SCI Entertainment, the computer game maker behind the Tomb Raider series, said today that it expects to report an annual loss of £100 million at most.

The full-year loss will reflect significant write-offs to the carrying value of the company’s development projects made at the half- year stage and the delay of big product launches until next year.

The company expects full-year revenues of about £134 million and losses before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of no more than £100 million.

SCI, Britain’s only substantial independent computer games group, has run into trouble in recent years amid delayed and disappointing game releases.

Earlier this year it raised £60 million to shore up its finances, with the support of Time Warner and Robert Tchenguiz, two of its largest shareholders.

The company also launched a cost-cutting and restructuring programme, which included slashing 25 per cent of its workforce. It said this morning that both were making good progress.

Phil Rogers, the chief executive, said that there had been "substantial change and the business is in good shape to take advantage of the strong overall market for video gaming worldwide."

SCI’s focus is on the release of Tomb Raider Underworld, the next game in the series, due to launch in November to capitalise on the run-up to Christmas.

The company’s problems led French rival Infogrames Entertainment to make an offer for SCI, which it declined, earlier this year. Infogrames has since said that it is not planning to make another proposal.

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