Gutspiller
08-08-2003, 09:58 AM
In a notice filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in San Francisco, 3DO's attorneys said Microsoft, Eidos, Ubi Soft, JoWooD Productions Software AG, Namco Hometek Inc., Turbine Entertainment Software Corp. and Crave Entertainment filed by Wednesday's deadline to bid in the Aug. 14 auction.
3DO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 28 and said it would seek to sell its assets. The company had struggled with weak sales and repeatedly sought financing from its founder and chief executive, long-time video game industry executive Trip Hawkins.
The filing did not detail what assets the seven bidders were interested in, or what they were offering to pay.
Microsoft entered the console games business two years ago with its Xbox (news - web sites) console, though it was in the PC games business for years beforehand. Britain's Eidos is best known for the "Tomb Raider" franchise, while the French Ubi Soft has had success of late with its "Splinter Cell" action title.
Namco Hometek is a unit of Japan's Namco Ltd. (9752.T) and publishes games like "MotoGP" and "Soul Calibur." Turbine was behind the "Asheron's Call" online role-playing games. Germany's JoWooD (JOWO.VI) is known for titles like "AquaNox," while Crave publishes games like "UFC: Throwdown."
According to the court order approving the sales procedures, bidders were required to place deposits of anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 to bid on the various asset groups, including the in-progress games "Street Racing Syndicate" and "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." Bidders interested in all of the assets as a group were required to deposit $250,000.
3DO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 28 and said it would seek to sell its assets. The company had struggled with weak sales and repeatedly sought financing from its founder and chief executive, long-time video game industry executive Trip Hawkins.
The filing did not detail what assets the seven bidders were interested in, or what they were offering to pay.
Microsoft entered the console games business two years ago with its Xbox (news - web sites) console, though it was in the PC games business for years beforehand. Britain's Eidos is best known for the "Tomb Raider" franchise, while the French Ubi Soft has had success of late with its "Splinter Cell" action title.
Namco Hometek is a unit of Japan's Namco Ltd. (9752.T) and publishes games like "MotoGP" and "Soul Calibur." Turbine was behind the "Asheron's Call" online role-playing games. Germany's JoWooD (JOWO.VI) is known for titles like "AquaNox," while Crave publishes games like "UFC: Throwdown."
According to the court order approving the sales procedures, bidders were required to place deposits of anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 to bid on the various asset groups, including the in-progress games "Street Racing Syndicate" and "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." Bidders interested in all of the assets as a group were required to deposit $250,000.