Ever since the end of 2008, rumors have been circulating about Eidos being ripe for the financial picking.  With very few games actually turning a profit in 2008, it only seemed like a matter of time before one of the bigger fish in the sea swooped in for the kill.  That big fish was none other than Square Enix.

In February, Square made a formal offer of takeover to Eidos shareholders.  Seeing the chance to make a quick buck off of the plummeting Eidos stock, over eighty-five percent voted in favor of giving up on the troubled publisher.  It probably helped that Square Enix was offering 119 million dollars worth of incentives, but who am I to judge?

The last step in the bureaucratic hokey-pokey was getting final approval of the UK court system.  Seeing that no laws were being violated, courts today approved the takeover, paving the way for the formal changing of the guards on April 22nd, 2009.

Gamasutra discussed the formalities of the stock payout:

The court today also confirmed Eidos’ capital reduction. Dealings in Eidos shares will suspend on the London Stock Exchange at 5 p.m. local time on April 21, when shares will be delisted. At 6 p.m. that evening, Eidos shareholders are to receive 32 pence in cash for each Eidos share.

Eidos shares will be canceled at 8 a.m. on April 22. -

It will certainly be odd to see Lara appearing under the Square Enix monaker, but it might be for the best.  Who knows, maybe we will finally see a complete Tomb Raider game released.  Plus, this should allow for Square to futher flex their muscle in the Europen market.