A Japanese gaming company said Thursday it has acquired Big Huge Games, a Timonium game developer founded by the developers of “Civilization?II” and “Rise of Nations.”

Big Huge Games has been working with Nexon since 2013, when it sought out a publishing partner that could help it market and distribute new products. The companies launched their first game, “DomiNations,” last year.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Big Huge Games will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexon, retaining its name and remaining in Timonium, said CEO Tim Train.

Train said the acquisition will give stability to Big Huge Games, which has 42 employees, and allow the company to focus on game-making. The firm could boost hiring once it starts working on another game, but there is no firm timeline to do so, he said.

“We don't necessarily have a target for growth,” he said. “It's as many great games as we can come up with in prototype that we can have confidence that they'll be fun.

“We don't want to ever be super-big, because we think we lose company culture,” he added.

This is the second iteration of Big Huge Games. Train acquired the company's name in 2013 with business partner Brian Reynolds after its parent firm, 38 Studios, went bankrupt. Reynolds and Train, longtime players in Baltimore County's game-development community, had helped found the earlier Big Huge Games in 2000.

The deal will enable Nexon to expand its footprint in North America, while giving Big Huge Games access to the Asian market, Train said. Nexon services nearly 100 titles in more than 190 countries.

In Nexon's announcement of the deal, CEO Owen Mahoney cited the success of “DomiNations.”

“DomiNations has achieved great success in both the West and Asia, and we're excited to work with Big Huge Games to deliver the best quality game play to fans for years to come,” he said.

nsherman@baltsun.com