Nintendo announced that it would acquire 2.2 million shares of its own stock, representing 1.55 percent of the 130.08 million shares outstanding. Assuming the company acquires all 2.2. million shares at the propose $106 per share price, the purchase will cost 25.64 billion yen ($233.5 million).

Analysts believe this move is to limit any possibility of a hostile takeover. The resent “friendly” $600 million takeover bid for Taito by Square Enix is the latest combination in several years of game industry consolidation that has increased pressure on the only console manufacture to rely almost entirely on game related sales.