Warner Bros. Entertainment has announced that it will be investing in Eidos' parent company SCi Entertainment Group. The investment will represent 10.3 percent of the company's enlarged share capital. As part of the investment Warner Bros. has granted licenses to some pretty major properties to SCi, including Looney Tunes, The OC, and the comic book version of Batman, which means we can look forward to an all new bad Batman game soon! YAY!

"Investing in SCi further solidifies our commitment to the rapidly growing interactive and gaming space," said Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. "This deal is consistent with our core strategy of delivering high quality entertainment based on some of the world's best-loved brands for all formats and channels. We look forward to working with SCi to build games the fans of these brands will truly enjoy."

Maybe now Crecente will finally get that OC game he's been waiting for. I predict a Wii game where you can independently control Peter Gallagher's eyebrows. Michael Fahey

Full press release after the jump

WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT TO INVEST IN SCi ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, LEADING VIDEO GAMES PUBLISHER

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT TO LICENSE KEY PROPERTIES FOR GAME DEVELOPMENT AND PRIMARY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

Burbank, Calif., December 15, 2006 - Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. will make an investment in SCi Entertainment Group plc, ('SCi' Epic code: SEG) the parent company of publishing label Eidos Interactive Ltd, representing 10.3 percent of the company's enlarged share capital. Additionally, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and SCi have entered into an agreement for licensing and distribution of games based on select Warner Bros. Entertainment properties. The investment, licensing and distribution agreements are all pending SCi shareholder approval.

A part of the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) has granted the licenses to SCi for the comic book version of Batman, the Looney Tunes, select titles from the Hanna-Barbera catalog and television properties The OC, Loonatics Unleashed and Legion of Super Heroes.

In addition, Eidos and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group have entered into a primary distribution agreement under which Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will provide warehousing, logistics, merchandising and media buying services in the United States to Eidos. Eidos will continue to run, through its US publishing office, all other aspects of its US operations including manufacturing, sales, marketing and PR.

"Investing in SCi further solidifies our commitment to the rapidly growing interactive and gaming space," said Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. "This deal is consistent with our core strategy of delivering high quality entertainment based on some of the world's best-loved brands for all formats and channels. We look forward to working with SCi to build games the fans of these brands will truly enjoy."

Jane Cavanagh, Chief Executive of SCi, said, "These agreements represent a further step in SCi's development as one of the world's leading publishers of interactive entertainment. The licensed properties extend and strengthen our product portfolio through globally recognized titles such as Batman, Looney Tunes including brands such as Bugs Bunny and the classic Hanna-Barbera catalogue including brands such as Tom and Jerry.

"The properties also include content with a broad demographic appeal. Significantly, the partnership with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group in the United States links us to the distribution network and buying power of one the world's largest media companies. The additional investment provides us with the firepower to accelerate growth initiatives such as increasing our development capacity and our new media and online strategies."

Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment has licensed the rights for selected intellectual properties to SCi. SCi's publishing label Eidos will develop videogames based on the properties. The licenses are:

Batman. The license enables Eidos to create games based the on comic book version of the DC Comics' renowned super hero.

Looney Tunes. Eidos will create games using the library of Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner and Speedy Gonzales and more, for handheld platforms.

Hanna-Barbera catalog. Eidos will develop up to twelve games based on a number of individual characters in the classic Hanna-Barbera catalogue including Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, Wacky Races, Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound.

The OC. The license is for the interactive rights to the long running global TV series The OC, based around the lives of teenagers in Orange County, California.

Other animated properties. Eidos has also signed license agreements relating to the children's animated TV programs, Loonatics Unleashed and Legion of Super Heroes.

# # #