, marketing, and in-game advertising," the MIT Sloan School of Management is kicking off its first ever "Business in Gaming " Conference (BiG) with BioShock magnate Ken Levine as inaugural keynote speaker.

We'll be there, Big Daddy statues and permanent markers in tow, and when we're not ogling KennyL we'll likely check out the panel featuring ex-Boston Red Soxer Curt Schilling of 38 Studios speaking about MMO business models. Hey, maybe he'll talk about that game his company's been making for three years! Code-named Copernicus? No? You don't remember that one? Yeah, neither do we.

Curt Schilling may not have revealed any new information about Copernicus -- really, nothing new there -- but he's had reservations about choosing the MMO genre for the premiere title of his 38 Studios. Speaking with Adam Sessler on stage during the inaugural GamesBeat conference, he admitted, "There have been times in the past 24 months where I've thought to myself 'What the hell was I thinking?!' I should have made a first-person shooter."

When filling the ranks at his game development brainchild, 38 Studios, it makes sense that MMO-fan Curt Schilling would look to his pastime of choice. The company announced that it has hired former Blizzard UI maestro, Irena Pereira, as 38 Studios' senior UI designer, bringing her interface grinding expertise not only with World of Warcraft, but The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King to the fledgling company as well.

Additionally, when setting the mood in its secretive MMO project codenamed Copernicus, the dev will look to the musical styling of newly hired composer and sound designer, Aubrey Hodges, whose familiar tunes can be heard in such adventure game greats as King's Quest, Space Quest, Quest for Glory and Conquests of the Longbow. Hodges is credited as one of the chief pioneers of in-game MIDI music, and also helped make us jump with his ambient tracks heard in both Doom and Quake.

Both Pereira and Hodges are just the latest seasoned vets to join 38 Studios, following the hiring of former Everquest designer Travis McGeathy and THQ artist Thom Ang, making us all the more curious just what the company is working on behind that curtain.

It's no secret that baseballer Curt Schilling is a huge MMO fan, but you might not know much about his 38 Studios game development company, formed with artist Todd McFarlane and fantasy writer R.A. Salvatore. They've been working on a massive MMO code-named Copernicus, which they haven't said too much about yet. This week at Austin GDC, Vivox announced that it would be providing the voice application inside the game, and five pieces of key concept art were released at Comic-Con earlier this summer.

We sat down with CEO Brett Close in Austin to find out what we could about Copernicus, and what's in store for the new company. Check out the full interview after the break.

38 Studios has added a seasoned artist to its ranks, announcing the appointment of Thom Ang as the company's new director of art. In his new role, Ang will oversee the art management and direction of 38 Studios' projects, including "Copernicus," the outfit's ever-mysterious MMO undertaking.

A 15-year digital art and illustration vet, Ang joins the Curt Schilling-founded developer from THQ, where he handled things both artsy and fartsy for more that 25 of the company's titles. In addition, he also worked on TV shows such as The X-Files, and spent time in the trenches at EA Los Angeles handing art and team management for the Medal of Honor franchise. We're still in the dark as to what the studio is up to with Copernicus, though it's good to know the company has someone on board with the chops to help steer the ship down a more artistic path.

As the former lead designer of Everquest, Travis McGeathy has likely acquired just as many ardent fans as vengeful detractors, wishing they could get those thousands of click-click-clicking hours back. With your social life still in ruins, your cautious digestion of this bit of news from Gamasutra is probably for the best. You see, Mr. McGeathy is now the systems design lead for "Copernicus," Studio 38's mysterious MMO project.

He's not the only Everquest vet at the Curt Schilling-founded developer either, as former Everquest II lead designer, Jason Roberts, and Everquest II expansion pack designer, Steve Danuser, also occupy padded leather chairs at the Maynard, MA office. We've yet to see what lies behind the Copernicus veil, but we're starting to suspect there may be buxom, elfin ladies involved.

Add yet another developer to the Unreal roster. Curt Schilling's 38 Studios has announced (via GameDaily) that it has licensed Epic's Unreal Engine 3 for its MMO project Copernicus. The studio also recently licensed BigWorld's MMO dev tools.

Of course, given the tentative 2010 release, we don't expect to see any thing from the game for a at least another year. For now, all we've really got to think about is how the Mova facial technology would beautify the legendary baseball pitcher's avatar.

We continue to look to left field for any news involving Curt Schilling and 38 Studios' mysterious new MMO project codenamed Copernicus, and while the inking of a new license to use BigWorld's suite of MMO development tools isn't the most exiting development under the sun, the news does enough to keep the project on our radar, if only just.

Interestingly, BigWorld's software has become a touchstone for a number of companies looking to jump into the world of MMO development, including unannounced projects from John Romero's Slipgate Ironworks and Sierra Online, as well as Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment's Stargate Worlds. Little is known about what Schilling and his band of developers have planned for Copernicus, other than it is still being prototyped for its planned release sometime in the distant future known as late 2010, by which time we'll likely to have moved on from MMOs altogether to another pastime...like baseball.

Curt Schilling's love affair with games, particularly of the MMO persuasion, is no secret. In late 2006, he took this commitment to the next level, founding Green Monster Games (now 38 Studios) and pledging to support his staff with competitive benefits. Now he's putting game development right up there with family, telling GameTap, "After baseball, I will do nothing except be a father, husband and run this company."

Codenamed Copernicus, Schilling's MMO is still in "concept phase" – tentatively dated for late 2010 – but it's one part of a mega-IP aimed at saturating multiple entertainment markets, including film, TV, books, comics, and action figures. With fantasy novelist R.A. Salvatore and Todd MacFarlane on board as creative partners, Schilling's ambitious project is more than just a pipe dream. As for baseball, the fabled pitcher doesn't plan to leave the sport behind entirely after his final season. "[I will be] intimately involved in making a baseball game ... I will be a part of a company doing a sports game [some day]."