Top execs leave Tomb Raider games firm, SCi Entertainment

UK computer games firm, SCi Entertainment, has lost its CEO along with two managing directors a week after takeover talks for the company collapsed. CEO and company founder Jane Cavanagh stepped down, as did Cavanagh's husband and MD of publishing, Bill Ennis, and the MD of studios, Rob Murphy. The departures reportedly follow shareholder and board pressure after the firm, which has been struggling financially, announced last week it had failed to secure a buyer. The departures also follow news that release of the firm's new Tomb Raider title has been delayed by six months.

The departures heralded an almost 50% up-turn for the company's share price, which had reportedly dropped 90% since Aug 2007. According to a report in the Guardian, the company has also been looking, in the last few days, at "various opportunities" to increase its revenue streams. Replacing Cavanagh as CEO is current CFO, Phil Rogers, who joined SCi in Mar from rival games firm Electronic Arts.

SCi Entertainment Group was formed in May 2005 when two of the UK's largest video games publishers, SCi Games and Eidos Interactive, merged. Cavanagh had founded Sci games in 1988. The firm is most famous for its 'Tomb Raider' line of computer games, which were also made into two spin-off Hollywood films, starring Angelina Jolie. The firm has, however, been struggling of late at a generally strong time for the games industry. It was announced this week that the computer games industry grew 47% in the US during 2007.