Tomb Raider buoys Eidos' six-month results
Crystal Dynamics' latest multiplatform Lara Croft adventure sells 1.5 million through December 31; publisher revs rise 27 percent to £80.3 million.
Tomb Raider: Underworld may not have been the unbridled success that Eidos was hoping for, but the Crystal Dynamics-developed game certainly made a positive impact on the publisher's six-month sales. Today, Eidos reported revenues of £80.3 million ($115 million) for the six months ended December 31, a 26.7 percent climb compared to the same period a year ago. Losses before taxes for the period stood at £1 million ($1.43 million), a healthy recovery compared to the £75.1 million ($107 million) loss sustained during the back half of 2007.
;){kind=link}
Eidos also provided an update on sales for Tomb Raider: Underworld. Lara Croft's latest action adventure shipped 2.6 million units since its debut on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii, and DS in November. Actual units sold stood at 1.5 million, a sum that Eidos notes is higher than the two most recent Tomb Raider games, but less than initially planned.
In January, Eidos confirmed that it had reduced head count at Crystal Dynamics, with reports indicating that some 30 developers were let go. Today, Eidos officially confirmed that it has also shut down its Rockpool Games and Morpheme Game Studios, both of which dealt primarily with mobile and Web-based games.
Eidos also briefly addressed its ongoing plans to be acquired by Square Enix, a deal valued at £84.3 million ($120 million). The offer, which Eidos' board of directors unanimously approved earlier this month, is currently expected to be presented to shareholders for approval in March. Pending that outcome, Eidos expects the buyout to close by the end of April.
For the full year, Eidos expects revenues to fall between £160 million ($229 million) and £180 million ($257 million). During the final six months of its fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, it expects to release Batman: Arkham Asylum, Battlestations: Pacific, and Championship Manager 2009.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Join the conversation