Report: Ubisoft Could Be Front Runner For SCi Acquisition

A British newspaper report has suggested that the mystery bidder for UK based publisher SCi, owners of Eidos Interactive, may be none other than French rivals Ubisoft. Although publisher Midway and Vivendi Games, as well as private equity group Elevation, were rumored to be the front runners in previous takeover talks, The Guardian also suggests that Ubisoft were amongst the other interested parties in 2005. Although The Guardian article cites no sources other potential suitors for the company, which has seen revenues and shares dip recently due to the delayed European launch of the PlayStation 3, are said to include Electronic Arts, Time Warner and Sony. Time Warner already have a 10 percent stake in SCi as well as a wide ranging licensing deal, but Electronic Arts and Sony have never previously been connected with the company, and the wholesale acquisition of such an established publisher would be a significant, though possible change in business practices for either company. The final potential interested party is named as property magnate Robert Tchenguiz, whose investment company is SCi’s largest shareholder with a 15.5 percent stake. Apart from confirming that they have begun preliminary discussions with an unnamed company or companies, SCi executives have declined to comment further.