Square Enix offers to buy Eidos

By Ellie Gibson Published 12 February, 2009

For a whopping 84 million pounds.

Square Enix has offered to buy Eidos for GBP 84.3 million (EUR 93.2 million).

That works out at 32 pence per share - 258 per cent more than they were worth on January 14th, when the bid was made. It's also 91 per cent more than they've been worth, on average, over the last three months. Eidos' board of directors has agreed to recommend the offer to shareholders.

Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada said it's all about expanding into Western markets, and of course Tomb Raider. "Eidos maintains a strong reputation for high quality development and proven expertise in creating characters and storylines that appeal to consumers," he said.

For more background to the deal, and quotes that include like "portfolio", "diversified" and "global basis", visit GamesIndustry.biz.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (37) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • MrChuckles #1 3 years ago

    I have to say that Eidos aren't exactly an exciting new publisher with fresh ideas. However any investment in the U.K. in this financial crisis is a good thing and if this means more Square Unix titles released in Europe then i'm all for it...

    Still think Square Enix have picked the wrong publisher though, but i guess there aren't many independent ones left here.

  • the_dudefather #2 3 years ago

    Hope they put random battles in the next hitman and give him some fabulous hair

  • chessboxer #3 3 years ago

    Lara Croft to get animed?

  • myiagros #4 3 years ago

    A tomb raider anime could be quite cool, or even better an CG tomb raider that looks as spiffing as Advent Childern.

    Reading the franchises eidos own, from the press release is quite depressing. It doesn't look like they have come up with any decent new ideas for many years. I guess we knew this though, when they remade a game that was only 1 generation old (Tomb Raider Anniversary).

  • Flabio #5 3 years ago

    It's official: Square have gone insane.

  • TruWari3r #6 3 years ago

    Eidos shareholders should pinch themselves. If they don't take this offer they're utter idiots.

    Square though, what are they thinking?

  • Golgo #7 3 years ago

    What the fuck for...?! Squeenix are creaming it already and Eidos IP is moribund.
    Maybe someone should tell them they're actually not that hot in the 'West'.

  • jaluuk #8 3 years ago

    Genius. Lara will become emo.

  • GamesConnoisseur #9 3 years ago

    I think its simply for Square Enix to have a more established operational and marketing resources to call on in the West rather than anything to do with franchises, which would be just a bonus.

    Square Enix is not as advanced as Capcom or Namco and needs to get beyond flat Japanese market.

    So thereare mutual benefits..

  • Krelle #10 3 years ago

    And DQ9 delayed until June ;ccccc

  • dsmx #11 3 years ago

    84 million? that's 83,999,999 pounds more than I though they were worth.

  • Eraysor #12 3 years ago

    A Tomb Raider RPG has a lot of potential.

  • Flabio #13 3 years ago

    Yeah, annoucing this at the same time as annoucing that their quarterly forecast is way down due to DQ9 being delayed can't be doing wonders for Squares share price this morning.

  • Xerx3s #14 3 years ago

    CURSES! And here I was contemplating buying a couple of thousand shares as they where so dirt cheap.

  • neilka #15 3 years ago

    Expect more of this.

  • polaris70 #16 3 years ago

    It doesn't surprise me. The Japanese seem to have an unhealthy obssession with scantily clad very young ladies, judging by their pervy video games and anime. So Eidos seems to be the perfect fit so they can get their dirty little hands on our Lara.

  • rhubarbandcustard #17 3 years ago

    Square Enix = suckers

  • rhubarbandcustard #18 3 years ago

    "It doesn't surprise me. The Japanese seem to have an unhealthy obssession with scantily clad very young ladies, judging by their pervy video games and anime. So Eidos seems to be the perfect fit so they can get their dirty little hands on our Lara."

    Isn't this the exact same reason that compels so many of you dreadful, dreadful people to buy manga?

    It's certainly the reason why I played Soul Calibur 4.
    Edited by 1 at 12/02/09 @ 11:54

  • Triggerhappytel #19 3 years ago

    What an odd pairing. However, if it keeps the likes of Tomb Raider, Hitman, Deus Ex et al alive then it's fine by me. I just hope Squeenix are aware that the reason Eidos keep getting sold off is that they're not very profit making since about seven years ago now.

