Eidos owners SCi have been in talks with potential buyers since September, the publishing group admitting that a deal creating a bigger firm might help the company progress. Preliminary discussions have been underway for some months, with the likes Ubisoft, Time Warner, and all linked to the maker.

A statement today, however, reveals that SCi have ended talks: "The board no longer believes that a sale of the Company for its full value is likely to be achieved at the current time and has reached the view that it is not in the company's or its shareholders' interests to prolong these discussions further," SCi said in a statement. SCi noted that the discussions had created "commercial and strategic opportunities."

Yesterday, the publisher revealed that Tomb Raider: Underworld would now be released at the end of 2008 on the 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, DS, Wii, and PC.

Shares plummeted 61% to 52 pence upon the news, valuing the company at a paltry 65 million GBP. They eventually recovered slightly closing at 62 pence.

By Luke Guttridge