Gamer Scan is reporting former Atari studio, Shiny Entertainment, the maker of Earthworm Jim, Sacrifice, and Enter the Matrix has been bought by Foundation 9. Foundation 9, billed as "the largest independent game developer in North America", games include Death Jr. and Marc Ecko's Getting Up. According to Gamer Scan, "Shiny will relocate with The Collective in 2007, surrendering its intellectual properties to Atari but keeping its staff intact."

No mention of the price paid, but I cannot imagine it was much. Foundation 9 really just bought a bunch of people who could walk out the door tomorrow if they wished. Atari held onto the IP though I am not really sure how much any of it is worth either. I mean why didn't the execs from F9E just show up one day, say, "Who likes Newport Beach, California?" and hire everyone? I mean if the employees didn't take the offer they would of been fired anyway. Ah well. The makers of The Da Vinci Code have merged with the makers of The Matrix: Path of Neo. Expect great things.