Buying your way into being the largest computer and games publisher in the UK has a price. But for SCi Games, the cost wasn't as high as the company expected.

After buying out rival publisher Eidos in May, SCi expected to take a loss of 15.1 million pounds ($26.5 million) for the nine-month period ending June 30, but today the company said it lost only 14 million pounds ($24.6 million), or 7 percent less than anticipated.

The company painted a cheery picture all around, saying that stock had been trading well since the acquisition, that the newly integrated SCi-Eidos structure will save the company 14 million pounds ($24.6 million) in its first full year of operation, and that Eidos would be returned to profitability by June 30, 2006.

The acquisition has already been giving positive indications. Eidos' Championship Manager soccer sim and the publishing agreement for Lego Star Wars led to an operating profit of 1.6 million pounds ($2.8 million) in the first seven weeks after the deal.