Eidos UK avoids Square distraction

With Square Enix’s swoop for Eidos complete, the publisher’s UK team is working hard to ensure success for its upcoming key releases.

The Brit developer and publisher is lining up Battlestations Pacific, Championship Manager 2009 Edition and Batman: Arkham Asylum between spring and summer, with expectations also rising for Just Cause 2 and Mini Ninjas in the autumn.

There have certainly been plenty of distractions since MCV first broke the news of interest from Japanese giant Square Enix in December.

A formal offer worth 84 million was lodged in February and will go through if there is no counter-offer by the end of April.

But MCV can reveal that the UK staff at Eidos have not had any contact with anyone from Square to date – they have simply been charged with the task of bringing the next set of Eidos titles to market.

The trade and the consumer care more about product than what goes on behind the scenes,” said European publishing boss Patrick Melchior.

We have some important games on the way that are of strong quality. That’s what the team is focusing on. There is no point in us dreaming about what the future might hold.”