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-Justin

Square Enix may have expressed an interest in acquiring Eidos Plc earlier this month but it’s Time Warner that is making all the moves.  Eidos has disclosed this morning that Time Warner has increased their stake in the company to19.9% or 52,518,080 shares.  This marks an increase of 10 million shares from Warner’s previous holdings in the UK publisher.

Source: Eidos Plc email

-Justin

…national press reports have fingered EA and Ubisoft as potential buyers, nose-tappers are backing Warner as the victor. It already owns 20 per cent of the Britsoft firm, and would only have to spend around $30m for a controlling interest. A spend of around $80m would give it total control, putting Eidos’ current market value at around $120m.

Eidos last month relaxed restrictions on Warner that would otherwise stop it buying more shares.

However, Square is making clear signals of serious interest. Global president Yoichi Wada has already visited Denmark’s IO Studio – Eidos’ developer of the Hitman franchise – and is set to return to the UK shortly to move the deal forward.

Our source said: “I think Warners will still win, but it’s very interesting that Square have expressed this late interest. They are clearly looking for Western talent.”

Read the full article here.

-Justin

London, UK -Dec 1st, 2008 - Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment are pleased to announce that LEGO Batman: The Videogame has won a prestigious Children’s BAFTA Award for Best Videogame 2008.

Developer TT Games was snapped up by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in 2007 and has since had a hugely successful 2008 seeing the release of LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Batman: The Videogame.

TT Games beat stiff competition from Nintendo’s Mario Kart Wii and Professor Layton and the Curious Village to scoop the top prize at the Children’s BAFTA Awards. Only four titles were short-listed for the award two of which were titles developed by TT Games - LEGO Batman: The Videogame and Guinness World Records: The Videogame.

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On 25 April 2008 the Company entered into new share acquisition “standstill” arrangements with Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc (”Warner Bros.”) that, among other things, restrict the ability of Warner Bros. and its affiliates to acquire additional shares in the Company until 25 January 2009.  These arrangements are described on page 134 of the Company’s prospectus dated 25 April 2008.

The Company now announces that it has consented to Warner Bros. and its affiliates acquiring more shares in the Company prior to 25 January 2009, should they wish to do so, provided that their aggregate holding is not increased to 30.0 per cent or more of all ordinary shares in issue. This represents an extension to the consent announced by the Company on 27 October 2008.

All the “standstill” arrangements with Warner Bros. will expire on 25 January 2009.

Investor email

-Justin

London, 20th November, 2008 - Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Equity Games Production and Halcyon Games announce Terminator Salvation - The Videogame an action-packed, third-person shooter, to be released in conjunction with the highly anticipated Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony Pictures film, which opens nationwide in 2009.

Based on the upcoming “Terminator Salvation” film, the game offers players the chance to assume the role of John Connor, a soldier in the resistance, battling for survival against the far superior forces of Skynet. Terminator Salvation - The Videogame is a third-person action game with concentrated armed combat against all of the Skynet enemies from the film while encountering new enemies specifically designed for the game. The game was developed by GRIN Studios, published by Equity Games, co-published by Evolved Games and distributed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

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All numbers in millions of U.S. Dollars.

Consolidated results for the three months ended September 30, 2008

Net revenues - $11,706 [compared to $11,676 three months ended September 30, 2007]

Operating income (loss) - $2,336 [compared to $2,130 three months ended September 30, 2007]

Net income (loss) - $1,067 [compared to $1,086 three months ended September 30, 2007]

Filmed Entertainment (Note: Time Warner’s video game division operates within the Filmed Entertainment segment) results for the three months ended September 30, 2008

Net revenues - $2,881  [compared to $3,178 three months ended September 30, 2007]

Operating income (loss) - $381 [compared to $359 three months ended September 30, 2007]

Partial press release and link to financial results after the break.

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Change to Warner Bros new share acquisition “standstill” arrangements 

On 25 April 2008 the Company entered into new share acquisition “standstill” arrangements with Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (”Warner Bros”) that restrict the ability of Warner Bros and its affiliates to acquire additional shares in the Company until 25 January 2009. These arrangements are described on page 134 of the Company’s prospectus dated 25 April 2008. The Company announces that it has consented to Warner Bros and its affiliates acquiring more shares in the Company prior to 1 December 2008, should they wish to do so, provided that their aggregate holding is not increased to 30.0 per cent or more of all ordinary shares in issue.

IR email

-Justin