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Square Enix Completes Eidos Integration
Square Enix and Eidos Interactive have announced that the reorganisation of the two companies’ operations has been completed following the Japanese firm’s acquisition of the Tomb Raider publisher.

The combined operation in the UK will go under the name of Square Enix Ltd. and is part of the Wimbledon, London-based Square Enix Europe business unit. The division represents the company’s development studios – including Crystal Dynamics, IO Interactive, Beautiful Game Studios, Square Enix London Studios and Eidos Montréal – plus sales and marketing offices in the UK, France and Germany.

“Today marks a major achievement towards the goals we announced in July and represents the creation of an efficient and powerful structure for game development and publishing.” said Phil Rogers, president and CEO of Square Enix Europe. “We have a formidable product-line up which truly showcases the diversity of our exceptional gaming brands.”

Square Enix sealed its £84 million acquisition of British publisher Eidos in April.

Source: Edge

Ian Livingstone to keynote GC Asia Conference

Ian Livingstone is to keynote the Games Convention Asia Conference in Singapore, talking about the value of creating original intellectual property and using Lara Croft as a example.

His keynote, entitled ‘The Life of Lara Croft’ will include a brief history of videogames using Lara Croft as the case study, and explore how to leverage games through licensing and merchandising in order to produce additional revenue.

“I am happy to share my knowledge and experience I have gained over the years at a conference that is a truly international platform for knowledge sharing and networking for the games industry for the entire Asia Pacific region,” said Livingstone in a statement.

The games industry veteran helped to secure the Tomb Raider franchise for Eidos during his time with the company, and the Hitman series too. He has since been awarded a BAFTA Special Award and an OBE for his contribution to the games industry.

“Ian Livingstone fits perfectly with this year’s GCAC theme ‘Emerging Markets for New Players’ in the sense that he will give insight into the entire value chain of a computer game,” said Jorg Zeissig, managing director of LMI Asia, the conference’s organisers. “His experience and knowledge will be of great value to the attendees as we will have one of the world’s most influential game veterans at the show.”

GCAC will take place September 17-20 at the Suntec International Convention & Exhibition centre, Singapore.

Source: Game Industry Biz

Square Enix Europe born

Phil Rogers to head up new European arm; Some jobs endangered as a result

Britsoft publisher Eidos is to be absorbed as part of a brand new European arm for new owners Square Enix – costing both British and European jobs in the process.

Current Eidos chief executive Phil Rogers will be heading up (the provisionally titled) Square Enix Europe, with John Yamamoto leading the North American arm of the business.

Whilst the Eidos name as we know it will no longer be used as a publishing label, the moniker will remain as branding for game developed by Eidos studios.

“Square Enix and Eidos Interactive are pleased to announce plans to create a new organisation to drive forward their European business,” an Eidos spokesperson told MCV.

“Square Enix Europe (final name TBC) will include Eidos’ global network of studios and combine the Square Enix and Eidos European sales and marketing businesses to create one efficient and powerful structure for game publishing.

“In North America the current Square Enix organisation will continue to serve this market. All marketing, sales and distribution functions will be transferred from Eidos Inc to Square Enix in this territory.”

Sadly, the move is set to cost an unknown number of workers their jobs, with the spokesperson adding:

“Unfortunately we are expecting some jobs to be impacted directly by this in both Europe and North America. We are hoping to minimise this wherever possible and offer support and advice to any employees directly affected.”

Source: MCV

Crystal Dynamics Loses Another 25 Jobs
By Mike Fahey,

San Francisco-based Crystal Dynamics again feels the lash of layoffs, as Eidos confirms with Kotaku that around twenty-five employees have been let go from the Tomb Raider development studio.

We first heard stirrings of these new layoffs earlier this week, receiving several tips from people purporting to be former employees or friends of former employees. Now an Eidos spokesperson has confirmed the layoffs, citing the need to “focus resources” as the underlying reason behind them.

“We can confirm that Crystal Dynamics has made a reduction of approximately 25 people at the San Francisco studio. This decision is a reflection of the continued drive to focus resources at the studio. We would like to thank all of the employees affected by this difficult decision for their hard work during their time at Crystal and we wish them all the best in the future.”

