Why buy SCi?

Ubisoft

The favourite amongst some analysts and financial journalists, particularly as the French games firm his known to have eyed SCi in the past. The Eidos portfolio of IP would certainly sit comfortably with Ubisoft’s action/adventure focused line-up. One analyst also suggested to MCV that, given EA’s 20 per cent stake in Ubisoft, the Splinter Cell publisher could be used by the Redwood City giant as a stalking horse”.

Electronic Arts

Aside from the obvious attraction of key IP such as Tomb Raider, Hitman, the hotly-tipped Kane & Lynch and Just Cause, it could be Eidos’ technology that has caught EA’s eye. SCi’s assets include the much-admired tools created by its Scandinvian studio IO Interactive (Glacier 2) and Crystal Dynamics (GDC). In addition, EA’s president Jon Riccitiello will have a solid understanding of the company’s books, given that he was at Elevation Parters at the time the private equity group bid against SCi to acquire Eidos.

Warner Bros.

On the face of it, the obvious contender to snap up the British publisher, given the fact that it already boasts a ten per cent stake in the business. However that initial deal – signed last December – means that Warner would have to buy the rest of the company at the same price of 502p, according to The Telegraph, – which is significantly higher than SCi’s current share price. But analysts are suggesting that this may not deter an entertainment giant that sees the booming games business as perfect to offset declining revenues across music, movies and DVD.