SCi/Eidos Removes Warner Bros. Share Restrictions

British publisher SCi, owner of Eidos Interactive, has amended a "standstill" agreement with investor and distribution partners Warner Bros., which will allow the American company to purchase additional stock in the publisher. The agreement had prevented Warner Bros. from acquiring any more shares in the company until January 25th, 2009 but this restriction will now be lifted on December 1st, 2008. However, Warner Bros. will still be limited to a total investment of no more than 30 percent. Currently Warner Bros.’s stake in SCi stands at 16.13 percent, after buying 5 million additional shares earlier in the month. In December 2006, Time Warner signed an investment and distribution agreement with SCi, gaining rights to a number of Time Warner properties, while Warner Bros. Interactive became the SCi’s primary distribution partner in North America. Warner’s continued investment in SCi, despite largely negative financial result in recent months, has fueled speculation that the media giant is again interested in a takeover.