  • cocorulverde #20 3 years ago

    So ... does that mean Lara Croft will have smaller tits and bigger eyes?

  • space_ace #21 3 years ago

    it's "larry croft" now

  • Triggerhappytel #22 3 years ago

    ...Surely you mean bigger tits (with realistic bounce) and bigger eyes.

    And possibly an animal sidekick.

  • LHH #23 3 years ago

    Lara Croft goes emo.

  • Malek86 #24 3 years ago

    Turn-based Soul Reaver RPG confirmed?

  • Miths #25 3 years ago

    "It doesn't surprise me. The Japanese seem to have an unhealthy obssession with scantily clad very young ladies..."

    I don't mind that at all (well, aside from the "very" part of that last sentence). I'm more concerned about their unhealthy obession with only slightly less scantily clad, gender confused emo teen boys :).

  • TruWari3r #26 3 years ago

    "Turn-based Soul Reaver RPG confirmed? "


    Whoah, I'd buy that in a heartbeat (without the turn-based part preferably)

  • kangarootoo #27 3 years ago

    Who would have thought that EG readers were so knowledgable about corporate acquisitions.

    Square Enix should hire the lot of you quick smart before they make a terrible mistake.

    ;)

    P.s. actually, some poeple seem to know what they are on about. Unsurprisingly its the people NOT saying things like "Square Enix are fools". Their bank balance suggests they are anything but fools.
    Edited by 1 at 12/02/09 @ 13:45

  • MuppetThumper #28 3 years ago

    YEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    What was a £300 loss yesterday turns out to be a £500 profit this morning. NICEEEE! finally one of my shareholdings turns good.

  • spud71 #29 3 years ago

    I still don't know how SCI owns them, what has SCI done that equals Tomb Raider.

  • dirk_aircool #30 3 years ago

    Battle stations pacific will end differently . if it ever gets realesed .

  • dirk_aircool #31 3 years ago

    Kangarootoo . I bet EG readers aren't stupid enought to pay 91% more than market value for anything . ( apart from games , which we are stupid about , why buy on release when can wait for patched and cheaper version 6months later ? ). And no one Is going to loan money to people that we know wont pay us back a la HBOS and Co . SO THERE ind try to imagine a large raspbery bieng blown in your general direction you smart alec know it all mother %£^&*%%"!"!".

    Doctorzoidberg . I dont care if your camp . as long as your comy with your sexuality . thats all that matters .
    Edited by 1 at 12/02/09 @ 23:01

  • DoctorZoidberg #32 3 years ago

    dirk_aircool, you have put a few to many random symbols in I think.

    I'm in Kangarootoo's camp here. I can't see anything other than positives for everyone here. Seem's a smart move to me. Offer just enough money so they will bite your hand off whilst it's cheap. I can imagine a few months back It would have cost a lot more to acquire, and I'm sure in the coming year's it will again increase. Especially If well looked after.

  • Daikon #33 3 years ago

    Who cares about Lara Croft?
    I hope Square buys them and makes another Chuck Rock game.

  • Tomahawk #34 3 years ago

    A Jrpg with Lara Croft and turn based combat!

    Must buy.

  • Pastici #35 3 years ago

    More Freedom Fighters...please?

  • autogunner #36 3 years ago

    can we please grow up? just because square enix is a japanese company doesnt mean it will animify every one of edios' IPs.

    They probably want to snap them up so they dont have to rely on sony and msoft to publish their titles in the west, which is what EA do best, being a PUBLISHER primarily.

    however squarenix if youre listening, a proper SSX3 sequel will make you millions... just putting that out there

  • kupocake #37 3 years ago

    Hopefully this will be good for both companies. Square-Enix have always been a two-bit operation in Europe, and Eidos were on the slide... I just hope this doesn't mean neglect or alteration of the few decent, but strictly western franchises in the Eidos catalogue (Deus Ex and Thief spring to mind). Or that the pattern of lacking inspiration for both companies combines to make some kind of slobbering mediocrity beast that excretes spin-off titles into retailers.

    Lets look forward to the collective sigh when Lara Croft turns up in Dissidia 2.