This latest round of cuts follows rumors in January of another 30 or so employees cut loose from the developer following poor performance of the latest Tomb Raider title, Tomb Raider Underworld.

With no currently announced projects and the recent acquisition of parent company Eidos by Square Enix, one cannot help but worry about the future of the remaining Crystal Dynamics employees. Tomb Raider was a large part of the allure of Eidos to Square Enix, so we wouldn’t be surprised if they took Lara out of Crystal Dynamics’ hands in an attempt to revitalize the franchise once again.

Source: Kotaku

WB and Eidos decide to amend their North American distribution agreement

In 2006 Warner Bros. picked up a small stake in Eidos and reached an agreement to distribute certain Eidos titles. In December 2008 Warner Bros. then increased its stake in Eidos to nearly 20 percent as rumors began to swirl about the future of Eidos and who might acquire the publisher behind the Tomb Raider and Hitman franchises.

With Japanese publisher Square Enix (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest) recently finalizing its acquisition of Eidos, however, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) and Eidos jointly decided today that maintaining their current North American distribution agreement no longer makes sense. IndustryGamers obtained the following statement from WBIE and Eidos.

“Square Enix’s recent acquisition of Eidos Interactive, makes it advantageous for Square Enix and Eidos to modify their distribution strategy. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is handling the upcoming launches of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Mini Ninjas in North America as co-publisher. All other games, including Kane and Lynch 2, Just Cause 2 will be handled directly by Square Enix and Eidos. We’re working on other transition details, including catalog products and will provide these details as soon as we have them worked out.”

Source : Industry Gamers

Tomb Raider team in Kochi

KOCHI: “When we created Lara Croft, we wanted her to be strong, intelligent, attractive, adventurous and sexy. She was everything men wanted and everything women wanted to be. She thus became popular with both,” says Ian Livingstone, who has been part of original Tomb Raider project, besides many others in his capacity as the chairman of the game publishers – Eidos. “It was in 1996 that the first seeds of ‘Tomb Raider’ was conceived. It was estimated that around 50,000 copies of the game would sell but we ended up selling seven and a half million,” he says.

Livingstone was in the city on Wednesday to present ‘Perspectives,’ a series of nation-wide seminars organised by Arena Animation. In the seminar held at the Kochi Ramavarma Club, Ian demonstrated in detail the production and pre-production aspects of the making of ‘Tomb Raider’ to the hall packed with animation students and enthusiasts.

Livingstone is of the opinion that India has a long way to go with regard to the animation industry.

“There is a high quality talent pool here. Indeed it is the perfect combination of great skills and low cost but right now, all of it is being used for Western animation studios.

There are quite a few works being made here but they are all regional in content. The next step for India is to make works for the global market,” he said. Livingstone is the recipient of several awards like the ‘Order of the British Empire,’ for ‘Services to the Computer Games Industry’ (2006) and the ‘Gift of the Academy’ in the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards for outstanding contribution to the community.

Arena’s seminar aims to bring together professionals from the animation community on a common platform to share their knowledge and experiences of the industry with students which would enable them to think beyond the obvious and get an insight into the career options within animation, visual effects and gaming.

Source: Expressbuzz

Square wants Eidos money back by 2012

Japanese giant targets swift return on UK investment

The firm that saved Eidos believes it will have a return on its £84.3m purchase within three years.

Square Enix Group global president Yoichi Wada has told MCV that the British company is central to its plans to grow sales outside of Japan.

Indeed Wada says his combined group, which also includes video game and coin-op maker Taito, can go on to become the biggest games company in the world.

“Eidos as a company is excellent, with powerful properties and strong management. And by joining our group, we think that the pace of growth and success can now be accelerated,” said Wada.

“We would not have taken this decision to buy Eidos unless we thought that we could get our investment back within two to three years. If we had thought it would take five years, for example, then we wouldn’t have made the acquisition.”
MCV revealed last month that Eidos will continue to operate as usual from Wimbledon, West London for the forseable future.

