Rumour: Ubisoft, EA to buy out SCi, Eidos?

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 2nd December 2008

SCi, parent of Eidos, is rumoured to have entered into negotiations with both Ubisoft and Electronic Arts.

This is still a rumour for now - and one from The Daily Mail to boot - but apparently SCi, the parent company of Eidos is in negotiations with a number of other publishers about a possible takeover.

The negotiations have apparently been prompted by a 92 percent drop in SCi's stock price, according to GamesIndustry.biz.

The rumours come from an anonymous source who has told UK newspapers that SCi is currently in talks with both Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, both of whom who have had a track record of buying out other publishers and developers in the past. Warner Bros. Interactive, which has long been rumoured to be interested in SCi, is also hinted to be involved in the talks.

SCi and Eidos have fallen on hard financial times in recent years and while Lara Croft's reinvention has done a world of good for the publisher through the new Legend, Anniversary titles from Crystal Dynamics there's been a few weaker games too.

There's a number of obvious reasons why another publisher might be interested in buying out SCi. Not only would the move give the new owner control of the Tomb Raider and Hitman franchises, but Eidos is currently working on Deus Ex 3 and is rumoured to be working on a new Thief game too.

What have you thought of Eidos' latest releases and who would you like to see get control of those brands? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.