Microsoft, Eidos, and Ubi Soft are the major players among a group of seven companies that have entered bidding for the various properties of defunct game publisher 3DO. The three, joined by JoWood Productions Software AG (makers of the Gothic series for PC), Turbine Entertainment Software, Crave Entertainment, and Namco are named in a filing made with the San Francisco Bankruptcy court.

Having sought protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 28, 3DO has been planning on hawking its assets for some time now. Of those assets, there is one series that will be of particular interest to the RPG world - the Might and Magic series, which has retained a following with PC RPGamers over the years. This particular property, one of several on the auction block, is currently Ubi Soft's to lose; the 3DO bankruptcy website lists the French software outfit as the lead bidder as of the Wednesday deadline for bidding, with a listed purchase price of $1.3 million.

Ubi Soft's most recognizable brand at this point is the Grandia series, which has met with reasonable success both in Japan and North America. The company's lead bid for what would be another highly recognizable title was posted on 3DO's website under sale procedures set by the Bankruptcy Court in San Francisco, which required the posting to be made by today. The actual auction will take place Thursday, and should other companies wish to overbid Ubi Soft, the initial bid would have to be 4% higher than the company's offer. Following that bid, should it occur, bidding would have to increase in $25,000 increments.