The deal to purchase Eidos has now been completed, with major IP such as Tomb Raider, Hitman, Kane & Lynch and Deus Ex moving into Japanese ownership.

Eidos-owned studios such as Crystal Dynamics in the US, IO Interactive in Denmark and a Montreal in-house operation will be expected to provide the titles for that Square payback.

Source: MCV

Eidos ceases trading as independent publisher

Tomb Raider firm’s shares to be delisted from LSE after Court sanctions Square Enix acquisition

Eidos is no longer a British publisher – after Japanese giant Square Enix completed its takeover of the Tomb Raider label this afternoon.

The Board of Eidos announced today that acquisition had been sanctioned in a Court Hearing. The firm’s shares will be suspended on the London Stock Exchange at 5pm, and delisted tomorrow morning at 8am.

Current Eidos investors will receive 32 pence in cash for each share held.

MCV first predicted the buyout in December last year – when Square was involved in a race with Warner Bros to acquire the firm.

MCV understands that jobs at Eidos’ UK HQ are unlikely to be affected by the move, and that the Wimbledon office will continue to operate independently from its new parent.

Source:  MCV UK

Warner Bros. Supporting Square Enix Offer for SCi/Eidos

Last week we reported that Square Enix and Eidos had reached a preliminary agreement for the Japanese developer/publisher to acquire Eidos. The question was how Warner Bros., which already owns 20% of Eidos, would react. As it turns out WBIE is not going to counter offer, but has instead issued a statement saying it is “supportive,” and will vote in favor of the takeover.

The Square Enix Directors and the Eidos Directors are pleased to announce that they have reached agreement on the terms of a recommended Offer under which Square Enix will acquire the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Eidos.

The Eidos Directors intend unanimously to recommend that Eidos Shareholders vote in favour of the Scheme and the resolutions to be passed at the Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting as those of them who are Shareholders have irrevocably undertaken to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings of 204,153 Eidos Shares in aggregate representing approximately 0.08 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Eidos.

Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. is contractually obliged under a Subscription Agreement with Eidos to provide an irrevocable undertaking in respect of 52,518,080 Eidos Shares representing approximately 20 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of Eidos.

It is expected that the Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting will be held in March 2009 and that the Scheme will become effective before the end of April 2009.

Commenting on the Offer, Yoichi Wada, President and Representative Director of Square Enix, said:“Eidos is a talented developer and publisher of interactive entertainment products with a broad portfolio of highly successful mass market franchises, led by Tomb Raider, one of the most successful videogame franchises of all time. Eidos maintains a strong reputation for high quality development and proven expertise in creating characters and storylines that appeal to consumers. Eidos’ products are highly complementary to our business and will accelerate our aggressive expansion into Western markets. We believe that wide range of both companies’ quality products encompassing major genres will enable us to meet diversified customers’ expectations upon a global basis.”

Commenting on the Offer, Tim Ryan, Chairman of Eidos, said: “We believe that this cash offer provides Eidos Shareholders with an attractive price and certainty in today’s challenging market backdrop and economic outlook. The acquisition of Eidos will complement Square Enix’s expansion into Western markets and offers mutually beneficial opportunities for the combined group. The Board believes that this offer is in the best interests of the shareholders.”

Commenting on the Offer, Phil Rogers, Chief Executive Officer of Eidos, said: “Eidos has a strong portfolio of established franchises, with highly talented employees. Square Enix recognises this and sees Eidos as both complementary to their business as well as a valuable brand within videogames. We are one year into our new strategy and believe that the prospects for the further development of our strategy and the business as a part of Square Enix would offer an exciting opportunity for the Eidos Group.”

UBS Investment Bank is acting as financial adviser to SQEX and Square Enix. Citi is acting as financial adviser to Eidos.

Source: Worth Winning

Eidos leaps 114 percent, topping the FTSE Small Cap leaderboard, after Japanese video games maker Square Enix agrees to buy the British firm behind titles such as ‘Tomb Raider’ and ‘Championship Manager’ for 84.3 million pounds to extend its reach in Europe.